affix her eggs (pictured on the right is a female melanoid albino in the process of laying its eggs on plastic plant leaves). Slates or flat, rough pieces of stone should be placed on the bottom of the tank for the male to deposit its spermatophores. Spermatophores are packets of sperm - you can read more on these in the courtship and spawning section. Spermatophores will not readily stick to bare glass or plastic, so in order for mating to be successful the spermatophore must be stationary during courtship. It is usually a good idea to put the tank in a room where it will be left alone, so as not to disturb the pair. Courtship and Spawning Spawning is initiated by the male, who swims around, raising its tail and making vigorous writhing motions. The male nudges the female's vent occasionally and then leads her around the tank. The spermatophore is a common "device" in the salamander and newt world (an old one, about 12 hours old, is pictured beside this paragraph). It is a packet of sperm attached to the top of a cone of jelly. The male deposits between 5 and 25 of these around the tank and attempts to lead the female over them. She picks up the sperm cap (from one or more spermatophores) in her cloaca - fertilisation takes place internally. She may also nudge the male's vent, and this can lead to a prolonged "dance" around the tank. Between a few hours and