SourElk
New member
Yes, I was planning on adding a bit more plants and a few caves.
No aggression regarding Gold White Clouds at all.
I just recently set up a 10 gallon tank and added two (male) Chinese Wary Newts. I have a darker lazy newt, and a lighter and more active newt.
I got them both from the same tank in my LPS. It was a 10g tank with maybe 6-7 newts total. There was no aggression or dominance issues in the tank that I saw other than one particular newt was missing toes and was skiddish around others and seemed to get nipped at. They did mention that during feeding time they would fight, though.
My tank is cleaner, and decorated slightly heavier to break line of sight. The first day they nipped back and forth a bit. Feeding was the only serious moment. When I put food in the tank (frozen brine shrimp), the darker newt immediately seeked out the lighter newt and attacked- before even searching for the food itself. They both were equal in status- nipping every so often and backing away.
However, today it is a different story. The darker newt has suddenly become the dominant newt. He is constantly nipping, seeking out, biting, and chasing my other newt It literally looks like sometimes he gets bored so he finds the light newt to dominate him. He also will find the light newt and push the light newt's head into the gravel for 20-30 seconds and then walk away. Now, instead of quick light nips, he often full on bites and holds on anywhere between 5 seconds to me interfering. He's grabbed onto the light newts stomach, and tail. No toes have been bit off or anything yet.
I was hoping that it was going to be resolved but it seems to be getting worse, not better.
If it makes any difference the light newt is shedding. Also, this happens all day and night long. Before, during, and even well after feeding now.
So my question is.... is this normal behavior for two male newts? Did I happen to get a very dominant and aggressive male newt? Is it easier to house 3 newts together than 2, so they would establish a pecking order?
I have also noticed them both making a yawning motion a few times tonight (underwater). Is that normal?