What type of Newt do I have?

[tallon]

Hello,
I'm new here, and a total novice newt owner. I got my first newt just under a week ago after seeing them in a local pet shop.
The thing is I don't know what kind of newt I have, and would be interested to know if any of you experts out there could shed some light on the subject
I mainly want to know what breed he may be so that I can further research the type, so as I can provide the best possible care for my new little friend.

The guy at the shop told me he was a "Fire bellied newt", so before buying I went home did some research and found that there are 2 main kinds, Chinese and Japanese.
I went back to the shop and said, I'll take one of your fire bellies please, he then starts fishing out a newt that I recognised to be a paddle tail (after only a few hours research on the net). After correcting the man, he then gets the one I asked for. I questioned him on the newts breed, (to me it looked Japanese because of it's lumpy skin), he just said it's a common fire belly, there's only one kind.
At this point I knew he didn't have much of a clue, so I paid my money and went home.

Since getting home and inspecting my new pet further, and continuing my research online I now have doubts that he's a fire belly of any kind
He has the lumpy skin of a Japanese, but his belly isn't red. Its yellow/orange spots. All other fire belly pictures I've seen have a more solid red/orange belly with black markings amongst it. From the research I have done, I now believe he could be a warty newt of some kind, but really I have no idea.

Here's some pic's; (sorry qualitys not great, they're taken on a phone)

His name is Newton! lol. Is he a fire belly, or something else?
Sorry my post was so long, but if you made it this far thank you very much for reading.
Any help or info will be greatly appreciated.

 

[FrogEyes]

Both pictures are Chinese warty newts, Paramesotriton chinensis.

The first picture looks like an animal on death's door.

Cynopitan newts [ie, Asian firebellies and kin] include presently five genera, most of which have been called firebellies in the pet trade at one time.:
Cynops - Japanese firebellies, two commonly recognized species plus several more awaiting proper description and separation from C.pyrrhogaster.
Hypselotriton - Chinese firebellies. Three lowland species, plus at least one cryptic species unnamed. At least three highland species, one apparently extinct.
Laotriton - Laotian warty newt. One isolated species.
Paramesotriton - warty newts. At least nine named species, at least two more unnamed so far.
Pachytriton - torrent newts [paddletails]. Four named species, possibly one or more unnamed.

For strict firebellies, that's eight named species at the moment, plus a bunch more unnamed. For the group as a whole, that's a minimum of 22 species!

 

[Molch]

huh. With those tubercles in the rib ends it almost looks like a species of Tylototriton, the crocodile newts, although I wouldn't know which species...others on here will correct me if I'm wrong.

Caudata Culture Species Entry - Tylototriton verrucosus

 

[Joost]

This species belong to the genus of Paramesotriton (can't tell which one), the Warty newts. They often are sold as FBN indeed.

 

[Azhael]

Definitely Paramesotriton, and most likely P.chinensis.
It´s one of the many wonders of pet-shops, just how brilliantly well they are informed.
To add to the chaos of species included under the common name "firebelly", in spanish speaking countries you can add the "cristatus group". It´s just ridiculous.

And i have to agree, that animal looks terrible. It´s dangerously emaciated. Try including waxworms in a healthy diet to provide an extra of energy. I hope it makes it.

 

[tallon]

And i have to agree, that animal looks terrible. It´s dangerously emaciated. Try including waxworms in a healthy diet to provide an extra of energy. I hope it makes it.

Oh no, why do you guy's think that? Is it because he looks skinny? I have been feeding him mostly blood worms and a little brine shrimp. He is eating, and is moving around and swimming quite actively.
The picture on the stone was taken at 3am last night, I thought he must have been resting. He is moving around this morning.
How often should I be feeding him, and what temp should the water bee?
I'm currently feeding him every other day, water is 75*F(as recommended in the shop) and pH is about 6.8, all other test are fine.

I hope he's OK, you've got me worried now.

 

[Bellabelloo]

I would offer him food more often.
Have a look at this post, it may help.

http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-...95-care-considerations-juvie-p-chinensis.html

 

[Azhael]

It´s way too skinny, which nevertheless is quite common for these poor animals. The importation from China is very traumatic and those who survive are very stressed, ill or starving. So it´s no wonder your poor fella is emaciated.
That diet is not ideal. The staple should be earthworms, which are very nutritious. To add variety, which is always good, you can complete the diet with the bloodworms, the brine shrimp, and also with waxworms, slugs, crickets, isopodos, fresh-water crustaceans of many kinds, tubifex, small whole fresh-water fish (quarantined first, and used sparangly) and even commercial pellets.

Try to lower the temps a bit....20ºC is good. Higher temps will only inhibit its inmune system, and accelerate its metabolism, which right now is dangerous.

Also, i see there are fish in the tank...a betta? Mixing species is broadly a very bad idea. Tropical fish and caudates are certainly not mixable since their requirements are too different. The fish need temps that will kill the newt. Also, fish in general tend to cause stress to caudates, because their urine is pure ammonia (which is highly toxic to amphibians) and because caudates can chemically detect the pressence of fish (in the wild, the majority of species purposefully inhabit fishless waters). There can also be agression, exchange of patogens, etc....so as you can see, not a great idea. Separate as soon as you can.

You can find the Caudata Culture articles in my signature. I suggest you read them all, hehe. They are the best source of information you are going to find, and they should answer most of your questions.