Question about fire bellies...

[kelly]

how big do they grow? The guy at the pet store seemed to think mine wouldnt get to be more than 3 inches... but then again he shouldnt be in business, he never knows what he's talking about...

 

[TJ]

Less than 3 inches sounds about right if it's a Chinese fire-belly newt (Cynops orientalis) .

Check out...

http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Cynops/C_orientalis.shtml

...to be sure this is the same newt you're talking about.

The generic name "fire-belly newt" is also used to refer to other species of newts, some of which get much larger.

The Japanese fire-belly newt (Cynops pyrrhogaster), for example, can reach over 6 inches!