Question: tank setup for fire belly newt

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Markb

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Hi just wondering whats the best setup for a fire belly newt?
As im thinking of getting one

thanks
 
Thanks will read it now just had a quick look and noticed most of the picture are of black coloured newts but the one im getting is a light brown is it the same still?
 
Markb said:
Thanks will read it now just had a quick look and noticed most of the picture are of black coloured newts but the one im getting is a light brown is it the same still?
Click to expand...

I'm not entirely sure. When you said "firebelly newt" I automatically assumed you meant Cynops orientalis, the Chinese firebelly. There are a lot of other newts whose colloquial names contain the words "firebelly." Do you think you could post a photo?
 
2594_1085500827337_1520888755_22381.jpg


Thats the best pic i can but ive just looked at that last link i was gave and i think it may be a Warty Newt (Paramesotriton sp.)
 
Ok, that, is a species of Paramesotriton, or, a warty newt. There are not currently any care sheets on them, but if you browse through previous post in their section of the forum, you should get an idea of the care requirements that they have.
 
Heres a better picture:

P120409_1711.jpg


Also what does the ph of the water need to be?
 
That poor newt is extremely thin :S
Can i make a suggestion? would you consider acquiring other species?
Here is the thing, those newts in the shop are wild caught. They are caught in large numbers in their native homes in Asia and are imported throughout the world. This is not done carefully at all....they are exposed to high temps, they are not fed, and they are all kept together(which is a paradise for transmission of parasites and illnesses). A large number of them dies before even arriving to the pet-shops.
Those who arrive are usually ill....as is the case of the animal pictured. Their inmune system is completely shredded, and they are very prone to developing illnesses shortly after being purchased. Those illnesses are hard to treat and very often result in the death of the animal.
So you can see they are not a good choice.

However there is a large option of captive bred newts available from breeders. These are healthy, have not being taken from the wild and are a much better option for you as a buyer (and for the species, obviously).
Specially Pleurodeles waltl, and Triturus species are easily found, and are very easy and rewarding species. You can find breeders in this forum that will gladly sell you some (the UK is specially full of keen breeders).
 
Well i know what ya mean but the shop i bort it from is my sisters own shop and she only deals with the best suppliers. And she wouldnt sell wild caught animals.

The newt pictured has grown loads since i got it and seems really healthy, eats all the time, and likes to swim alot.

just wondering if the ph of my water is ok for it to live it.
 
Markb said:
Well i know what ya mean but the shop i bort it from is my sisters own shop and she only deals with the best suppliers. And she wouldnt sell wild caught animals.
Click to expand...
In that case, she shouldn't buy ANY newts or sals unless she knows the breeder personally. There are no commercially-raised captive-bred caudates, period. Your newt is wild-caught, with 100% certainty. These guys are taken from the wild cheaply in large numbers in China. To raise a Paramesotriton from egg to adulthood takes at least 2 years, more often 3-5 years. I know this from personal experience. No breeder would sell an animal that takes that long to raise for less than $100, and I'm betting your sister's shop didn't pay that much!

Newts are generally not very picky about pH. It is important to test the pH periodically, as it tends to drop over time, and these drops can be dangerous. But any pH from 6.5 to 7.8 is generally fine. If you do need to adjust the pH, it needs to be done using partial water changes or other methods, not the "up" and "down" solutions that they sell.
 
I couldn´t agree more. I´m sorry but there really is no chance whatsoever that your newt is CB. I hold no doubt at all that it´s a WC. Tell your sisters that sadly despite what i´m assuming are her best intentions her suppliers are either lying to her or hiding the truth....i guess she´d like to know.
 
Ok ill speak to her

When you said would i be interested in a different species of newt do you mean get rid of this one?
 
Oh no no! At the time of that post i didn´t know you already had the newt. I thought you were thinking about it, and that´s why i suggested another option for you to choose from. I was a little late it seems hehe but at least now you know, and my only intention was to inform you.
Anyway glad to hear the newt is doing ok, it´s a looker, good luck with him!
 
Yeah atm he is in my community fish tank and is loving it he is only in there while i try to sort his new tank out.
He loves to climb on and swim around with my dragon goby :)
Only a small tank till i have the money to get him a bigger one.

Also whats the best lighting to give him?
 
Oh man...you should not keep the newt with the fish.
There´s plenty of information around the forum about why mixing fish and caudates is a really bad idea(in fact mixing species in general). Basically, your newt needs different(cooler) temps than your fish, which are tropical i assume(at least the dragon goby appears to be). This is VITAL, because high temps will kill your newt.
Also, fish urine is highly toxic for amphibians. They also tend to inhabit fishless water masses, so forcing it to share habitat with fish is stressing.

If the newt is trying to climb out of the water it means there´s something seriously wrong..in this case temps and fish...

Take a look around the forum and learn as much as you can.
In the meantime, check this link, it will show you how mixing is a bad idea:

http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/Mixing_disasters.shtml
 
They prefer brackish water, but can adapt to tropical soon as i get money im going to get few new tanks one just for the dragon goby and add a few more when i can get them.

Ive got a small tank setup for my newt just need to make sure the water is right and the lighting.

And is it right if the newt has to mush food that they give of a toxcin that could kill fish?
 
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