Tokyo Newt'orium

[TJ]

Well, as you can see, my living room has pretty much been taken over by tanks

The (l)150cm x (w) 60cm x (h)60cm tank next to the desk is full of C.ensicauda.popei, with some locality-known C.pyrrhogaster (Sasayama race, Tohoku race) mixed in. The 120x20x20 tank on top of that has 6 axoltls in it. The 120x60x45 tank below has C.p from 3 localities (Sasayama race, Hiroshima race), as well as 4 crested newts suspected to be of Ukrainian origin. The 90x45x45 tank in the middle has popei in it too (and used to serve as my quarantine tank). It also accommodates some Touhoku race and Hiroshima race C.p. Without going into so much detail, the two 51x25x30 tanks precariously balanced on top of it also contain C.p from locality-known areas. The 60x45x45 tank below it contains 2 kinds of Paramesotriton (incl. chinensis). The 60x17x18 tank temporarily placed on top of the Paramesotriton tank in that pic holds my siren. The 60x30x35 tank wedged in next it contains C.e.p, C.e.e and C.orientalis larvae. And the small containers on the carpet there also contain various larvae. The 90x45x45 at the far right holds tropical fish (discus, cardinals). The containers below it are full of morphs (Cynops, Hynobius, T.marmoratus, etc.).

Whew...this is harder than I thought it would be. And that's just a third of the total...

 

[TJ]

The tanks to the left have already been mentioned. The 90x45x45 tank at the top in the middle of the pic contains P.waltl, the same-sized one below it has caecilians (T,natans) as seen here: http://www.caudata.org/forum/messages/96/1605.jpg

Of the two 51x25x30 tanks at the top there, the one on the left has a couple kinds of Notophthalmus and the one on the right has C.p in it. In the row of 60x30x35 tanks next to it, the one at the top has a single Pachytriton labiatus, the one below has C.p, and the one below that holds my pair of Taricha whatever (torosa?). The 60x45x20 tank at the bottom holds my prized pair of Pachytriton brevipes (and they are beauties to behold!

). In the last row of 60x30x35 tanks, there are two tanks of locality-known C.p at the top and one tank with the nominate form of C.ensicauda at the bottom. I've since added yet another narrow row of Hynobius larvae/morph tanks. In addition, there are some Paramesotriton and misc. larvae tanks scattered to and fro.

 

[mike]

Wow! A question - with all that lighting, what do the temperatures run at, and is this a problem for the Paramesotritons, etc?

 

[TJ]

Mike, the lights in the Paramesotriton tanks are usually off, except during feeding. The water temps are usually at say 24C (cooler in the winter) as I have the air conditioner cranked up all day long, which accounts for my obscene electricity bill

 

[jennifer]

Tim, how on earth do you get into that middle tank (the one with 2 smaller tanks perched on top?)

For amusement, here is my newt area. It's nothing to compare with Tim's newt-overrun apartment!

 

[TJ]

Smaller scale but nice, Jen. I take it that's down in your new basement...? Kinda like a "newt dungeon"

I envy you though. It must be nice and cool down there during the hot months. Then again, I like to have my newts around me as much as possible for observation, so the living room suits me best. It all comes down to having an "understanding " partner.

Well, as for stacking my tanks, I'd promised my gal I'd clear the living room floor in return for her moving in, and clear it I did! I had nowhere to go, however, but...up

There's a gap between the two smaller tanks on top that's big enough to drop food through and to do general maintenance like pumping water in and out by hose). When I do really need to get in there, I just slide one of the smaller tanks on top over to the neighboring big tank.

It's temporary. Or at least I like to think it is. What I have in mind now is buying three more 90cm tank stands and three more 90cm tanks -- and stacking the stands rather than directly stacking the tanks.

(Message edited by TJ on November 08, 2003)

 

[aaron]

Tim, that's quite an impressive undertaking you've got. Can't say I envy you though-tank cleaning must take forever, even with the hose that runs to the sink.

Below are a few pics of my room(keep in mind that pretty much every container you can see has something living in it). This also shows most of my gecko tanks. When I'm finished thinning it out, I'll redo all the tanks and take better pics.

http://gallery.pethobbyist.com/index.pl?photo=103289
http://gallery.pethobbyist.com/index.pl?photo=103287

Notice how thick I had to make the shelves

~Aaron

 

[r]

That's a pretty spectacular setup for a private enterprise, Tim. It is obviously a labor of love.
Cheers/Dick

 

[TJ]

Thanks, Dick. A labor of love? That it is, that it is...and still evolving

This is what I meant by stacking the stands rather than stacking the tanks (the six 90cm tanks in the middle). There's one more stand to stack, and it'll be complete. Also, I added an extra row of larvae tanks down there at the far end. Yes, leaving enough room to open to front door

 

[samuel]

Tim.... Isn't Japan prone to earthquakes....

 

[jesper]

That is just evil Sam!

 

[TJ]

Sam makes a valid point -- and, of course, I've often thought about it (precisely speaking, after every tremor!

) . But like Confucius say: "s**t happens, deal with it". That about sums up my philosophy regarding natural phenomena and other things beyond my control

(Message edited by TJ on November 25, 2003)

 

[samuel]

Hehe... Well, i wish u all the best Tim.

Keep up the good work!!! Btw, u have more tanks than the petstore near my house.

 

[kaysie]

tim, you should open up shop and start charging admission to the Newtorium!

 

[keegan]

BTW Kaysie... I love that quote from Oscar Wilde...

Keegan

 

[TJ]

I use this HammerHead tool chest to stock my newt/fish supplies -- one drawer for medicines, one for food, one for items related to water quality, one for heater equipment, etc. It also serves as a command & control post for the newtorium's egg & larvae section and as a medical clinic

(Message edited by TJ on January 07, 2004)

 

[pin-pin]

you need to share a picture of your fridge.

 

[john]

Excellent idea Pin-pin. Tim, this is nothing short of awesome. I don't know how you find the time. I have next to nothing in comparison and it just eats up my spare time.

I have a question that perhaps no one has asked/thought of yet - do you have any humidity problems such as any mould or condensation on the windows? Does the air conditioning prevent this? Oh, and another question for you... do all those tanks "scent" the air at all? (I'm not trying to cause trouble!)

 

[christina]

Holy cow! I've only got one tank! Is this your hobby or your job! (;

- Yav

 

[TJ]

Reasonable questions, John

Indeed, I used to have a problem with the pooling of condensation dripping from the balcony windows, which led to mold on the curtains and the carpet. I easily solved that by acquiring a dehumidifier, though for most of the year the air conditioning takes care of things by itself. As for the "scent", well, it does smell a bit like it does when you enter a store selling tropical fish (though not quite as thick). But I've liked that smell ever since I was a kid

I do also have an air cleaner with an odor-kill function, but airing out the room by opening a window is usually sufficient.

Christina, if you can tell me a way to make money off this hobby without having to engage in the sale of newts, I'm all ears!

Pin-pin, I intend to post one soon, after I get rid of some unsightly crud...