Really Stupid Question

[tabitha]

I saw a pic of a chinese firebelly newt for the first time this afternoon and decided I was in love, lol.

After doing some reading I think I want to give raising one a try, but I have a few more questions first.

1. When I was readying the FAQ it said that mixing goldfish and newts isn't a great idea because of the ammonia levels goldfish give off, however my tanks have been cycled for a while now and ammonia is RARELY over 1ppm. Is water quality really the only issue here? Have there ever been problems with goldfish nipping at newts?

2. How well do these guys climb? I have a power filter and therefore have some open space at the back of my tank - will they climb out? I have 4 dogs and 2 cats who would be waiting for a chance at little guy like that, and have heard they're poisonous so I don't want to risk it if they could climb out.

3. What's the best pH, kH and gH for a CFN?

4. Are they ok raised alone or do they need another companion?

5. do they need land space?

6. How deep should their water be?

From everything I've read they'd go ok with my goldies, but my fish are very precious and I wouldn't want to bring harm to them or a possible tankmate.

I'll probably think of more questions later, lol. And thanks a ton in advance.

- Tabitha

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[bruce]

<font color="ff0000"><font face="courier new,courier">give them land or give them death. water changes weekly . water chemistry isnt that important. keep water as u would tropicals. feed live food and experiment with foods.give them a little cover and ten hours of light.we have 3-newts in a 10-gallon and they sleep piled on one another. some will say a companion newt is not necessary. however, these people have never asked the newt that question nor have they recieved a reply from newts telling them their likes and dis-likes.we have a couple frogs in with our newts and its all in the family.they love to climb. we provide a piece of driftwood and plants with a small moss bed with an eighth land.10-gallon one third full of water.ive heard if newts climb alot they dis-like their environment and are in search of a new living arrangement.happy newting-----bruce</font></font>

 

[jennifer]

1. If you have some ammonia sometimes (even 1 ppm), that would suggest that your tank is already at the limit of how much animal life it can support. If you have to lower the water level to add an island, the situation will be even worse (less water volume). How big is the tank, and how many goldies?

2. They climb very well and are notorious escape artists.

3&4. Don't matter much.

5. Yes.

6. Enough water to maintain decent water quality. It can be as deep as you want it.