Newt suggestions for a beginner

[abbeh15]

I've been keeping axolotls for over a year now and lately I've been thinking about branching out into the newt world.

I have a spare 40 gallon breeder style aquarium that would be used to house the newts and it would be setup very similarly to my axolotl tank(pictured above), but a little heavier on the plants.

Because I'm very much a newt novice, I'd like to start with a fully aquatic species as I'm not yet familiar with terrestrial setups. I'd also like to purchase captive bred, preferably from someone on this forum. What species would you recommend? At the moment I'm looking at Pleurodeles waltl as an option, but if like some more input so I can research further.

Thank you!

 

[Chinadog]

I would say P. waltl would be a good choice, they are readily available, grow quickly and can be kept fully aquatic from the start. There are other newts that would be happy to live aquatically like C. pyrrhogaster or H. orientalis but they are usually available in their terrestrial juvenile phase and need to be grown on before they become aquatic adults. I. alpestris apuanus or T dobricus are a little more colourful than ribbed newts and seem to be available from time to time.
You can make a really lovely habitat in a 40 gallon tank with plenty of plants so please post pics once its set up!

 

[Azhael]

I would also recommend H.cyanurus or T.verrucosus.
Mind you, P.waltl is an ideal choice. Triturus and Ichthyosaura are only good choices if you can offer the low winter temps they require, if not, then stay clear from them.

 

[abbeh15]

Thank you both. I live in Alaska, so maintaining colder temps isn't that difficult. At the moment, my axolotl tank is running at 15C, and it hits 18-20C in the summer.

Now off to research!

 

[abbeh15]

After much reading, I think I am going to stick with my initial choice of P. waltl. How many adults would comfortably fit in a 40 gallon? Also, what would be the recommended water depth? I've read some conflicting info and would like to house them correctly.

Thanks again