Question: Help... What kind of newt do I have?

[ladystone]

I purchased these newts from someone else here in town, originally she had called them large fire newts. I had Chinese fire-bellied newts as a child and I know these are not the same newts.

I tried a few times to upload pictures but for some reason it is not allowing me to upload them, which is very frustrating. So I will have to try later.

The newts are brown in colour and look like they have rough skin. They have orange-yellowish-red spots or speckles on their dark brown/black bellies. They have a orange strip down their backs and down their tails. Their tails kind of look like a paddletail newt, so I kind of think they might be paddletails, but I am unsure. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Shadow]

Hey there's an article here - Caudata Culture Articles - Firebelly

Pictures would be a great help. Good luck posting them.

Edit: Paramesotriton chinensis. Thats my guess.

 

[Otterwoman]

That's my guess too from the description. They are the last ones pictured in that link.

 

[ladystone]

Thanks :happy: that looks like them. I will try to post pictures again later.

 

[ladystone]

I was finally able to upload pictures and thought I would attach a few photos to this thread to double check. Thanks again for all your help :happy:

 

[Kaysie]

Nice Paramesotriton. They all look pretty healthy!

 

[ladystone]

Thanks :happy: I had to do a complete overhaul on their tank. When I picked them up they were in a tank with maybe 2 inches of water, and one rock in the middle. My boyfriend and I felt so bad for them, that we took them even though we knew they weren't the Chinese Fire-bellied Newts that we really wanted. I really like these guys though, they are super active and very entertaining to watch.