Cycling a new aquarium

[brad]

What is the earliest I could be able to put 2 newts in a 10 gal tank without dangering them. My girlfriend is quite impatient and wants to get some newts right away. The tank will have been cycling for about 5 days when she wants to get them. I have treated the water for chlorine. I also have put in "cycle" and bought a few plants from an aquarium store to help jumpstart the tank. I have a "smallworld" filter running too. I would appreciate any of your thoughts. I really don't want to hurt the little guys.

 

[jennifer]

With the live plants an all, I'd say it's OK to go ahead with adding 2 newts, with a few caveats. First, don't be tempted to add any other animals. Second, get test kits for ammonia and nitrite and test every few days for at least the first month. If any reading is high, do large water changes. Third, clean up every speck of uneaten food within a few hours of feeding. Fourth, I assume that these are small newts, probably C. orientalis?

If you haven't already found this:
http://www.caudata.org/cc/faq/faq.shtml

 

[brad]

Thanks for the info. I am learning so much here it is crazy(I have practically read this whole site since saturday). Yes, the newts will be C. orientalis. But now there is something else. We now have 3 little zebra danios. I know fish aren't the best to mix with the newts, but they were on the safe list. Will this change anything I should do for the newts when I get them.

 

[jennifer]

I would absolutely positively NOT introduce the zebras until the newts are well established and the tank is cycled. This is both because of the species mixing issues and because you don't want to add too many animals (and additional forms of food) to a new tank. (I think even your pet shop would agree with this, if they have any clue at all.)

If you already have the danios and cannot afford a separate tank, I'd say wait and don't get the newts until the tank is completely cycled.