Can i put my paddle tail in my pond?

[Spudsy]

My tank broke It was running for 8 years so i suppose its about time... Everything was connected light filter ect... so i cant replace anything without ripping of the lid and buying new lights, filter ect separately. I cant afford this. I have a pond in my back garden... lots of plants for cover, shrimp and minnows in the pond... could he live in there???
thanks!

 

[Otterwoman]

You must absolutely NOT do this! you could 1. transfer pathogens to the wild population
2. releasing non-native wildlife into the wild is a crime in many places
There are more reasons. Please re-home it!

 

[Azhael]

I wholeheartedly agree with Dawn, it´s a pretty bad idea.

A cheap temporary solution is to get hold of one of those biiiig tupperwares. There are some that are 70-90l and are quite cheap. Go for as large a container as you can since you´ll need a lot of water to compensate for the fact that it won´t be cycled.

If that´s not an option either, then re-homing might be the best for the newt.

 

[Spudsy]

Yes i agree its never good to release animals... Its a pond in my back garden (a walled garden)... Not a lake... its a single newt! Whats the big deal? the nearest body of water is a few miles away!


I presume he can live in the pond yes?? it would be a nice home for him.
did you read my post before giving out to me? I dont know why you think im releasing him into the wild...

 

[iMash]

Spudsy they were not assuming you were releasing it into the wild but your pond has very close connections to the wild (Birds drink from it, other animals and insects will also visit it).

Thus any infections or bacteria that your paddletail newt might carry can easily be transmitted from your pond into other natural habitats and infect local species.

We already have an endangered species of the great crested newt in the UK. infections can be very quickly spread and be catastrophic to local species.

On top of this local species could carry an infection that may also harm your newt that can again easily be transfered INTO your pond.

Its just a lot safer to keep it separated from the wild. Even if that means a crude tupperware solution while you have time to sort out a more permanent solution.

 

[Azhael]

Yes, we did, and yes, we know it´s your pond....It´s still a terrible idea.

Your paddletail is WC, it comes from China and was imported in crowded, neglectful conditions. So, basically, god knows what it may be carrying. If you release it in your pond and the pond is visited by local species, there´s a risk that some kind of patogen may be introduced to the wild populations, with potentially terrible results.

It may also decide it´s not suitable for him (it´s a stream species, not a pond species at all) and leave if conditions are adequate for it to do so.

Additionally it may predate or cause damage to local species that use the pond.

 

[Mark]

Whats the big deal? the nearest body of water is a few miles away!

The mayfly that lands in your pond picks up chytrid spores on it's body and flies to the next pond where it unknowingly deposits the spores. The fungus spreads throughout the local amphibian population wiping out a large portion of it. That's the big deal.

I don't suppose you know if your newt is carrying chytrid.

A plastic tub costs about £2.50.

 

[iMash]

The mayfly that lands in your pond picks up chytrid spores on it's body and flies to the next pond where it unknowingly deposits the spores. The fungus spreads throughout the local amphibian population wiping out a large portion of it. That's the big deal.

I don't suppose you know if your newt is carrying chytrid.

A plastic tub costs about £2.50.

What he said I'm not too clued up on the proper terminology

 

[Spudsy]

Ok thanks just needed more info! ill see what i can do... Ill just use aquarium water from my large tank and keep him in a bucket with a established sponge filter in it.. ill also put a piece of bog wood in so he feels comfortable. ill wrap some clingfilm around the top and poke holes in it so he doesn't get out.. sound good? Im sure i can find a home for him!

 

[iMash]

From what I know so far (which ill be the first to admit is quite little) the water volume in a bucket would require daily water changes and a sponge filter would be better than no filter however would provide very little current.

You would also have to keep an eye on the temperature as it will change very quickly in small volumes of water. If you have some mesh or something similar that might help keep the temperature down a bit better than cling film (surround wrap I believe its called in the states).

If you have any large gaps (ones big enough for him to escape) using the mesh you can cover them with tape. )

Someone will correct me shortly if I have any of that wrong I'm sure.

Edit:

HERE

Assuming someone on here can confirm that Polypropylene is a safe plastic to use something similar to that would be ideal for a temporary solution, with holes drilled in the lid for ventilation.

 

[Spudsy]

Oh yeah its just a temp home for him! Ill be doing extra water changes... might pop in a ice cube every now and then to keep the temp down.. yeah i have some wire mesh i can use. thanks

 

[Azhael]

If it´s a very temporary meassure, it should be fine. Change it into a big tupperware as soon as possible, though. If it contains a big enough volume of water, the fact that it´s not cycled shouldn´t be much of a problem (however, if it´s a small volume, there will be problems and you´ll need to monitor the process closely).