Giant salamander is not a fish, but an amphibian. Because it has the reputation of giant salamander and chubby figure, it looks "cute", and because it likes quietness and is afraid of strong light, for many people, giant salamander lying quietly in the water looks very docile. But the giant salamander is fierce by nature, with sharp and dense teeth, two rows of upper jaw and one row of lower jaw, and it can also bite people.
Giant salamanders are fierce carnivores, feeding on aquatic insects, fish, crabs, shrimps, frogs, snakes, turtles, rats and birds. The predation mode is "waiting for the rabbit". Giant salamanders usually live in the crevices of mountain streams, and their caves are below the water surface.
At night, it stays quietly in the stone pile at the mouth of the beach. Once it finds its prey passing by, it will launch a surprise attack. Because the teeth in its mouth are sharp and dense, it is difficult for prey to escape after entering its mouth.
Its teeth can't chew, just open its mouth and swallow the food, and then slowly digest it in its stomach. Giant salamander has a strong hunger tolerance, and it will not starve to death if it is put in cold water for two or three years. It can also overeat, and a full meal can increase one-fifth of the weight. When food is scarce, cannibalism will occur, and even eggs will be used to satisfy hunger.
Feeding habits of giant salamander
Giant salamanders have poor eyesight. They perceive external information mainly through smell and touch. They can also sense the vibration in the water through warts on their skin, and then catch fish, shrimp and insects in the water. Chinese giant salamander is at the top of the food chain in its ecosystem and is an important part of the biological chain.
The food sources of Chinese giant salamander in different waters are slightly different. They eat a lot and mainly prey on fish, crustaceans, amphibians and small arthropods in the water. In addition, a small amount of plant components were also found in the stomach of giant salamander. There are white turtles, broad-lipped fish, rays and other fish living in the habitat of giant salamanders in the Yangtze River valley, which provide a wide range of prey for giant salamanders.