Using tap water for your caudates?

[Starcraft]

I've been buying Poland Spring for a while now but I recently acquired a lot more caudates and am now considering using tap water. We're supposed to have superior drinking water here in Lynn, MA. The water comes from a couple of ponds located in or around the Lynn Woods (second largest municipal park in the country). Does anyone else here use tap water? What are the parameters of your water and what would make tap water unsuitable for newts? I have c. orientalis, c. pyr (Kanto), and notos, among others.

 

[Kaysie]

I'd say the vast majority of us use tap water. If your tap water contains chlorine or chloramines, it may need to be aged or treated with chemical drops. A forum search will lead you to more information on this.

 

[Starcraft]

Thanks Kaysie!

 

[Kaysie]

I should add the statement that water that is safe for human consumption should be fine for caudates as far as OTHER water treatment is concerned. Treating for chloramines will break the chlorine/amine bond, allowing the chlorine to dissipate, and the ammonia will be left in the water. This ammonia should easily be converted with your biological filter.

 

[benw]

I found that on the whole that tap water is fine for caudates, but here (uk) i asked the supplying water authority for a printed report on the drinking water, which they did, just to see what i would be putting my amphibians, fish etc in.

It made interesting reading, my water supply has a high calcium count which was highlighted in the report, along with chlorine, chloramine etc, so i opted for the dechlorinater option.
But it should be noted that the water company routinely flush-or did- the pipes through with pyrethrum, harmless to humans, but would it be neuralised by water conditioners?
I wasnt sure if i wanted to take the risk, so i now use rainwater for all mine, and i am now on a water meter!!!

Ben

 

[grunsven]

Did the water company say that they used pyrethrum?
I really can't believe that, adding a insecticide to drinking water. And I thought adding Chlorine and Chloramine was ridiculous.

 

[benw]

They did say they added pyrethrum, yes, otherwise i wouldn't have said it .

I know its rediculousas you say, but thats the kind of world we live in now, i expect somebody had a water louse come out the tap and complained to the supplier!!!


Ben

 

[ianclick]

Wow the use of pyrethrins in tap water, now thats an interesting concept.


Pyrethrins are moderately toxic to humans and can lead to the following complaints. Acute exposure effects include dermatitis, diarrhea, headache, irritability, peripheral vascular collapse, tremors, vomiting and disturbance of liver enzymes. Allergic reactions have resulted in the following effects, fever, anaphylaxis (extreme hypersensitivity to a foreign protein or drug), hypersensitivity pneumonia, pallor, nasal congestion, sweating, swelling of the face, eyelids, lips and mucous membranes.



That having been said in the concentrations that would be used for the treatment of tap water they would in all likely hood have little effect.

However Pyrethrins are extremely toxic to aquatic life so I would avoid using any water containing any form of Pyrethrin. As a pipe flush its probably totally safe as long as none is left in the pipes after the flushing. It is doubtful that a water conditioner would neutralise any residue

 

[caleb]

Pyrethrin degrades very quickly, especially in sunlight- this link:
http://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/emon/pubs/fatememo/pyrethrin_efate2.pdf
suggests that 99% will be gone after 5 hours in the sun.

Presumably the pipes are flushed with clean water after the pesticide flush, so there should be no chance of more than trace amounts remaining in tap water, anyway.

I use fresh (unaged) tap water for all my amphibians that don't have gills- I've never had problems with this (though I don't keep any particularly delicate species).

Has anyone used jug filters to treating tap water for amphibians? I was wondering about doing this for larvae...

 

[Mark]

Yes, I have used the jug style “Brita” filtered water to raise both Neurergus and Dendrobatid larvae & tadpoles. Similarly I’ve raised exactly the same species on fresh, de-chlorinated tap water with no ill effects. The high cost of the filters and lack of obvious benefit is enough to make me stick with tap water.

 

[axie girl]

just to be safe i think you should buy some water purifyer and amonia test strips:wacko::lol:

 

[grunsven]

Sounds really crazy to me, having toxic tapwater with chlorine, chloramine and pyrethrin. I wouldn't want that in my water, and not just because of the newts.