FBN Scare

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MelanieK

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Some of you may remember ( or maybe not. *Smile* ) that I have a nice little FBN since July 14th of this year in a 10 gallon tank. He's fully aquatic and a great eater. Loves fozen blood worms fed with round-ended tweezers ( found some locally at a Rite Aid Pharmacy - manufacturer is LaCross. ) and will eat dried tubifex worms pieces from my fingers.
He went missing last night. It was time for a 30% water change today so I went ahead and began removing rocks and plants from the tank in order to locate him. No luck at all. The tank is one I picked up at PetSmart and it has a locking screened top with very tiny knock outs to allow electrical cords or air hoses through. All open knockouts were occupied so I knew he couldn't have escaped.
After everything was removed from the tank I came to the conclusion that "someone" had to have removed him from the tank. :( I decided to wash the round stones I use for the bottom and set the tank back up for a future occupant.
When I looked in the filter unit I cought a glimpse of "Rex" but he proceded to crawl further into the unit and disappeared from sight.
Here's a link to the filter:
http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.php?products_id=1268
I turned the unit onto it's side in what water remained in the tank and after about an hour he came out.
He's now hiding in among the larger stones. He seemed intact but no doubt very stressed. I need to come up with an alternate filter system. I hope this experience doesn't lead to illness/ death. :(
 
Hi Melanie,

Sorry to hear about your scare but thank goodness your newt is OK. As far as filtration is concerned, I use a small pump-driven sponge + charcoal filter that I bought from Wal-Mart. Here's a link to a picture:

http://www.pennplax.com/Images/AQUAscans/Smallworld/SWK1PumpnFilterKit.jpg
(if I'm in violation of the rules for posting a link to a photo, please edit accordingly)

It was only $15 and it works great. I just replace the cartridge every few weeks and do 25% water changes once a week. My tank is a 25 gallon but only holds 10 gallons of water. It houses just one FBN. There's zero ammonia and the pH is at 7.5. This is a great filter because you can control the flow rate with the valve that's included. There's no danger of it harming your newt and it works pretty well within a single-specimen tank.
 
If there is a hole there is a newt that will enter it. No matter what filter system I use, if it goes in a newty tank no intake or outflow is left uncovered by mesh. All fish catalogs have mesh filter media bags. Cut off the corners and rubberband over the opening of your choice. Filter openings only please. :)
 
In my new tank I use a Dirt Magnet Sr. ( sponge filter ) and a air pump. It actually works damn good. You wouldn't be let down. Normally I wouldn't suggest( as far as fish go ), but that penplax filter and others like it are great for these applications as well. You get mechanical, biological, and chemical filtration in one newt friendly unit. The Dirt Magnet does some mechanical and some good bio filtration and the Sr. fits right intro the corner with its triangle shape. They also have a cvircular shaped jr.
 
Thanks for the suggestions and encouragement everyone. For now I have a Fluval 1 Plus in the tank. I will look into containing it's inlet slits with mesh asap.
The Dirt Magnet looks like the perfect thing for me, but appears to be out of stock online. I will keep an eye out for one.
My main concern is the stress on the FBN. He was so very at home and "happy" ... now he's doing more hiding than anything. I fear the stress will lead to illness. I am just thankful that I found him and that he decided to come out of that filter system I was using. Nice filter, but BAD for newts!
 
Was the newt caught inside the filter itself, or between the filter and the "decorative" parts? The reason that I ask, is that the manufacturer of that filter makes a similar one without the decorative parts, and I would be interested to know if this filter also poses the same risk:
http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.php?products_id=622
http://www.petco.com/product/14930/Tetra-ReptoFilter-For-Frogs-Newts-and-Turtles.aspx
I just bought one of these, and I really like it, so far. But if a newt could get inside, that would be a serious problem.

Anyway, I hope your newt gets de-stressed and is no worse for the wear.
 
Jennewt said:
Was the newt caught inside the filter itself, or between the filter and the "decorative" parts? The reason that I ask, is that the manufacturer of that filter makes a similar one without the decorative parts, and I would be interested to know if this filter also poses the same risk:
http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.php?products_id=622
http://www.petco.com/product/14930/Tetra-ReptoFilter-For-Frogs-Newts-and-Turtles.aspx
I just bought one of these, and I really like it, so far. But if a newt could get inside, that would be a serious problem.

Anyway, I hope your newt gets de-stressed and is no worse for the wear.
Click to expand...

That's a much smaller looking unit than the one I have.
The newt went inside one of the intake holes. He wasn't in any moving parts, but I imagine the flow of water in there was pretty intense.
The pump itself looks like a small garden pond pump and located inside of a heavy plastic housing that resembles stacked rocks. The newt was inside the plastic housing and crawled up into the housing to an area I couldn't see into.
"Rex" is well fed and was on the chubby side prior to this misadventure. Hopefully he'll come through OK.
 
I'm not positive but I recall that if the bottom suction cup comes out from the hole on the filter provided for it it will also be big enough for a small newt. Also with the bigger sizes of these filters ( the non decorated ones ) if the suction cup comes out its a even bigger hole.
 
Thanks all. "Rex" has eaten small amounts in the past 2 days. He's still hiding more than anything, but when he's out all limbs appear intact. I see no obvious injuries anywhere.
He's a little thinner than his usual chubby self. Prior to this experience he was active and begging for a feed most evenings. Now one bite of food and he's off to hide again. I hope this personality change won't be permanent. What do you more experienced keepers think?
 
I think he'll return to his old self eventually. Do you have the water flow from the Fluval well dispersed?

I found a photo showing the inside of the decorative ReptoFilter, and it's quite different from the smaller non-decorative ReptoFilter. I think mine should be OK.
 
Jennewt said:
I think he'll return to his old self eventually. Do you have the water flow from the Fluval well dispersed?

I found a photo showing the inside of the decorative ReptoFilter, and it's quite different from the smaller non-decorative ReptoFilter. I think mine should be OK.
Click to expand...


Yes, the filter outflow is sheilded by several flat stones.
Unfortunately Rex isn't showing any signs of returning to his old self at all. I haven't gotten him to eat in 3 days. When I see him out on his "feeding stone" I get some food and open the screen top. As soon as the screen starts coming off he scrambles to hide. In hiding is where he stays now 99% of the time. This is very distressing. :(
 
He's not eating

:(
He ate small amounts three times since this all started.
Its been a good 5 days now since he will accept any food. I have tried frozen blood worms ( he loves them , usually ) and small pieces of tubifex worms ( also a favorite ). 5 days ago he took a small piece of tubifex, held it in his mouth for a few seconds, then spit it out and went back into hiding.
He swam/walked around in his tank for a little while yesterday, but refused blood worms. It's like he has no appetite. He's growing thin now. I don't see any wounds or signs of infection. Any suggestions?
 
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