Paddle Tail Newt Injury: Broken Leg

[khisanthax]

Hi everyone. This is my first post so I'll start by saying that I'm very new with newts and I'm trying to do as much research as possible. This is my setup, I have a 10g tank with 2 paddle tail newts, 5 mystery snails and 2 ghost shrimp. I just did a water test and all my levels are fine except the pH which is around 8 I think. I did a water change and am trying to get it down to about 7.

That being said this is my second set of newts. My first pair died becuase one escaped and the second must have caught an infection on his leg and he died two days later. My current problem is that one newt at first looked liked he broke his right hind leg. It was swollen, 2x larger than the other limbs, and it was hanging at an angle parallel to his body and it never moved. Now, a few days later I also notice that there is an open wound on the same leg, circular in shape.

I noticed the same thing on the last newt and then he died. I used some melafix in the tank to help kill any bacteria that might be in the tank. Is there something I should add to the water? A specific temperature which would help the healing process? I also don't understand how he injured his leg in the first case, as did the last newt. Both newts are the same species and same size, not sure about gender since I don't know how to sex them.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated?

 

[Jennewt]

Paddletails are territorial and vicious. I suspect that the injury was inflicted by the other newt. A 10-gallon tank is really rather small to keep two paddletails, due to the territorial issues. See:
http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Pachytriton/Pachytriton.shtml

Don't fret about the pH, 8 is fine if that's the normal pH of your tap water. Trying to change it could cause more harm than good. However, if the pH is being increased by something in the tank (limestone or shells?), then I would remove the objects.

Keep the newt as cool as possible and separate it from the other one. Melafix is generally ineffective. You can try using the antibiotics that are sold for fish, but these should be used in a separate tank, not your "main" one.

The CC illness-related articles might help:
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/articles.shtml

 

[khisanthax]

odd thing is the last newt died of the same wound, when it was the only newt in the tank. Could it be a burn? Will the newt heal? Will the leg just fall off eventually?

When I was at the LFS there were like 10 of them altogether in one tank ... they seemed harmless but now I'm beginning to see that it might not have been a good idea ....

 

[ferret_corner]

How in the world could it be a burn? I'm absolutely stumped to figure out how a newt in an aquatic setup could get burned?

Sharon

 

[khisanthax]

The heater in the tank.

 

[ferret_corner]

why is there a heater in the tank?

Sharon

 

[khisanthax]

to keep the temp at 70F otherwise it would drop and the other inhabitants wouldn't be comfortable in the tank.

 

[Jennewt]

to keep the temp at 70F otherwise it would drop and the other inhabitants wouldn't be comfortable in the tank.

This could explain why your other newts died. Most species don't last long if they are over 70 all year round. And most of them are stressed by being kept with fish, or whatever else you have in the tank. If you want newts (alive), please reconsider the whole "community tank" concept. It just doesn't work with newts.

Newly-imported newts will sometimes develop skin sores spontaneously, simply due to the bad treatment they have had during the whole harvest/wholesale/retail experience. In some cases, the sores will erode away the fingers/legs.

 

[ferret_corner]

QUOTE: Temperature below 65°F (18°C) is best, but they can tolerate the low 70’s °F (21-24°C) for short periods of time. :END QUOTE

http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Pachytriton/Pachytriton.shtml

Snails optimal temperature is between 65F - 82F

Ghost shrimp like considerably higher temps- like in the 80s or at least high 70s which is NOT optimal for the newts.

It looks like you're going to have to make a choice.

Sharon

 

[Holding2k9]

i believe that you havent done any research at all you've just bought some newts and tried to make your tank look pretty with other species . newts regenerate legs and other body parts but i doubt at 70 degrees all year it would be relaxed enough to .

i suggest you read alot of books or articles on here and find out your newts capability with other species

 

[khisanthax]

Thanks holding. Your kind word will surely motivate me.

Jen and ferret: Thanks for your help. I did some research but didn't realize the steady temp would be a problem. There are no other fish, just snails and shrimp. your sore explanation seems to fit, and then infection being the cause of death makes sense. I have one newt left ... I'll have to think about what happens next. So far he seems healthy.