Taricha granulosa tank

[gord]

Here's a pic of my taricha granulosa tank. I really like the look of it and the newts love it. Another $20 yard sale tank, a 25 gallon I think. It was set up in June and has had only a couple minor changes. The land areas is on bricks..I have one of those faux rock planters with a pothos in it. Several silk plants are on the back glass. I used Lake Superior sand and gravel as substrate. A variety of aquatic plants including elodea, java fern, java moss and some other bits. A small filter runs at the back but it is hidden behind a large piece of drift wood. Winter water temp runs between 68 and 70F.I have two 16 cm adults in the tank, but it could probably take one or two more. But taricha are as rare as hen's teeth in this part of the world.
Gord

 

[danny]

Im not to sure about Taricha being rare in Ontario. There are several people in Ontario that have them. They say that they've seen Taricha in the pet stores on a common basis. I was talking to Carly during the summer about her Taricha G, and she said that she's seen them frequently. I know Alberta has a ban on Taricha G, and I had one about 12 years ago when I was a kid. I didnt aquire another one until this winter when a university student here in Edmonton asked me if I would be interested in adopting her male Taricha G, since she couldnt have it at res and her family didnt want to take care of it. Now I just need to find a mate or two for him and all will be well

Best of luck with your Taricha and hopefully you can find some more to add to that great tank!

 

[ester]

A really great setup, makes me think a little about the Inca and hidden temples! Interesting to look at.

 

[ian]

Actually. from a local fish store, which I know the owner very well, he told me that Tricha shipment comes to ontario occasionally. However, Mandarin newts are much more rarer.

 

[gord]

Thanks for the nice comments on the tank.

When I say taricha are rare "here"..I mean northern Ontario. I've never seen them for sale here. However,I've been able to buy shanjing, verrucosus and hongkongensis! I bought my granulosa at a pet store in Peterborough,Ontario (Animalia) this spring while at a conference. I drove them all the way back to Thunder Bay. A 1200 mile trip (about 2500 km). I would like to get a couple more and plan to be in TO in Feb. at the same time as the Reptile Expo. So maybe then.

Gord

 

[danny]

You are truly lucky to find shanjing and verrucosus in a pet store! Here in Alberta's capitol, the pet stores so far carry C.o's and Hongkongensis. I have been lucky to find P. waltl and one Cynops cyanurus at a pet store. I go and check the major pet stores every friday when they get in their shipments. I hope that you have lots of success breeding your shanjing and verrucosus as I try to be first in line if you decide to sell any offspring! I hope your P, hongkongensis do better than mine at breeding. So far Ive gotten plenty of eggs and none of them are fertile. I was planning on giving any babies away to Ian Choi but looks like those plans might have to wait another year!

 

[gord]

Dan: Yes, you are right. I have been lucky. I don't know why our Super Pet(!) gets rare newts, but it does. Seems like once every July a shipment of something exotic comes in. They also quickly get snapped up so I suspect I'm not the only herper here! In fact I met an (older) middle aged lady in the line up one day and she was buying crickets for a shanjing! A couple years back, before I had gotten back into this crazy hobby, I remember seeing a 30 gallon tank FULL of verrucosus at this same store. Must have been 30 of them. They were all gone in a week or so.

The store in Peterborough I bought my Granulosa in also had a couple shanjing but they were quite small. Making me think they were CB. But who knows. I should have bought them but they wanted too much $$$. I'm totally in love with my shanjing now and have two, but one is looking shaky after a bout with bloat.

I didn't realize hongkongensis were so readily available in the pet trade. I'd never seen them until this year. I've also never seen any paddle tails here, although I hear stores in Winnipeg often carry them. They don't turn my crank though.

If I ever see Kweichows,it will take all my strength not to buy them..although my wife is getting serious newt tank fatigue. I'm not sure I could keep all my tanks in a van down by the river.

Gord