Question: Alpine newt tank question

[modestum]

Hi, i am getting a couple alpine newts! I just wanted to make sure my tank was set up perfectly for my new arrivals

i have a 20 gallon long, with a sand bottom, lightly planted, with several hides, screened top, and an external canister filter

temperature is about 68, plan on dropping that down by rotating out frozen bottles in an out.

Do i need a small terrestrial area for a retreat? or is fully aquatic fine?

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated!

 

[Azhael]

The newts would apreciate dense areas of vegetation, don´t be afraid of adding lots of plants.
The temperature is ok although not ideal, but since your profile says you are from texas, i worry about wether the summer months won´t be trouble. This species does much better at low temps (you can go really low....) and doesn´t tolerate well higher temps. Healthy individuals will tolerate temps of up to 27ºC as long as it´s not constant and they have cooler periods inbetween, but it´s a risky business, they can die off like flies.
I´d advice you to be very well prepared for possible problems related with temperature.
Depending on the subspecies, land areas will be used or largely/completely ignored. without knowing which subspecies they are or where they come from, it´s not possible to say. However, it´s likely they are I.a.apuanus in which case no land areas are required (or perhaps a piece of cork bark at most).

Make sure the check the links in my signature, there you will find lots of info and a caresheet for this species. Read about cycling the tank too, that´s important.

 

[modestum]

Thanks for the advice. i will add more vegetation to the tank before they arrive.

They are I.a.apuanus!

I have been cycling the tank for a few weeks and the levels appear to be stable.

As for temperature i will keep an eye on it regularly, and look into a better system to keep it cooler in the warmer months, plus i will be running my AC which is not on now, which should help as well.

I added frozen containers and was able to bring the temp down to 60 F, ~15.5C

 

[Molch]

my adult apuanus never go on land, but the juveniles like to haul out on a cork island. All of them really like to loaf around at the surface on some floating plants. I recommend having some hornwort or java moss near the surface, or even some plastic plants.

I keep mine at 60-65 F and that temperature they have been very problem-free.

 

[modestum]

Thanks! I ended up ordering some Hornwort earlier today, should arrive before the newts!