Missing newt found behind filter on suction cup

[bill]

last night one of my fire-bellys came up missing. the odd thing is it was the one who never left the float. i had never seen it in the water until this time. anyway i looked every where and couldn't find him. i even went through the plants and moved things around. not thinking a newt could fit behind a filter i didn't look. about 45 mins later i see this little orangish thing sticking out from the side of the filter. i turned the tank to look and there it was sitting half in the water half out, on the top suction cup. i moved him back to the float and not a second later he was in the water and going to the filter. he likes it, but i don't i don't want him to get trapped, any ideas?

(Message edited by beejium on September 09, 2006)

 

[kara]

perhaps getting a sponge, the type that comes in a water fall filter, and cutting it to fit behind the filter...this will allow water to still reach the filter to be cleaned, but nothing could get between it and the glass...
ggod luck, let me know what youve come up with

 

[bill]

i went to the pet shop last night and was looking at some different filters. i found a Duetto 100. the suction cups are shorter. would there be too much water flow at the lowest setting? it has a 90 gph max. it does not say what the flow rates are for the different settings. just max and min. oddly enough i have a sponge from a nother filter about the same size.

(Message edited by beejium on September 10, 2006)

 

[kara]

give the sponge a go bill, before you commit to buying a new filter

 

[bill]

i'll see what happens. the filter upgrade could be justified, because i can use it on something else. on another note... i was thinking about using some live plants in the newt tank. i have one that i think they might like. i don't know the name of the plant, but i do know that it is commonly used in out door ponds. i'd post a pic if i had a camera. are there specific plants that i need to stay away from?

 

[kara]

I like peace lillies in my tanks...they are hardy and the newts wont uproot them. They are relatively inexpensive as well

 

[bill]

is there a proper quarantine procedure with transferring plants? i have a few different tanks, mostly fish tanks with assorted plants that can easily be cloned or reproduced. i was thinking bout trying an experiment with some of the lillies that i have...

(Message edited by beejium on September 11, 2006)

 

[ali]

Hi Bill, my newts, both the fire bellies and my tarichas rest on the filters sometimes. I don't see it as too much of a problem.

 

[bill]

i have no problem with them being on the filter... i just didn't want them behind it. the sponge worked very well at keeping the little-buggers out from the back, but i still had to change the whole unit out because it wasn't doing the job. i bought the duoetto 100 and it's virtually newt proof. i put an extension tube on the top of the pump so that it pours out on the opposite tank wall forming a water fall. i would recommend the douetto filter to any newt owner.

 

[kara]

good stuff, I am glad it worked out for you!

 

[TJ]

<font color="ff0000">I moved this thread here from the Cynops discussion section</font>