My Newt tank

[MikeCloud]

Hi all im new on here.

Have been keeping aquariums and various fish for years but this is my first newt tank. I have three C.orientalis.

Please comment on the suitability, health of the newts any suggestions etc

Mike

 

[Kaysie]

Wow! That's a tank any newt would be proud to call home! Are you using any sort of filtration?

 

[xMIDNIGHTx]

Stunning tank and shots! Great Job! I hope that I can get my tanks to look like that some day.

Mitch

 

[MikeCloud]

Hi Kaysie, thanks

Yes I have a small internal power filter, and a small air driven filter, one at each end of the tank. The power filter is set at the lowest flow rate to ensure no strong flow. I cycled the power filter in one of my aquariums prior to setting up the newt tank.

Mike

 

[MikeCloud]

Thanks Midnight

 

[Jake]

The tank looks great! How do you keep water lettuce alive indoors? What type of light do you have over the tank?

 

[micstarz]

That tank is 100% awesome!

I like your choice of plants, and how the land area is positioned. Your newts must it.

 

[MikeCloud]

Thanks Michael

@Jacob, Thanks I'm in the UK, the water lettuce can survive outside in the summer months but cannot overwinter outside. I have P.stratiotes in all my tanks indoors and it does very well.
The lighting is a 15W fluorescent tube on for 8hrs with another 14W fluorescent tube on for 3hrs in the middle of the photo period. Both tubes are designed to stimulate plant growth.
I also use some plant fertiliser, TPN+.

I have also been in very small dosages using a product popular in the aquarium scene called 'easylife easy carbo' a liquid carbon source for plants. I am using it VERY sparingly as I have found no information regarding its effects on amphibians, it is non-toxic and safe for fish and inverts, but given the sensitive nature of amphibian skin tissues I want to make sure there are no negative effects on the newts. Does anyone have any info regarding this? I am going to email the dutch company that manufactures the product and ask them.

Mike

 

[froggy]

Fantastic tank!

 

[micstarz]

By the way, I see you've got duckweed...
It looks decorative in small numbers and is good for nitrate removal but you probably want to remove some of it every three days otherwise it gets really messy, but it lets you get away with less waterchanges.

If you don't remove it it gets stuck in the land area and on your newt's skin. Also, when it sticks to the glass and dries its a pain to remove...

When I put it in my turtle's tank, every time they got out of the water their carapace was covered with it.

 

[MikeCloud]

Thanks Michael,

Yes I know all about the prolific duckweed, I scoop a lot out of all my 7 tanks on a weekly basis, I don't mind though, I like it.

It is a good nitrate remover, and helps prevent algae proliferation, but I would never let anything replace water changes, I like to keep up with regular sensible water changes on all my tanks

 

[moloch gibbon]

What can I say other than fantastic!!!:happy:

 

[Jennewt]

It's beautiful and looks very suitable for well-established CFBN. I like all of the plants and overall complexity present.

I will be interested to see how it changes over the months/years ahead. The plant in the front-left corner of the tank is one that I believe will not last very long (unless it's something other than what it looks like). Arrowhead plants can live underwater for a couple of months, but eventually drown out.

 

[Red guy]

Great tank and photos mike. would love to do simular with my tank. will get there soon. the newts look really healthy and happy. what size tank is it ?

 

[Azhael]

Brilliant tank. I´m a huge fan of naturalistic well planted tanks, and that ones looks lovely.
However what Jen said is something to take into account....that plant might end up rotting, and you want to keep an eye on that.
Also, the terrestrial newt in one of the first photos....is it still terrestrial? The skin looks dry, but the texture is typically quatic, which means the newt might be getting out of the water out of stress.

 

[MikeCloud]

Hi thanks again guys,

I have removed the house plant!

Re Azhael comment:
None of the newts are dominantly terrestrial they are all predominantly aquatic, they do however seem to bask out of the water for a small amount of time, mostly at night, I was underthe impression this was totally normal? Also in both the pics of the newts out of the water the skin is wet not dry...?
I'll keep a close eye on them though, they are all eating well and appear rather active, in their own lazy newty way.

Mike

 

[Necturus101]

Amazing tank! Very nice tank style and everything with it.

 

[Yahilles]

Lovely design and beautiful newts, i also like plants that you used a bit.
I advise removing this fern (in center, looking from above), it's not aquatic plant, as well as colorful Caladium on the left. Nice wood, i also deal with others, you should remove entire duckweed from tank.

 

[troutnerd]

Nice tank. All natural tanks age over time..and if you have plants,some will thrive and some will die,depending on light etc. I find it takes about a year for the tank to get its groove.They generally are not as "pretty" at the stage, but are balanced...a small ecosystem.

I like duckweed as well.

All my co's are totally aquatic.I had one that was stubbornly landlocked for years (from the time it was acquired). Then I acquired a small group of CB CO who were totally aquatic. One day the old guy/girl? went in with the new kids and has never crawled out again.

GE

 

[MikeCloud]

Thanks for the kind comments people.

The newts have been reproducing, I have a load of eggs!