C orientalis not eating

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Sallermander

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I'm new to newts, but I hear that only some newts eat until they are full, others just eat eat eat. is my C orientalis one that stops when full? This morning I tried to feed him a red wriggler (He ate two the first day I got him, but they were the little ones) I have had him for maybe a week now? I fed him the saturday (Two baby wrigglers) I got him, then on tuesday (One large red wriggler), then friday (One-third of a large nightcrawler), then this morning. He actually TRIED to eat the small red wriggler, but kept spitting it out, though he was persistent. So I took the red wriggler out when I got home from work, and cut up a night crawler. He would get into his ready-to-strike position then just swim off or even show more interest with the feeding tongs ... Could this be a bad sign? I also am not sure weither they only eat during the day or night as well, because this is the first time I have fed him without the lights being on
 
Usually not eating is an environmental factor, such as bad temperature, water quality, etc. Red wigglers secrete a foul-tasting liquid, so maybe the newt doesn't want to eat it. How is your tank set up? Check out the "My newt won't eat" section in the FAQs on Caudataculture.com for more help.
 
Hi Sallermander,
mine sometimes do not eat too loo at the time that the food they are given. If he does not eat soon leave the food standing it seeks. A good idea is to vary the diet, avoided giving all the same!
Hope this helps!

cheers
 
Sounds to me that he is eating ok, you have managed to feed him on several occasions and never so far apart that it is likely to starve. C.orientalis are very small, they don't really need that much food, especially if its at a terrestrial stage, they tend not to move a lot and are therefore unlikely to expend a lot of energy.
How does it look size-wise? does it look skinny?
 
Psychopathic963 said:
Usually not eating is an environmental factor, such as bad temperature, water quality, etc. Red wigglers secrete a foul-tasting liquid, so maybe the newt doesn't want to eat it. How is your tank set up? Check out the "My newt won't eat" section in the FAQs on Caudataculture.com for more help.
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He has eaten red wrigglers before, and he never hesitated with them. Although it is that time of week for me to change his water, today

I also heard that they try to avoid water when quality is bad (Stay on the floating island I have in there, or stay at the surface of the water), yet my newt still happily strolls the bottom of the water area non-stop


RobM said:
How does it look size-wise? does it look skinny?
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Full grown I believe, and he is pretty chunky

Here is my tank set up (Don't let the cloudiness fool you, the sand made it that way for only a little while, crystal clear now)

I also added a few new plants

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k175/gaara_fan_0/FF.jpg
 
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It could just be the pic, but it looks like it has a very long tail for being a c.orientalis. Sure its not a c.pyrrhogaster? How long is it? (sorry its hard to tell to much about it from the pic, it could well be c.orientalis)

If its pretty chunky I wouldn't worry about it not accepting food occasionally, I know its a bit hard to tell because you haven't had it long, but I wouldn't worry unless it starts losing weight, or starts rejecting food the majority of the time.
 
Rob, i think you are right, that tail is waaaaay too long and broad...i´m thinking that newt is going to be a Pachytriton....
 
RobM said:
It could just be the pic, but it looks like it has a very long tail for being a c.orientalis. Sure its not a c.pyrrhogaster? How long is it? (sorry its hard to tell to much about it from the pic, it could well be c.orientalis)

If its pretty chunky I wouldn't worry about it not accepting food occasionally, I know its a bit hard to tell because you haven't had it long, but I wouldn't worry unless it starts losing weight, or starts rejecting food the majority of the time.
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I'm not sure how long it is, I thought it was an orientalis because it has a rounded tail tip(I think Pyrr. Has a pointed tip? and he has smooth skin (As i believe Pyrr has lumpy skin)
 
If you take a picture of the newt we´ll tell you the species. I´m almost certain it´s going to be a Pachytriton sp, but best check for sure.
 
There is a possibility that it is c.ensicauda, but I think Azhael is correct that it is pachytriton, as the tail looks like it gets slightly wider towards the end and it looks like it has slight colouration on bottom and top of the tail.
 
Definately not a swordtail, like I said his tailtip is definately not pointed, it is perfectly round
 
Azhael said:
Pachytriton sp, no doubt. These require different conditions to Cynops/Hypselotriton, so make sure to make the necessary changes as soon as possible.
Check this:
Caudata Culture Species Entry - Pachytriton - Paddletail
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So to be sure, since most facts aren't exactly clear, fully aquatic, is depth okay?

Stay below 65 degrees

I have a submersible filter (I had it for my 20 gal awhile back, but still works)

Is play sand from home depot fine enough?

Decor can be minimum, but is it okay if I keep the great bunch of plants?
 
Sallermander said:
So to be sure, since most facts aren't exactly clear, fully aquatic, is depth okay?
Click to expand...
Yes, you could probably go deeper in your tank as the land area is not really needed (keep it though, just put it up higher in the tank)

Sallermander said:
Stay below 65 degrees
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Preferably yes, it can be slightly higher, but only for short amounts of time.

Sallermander said:
Is play sand from home depot fine enough?
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Yes this should be fine, make sure you rinse it well though.
You are already using sand though it looks like, is it not very fine?

Sallermander said:
Decor can be minimum, but is it okay if I keep the great bunch of plants?
Click to expand...
Plants are always good for water quality, so definitely keep them, I think your other decor is fine too, to be honest
 
RobM said:
Yes, you could probably go deeper in your tank as the land area is not really needed (keep it though, just put it up higher in the tank)


Preferably yes, it can be slightly higher, but only for short amounts of time.


Yes this should be fine, make sure you rinse it well though.
You are already using sand though it looks like, is it not very fine?


Plants are always good for water quality, so definitely keep them, I think your other decor is fine too, to be honest
Click to expand...

If I raise the water level, should I buy some screen lid locks? He jumps awefully high into the air just for a puff of air
 
Can't find edit button. But. can I upgrade him to a twenty gallon Long? Would he be happier? Would he be healthier? Or would it just take space at that point?
 
Buy lid locks if you think there is a chance he could escape, its better to be safe than sorry.
No one is going to argue against upgrading the tank, the more space all animals have the better :).
Larger tanks are easier to maintain a better water quality in, which of course can be advantageous. This is because for larger volumes of water it takes longer for anything to change within its environment (things are more diluted).
You may also find it worth upgrading to a larger tank if you feel the filter you mentioned is too powerful for your current tank, it could be a matter of smaller filter or larger tank.
 
I only feared a filter when I thought he was a firebelly... But now since he is a Pachy, I put in the duetto... 50 I think it is called, is it strong enough for the stream-like habitat they are natural to? It is strong enough that it kind of shakes the surface of the water, but he seems to be hanging around the filter hiding in the plants ever since I put it in, should I try putting in a low energy power head?
 
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