Beginner

[Lilacdragon7]

Hello. Newt beginner here.

I dated a guy who had a Japanese fire belly newt, Nubs. He got his name because of his nubs for fingers. /snicker. He had a beautiful 50 gallon he did nothing with. After attempting plants and a few crabs, all but good ol' Numbs died. He left it desolate and empty.

Well, we have since split and I have come away with a passion for the creatures. I have begun my set up; 20 gal. tall, under gravel filter, large, soft gravel as substrate, a perfect, fair sized water log and a thermometer. The water is in the tank, the filter is running, (after a few set backs, which lead me to saw the tubing and lower the carbon filter. It didn't seem to work till it was submerged.) the water log is ... being a water log, and I got the gravel in there. That's the start. My first question, is a simple carbon filter enough to keep 3 newts and 3 ghost shrimp happy and clean? I have a water siphon which will come in handy with the water changing, also to clean the gravel a little more thoroughly.

I also plan to get some plants. I'm definitely going to get some Anubias and Java Moss, but I was also gonna attempt three shoots of Lucky Bamboo. I know it's not naturally aquatic, but I'm thinking if I build up a bit of substrate so the lucky bamboo is standing in only an inch of the water, maybe I'll be able to pull it off. I also REALLY want to get some floating lilies for the newts to rest on. My second question, what kind of lighting should I be looking for. I know it's possible to burn newts, but I know a low watt florescent light should be alright, I'm just wondering how much?

NOW, when looking for newts, I know the smaller, the more likely they'll need more land, I have a set up with a ton of water (four-five inches of water and the water log and the upcoming plants). I'm wondering how I can tell I got a really healthy specimen in front of me. I know for a fact the newts I'm looking at are Chinese fire bellies; smooth, black skin, small, splotchy orange, not grainy in texture. I remember my ex buying some of these a while back when Numbs' tank was thriving, but they were so tiny! One began to look pregnant from over eating and the other just sat atop nubs and ate nothing and did nothing. I watched as they slowly died, and I couldn't bare my heart braking like that again. I want to make sure I walk away with some healthy babies.

I know there's a possibility of the newts eating the shrimp, if the newt is big enough. I was hoping to get a few red clawed crabs... will there be gang wars in my tank? Possible newt limbs floating around after being clipped off by the crabs? I can find tiny sizes for all of these specimens, the place I go to has a huge selection. I'm just concerned of the hate crimes.

Let me know of what you think. I'm looking for a suggestion on a good water treatment. I have water treatment for my betta, made for bettas, I'm not sure if that would do for my newt tank.
Also, should I get testing strips?

[xMIDNIGHTx]

I'm also a beginner but I have found a great deal of info on them and will try to set you off in the right direction. First off just to comment on the filter first. That filter will be more that enough for your little guys. If you would have fish then the need for a filter goes up. The big thing about filters is if it creates a current, and it will stress your little guys out. Under gravel filter can be a huge pain in the butt and I think that your making more work for yourself.
-If you go with alot of live plants that will provide a natural filter and with proper water changes and cleaning will keep the tank clean. Lucky bamboo has been talked about on here and some have it and had no problems. It doesn't grow that well (if at all) in the lower light, cold water newt setups. I'm not sure about the floating lilies, I think they need alot of light which wont work that well. Low watt (15W) florescent light should work fine, it just needs to be turned off at night.
-A couple of shrimp should be fine (others have mixed them) but they might become a snack. I think the crab is a bad idea, you would HAVE to remove the pincher and I still think theres a risk.
-Lastly getting a water test is a good idea. Newts are more sensitive then fish because the water is taken directly through the skin. Ammonia (from waste) and Chlorine (from new water) are killers. Make sure the levels are in check. Clean, cool, calm water with places to hind and get out of the water is what these guys love. I heard from people that owned these guys that simple is usually better! Good luck!

Mitch

[Abrahm]

Originally Posted by lilacdragon7

Hello. Newt beginner here.

Hello and welcome to Caudata.org

Well, we have since split and I have come away with a passion for the creatures. I have begun my set up; 20 gal. tall, under gravel filter, large, soft gravel as substrate, a perfect, fair sized water log and a thermometer. The water is in the tank, the filter is running, (after a few set backs, which lead me to saw the tubing and lower the carbon filter. It didn't seem to work till it was submerged.) the water log is ... being a water log, and I got the gravel in there. That's the start. My first question, is a simple carbon filter enough to keep 3 newts and 3 ghost shrimp happy and clean? I have a water siphon which will come in handy with the water changing, also to clean the gravel a little more thoroughly.

If you are talking Cynops, the firebelly newts, then you should be fine with 3 and a few shrimp as long as the shrimp can tolerate cooler temperatures. Firebelly newts need temps in the 60s F or lower. The 20 long is a better newt tank than the tall, but you are still good. A small filter usually works just fine and as mentioned above, undergravel filters can be a real drag as they can trap rotting food and poop under the plate where it rots and gives off ammonia. Sponge, box and submersible filters are all good options for newts. Try to pick an electric filter that uses a low amount of electricity (like the Duetto 50) and has an adjustable flow rate. Many newts don't like current.

I also plan to get some plants. I'm definitely going to get some Anubias and Java Moss, but I was also gonna attempt three shoots of Lucky Bamboo. I know it's not naturally aquatic, but I'm thinking if I build up a bit of substrate so the lucky bamboo is standing in only an inch of the water, maybe I'll be able to pull it off. I also REALLY want to get some floating lilies for the newts to rest on. My second question, what kind of lighting should I be looking for. I know it's possible to burn newts, but I know a low watt florescent light should be alright, I'm just wondering how much?

Try to keep lighting to a minimum so pick low light plants. All those plants should do reasonably well under low light conditions. Anarchis is a good floating plant as lilies require a lot of light and should be avoided. Also, don't make a shallower or low water area by mounding gravel. This allows a lot of food to get stuck, rot and foul the water. It can also provide "dead spots" that can cause a buildup of hydrogen sulfide, a poisonous gas.

NOW, when looking for newts, I know the smaller, the more likely they'll need more land, I have a set up with a ton of water (four-five inches of water and the water log and the upcoming plants). I'm wondering how I can tell I got a really healthy specimen in front of me. I know for a fact the newts I'm looking at are Chinese fire bellies; smooth, black skin, small, splotchy orange, not grainy in texture. I remember my ex buying some of these a while back when Numbs' tank was thriving, but they were so tiny! One began to look pregnant from over eating and the other just sat atop nubs and ate nothing and did nothing. I watched as they slowly died, and I couldn't bare my heart braking like that again. I want to make sure I walk away with some healthy babies.

To avoid the heartache trying buying captive bred newts from this forum's Wanted or For Sale section. Captive bred newts are far healthier than wild caught petshop newts because they haven't been shipped from China and been without food for weeks. They have always been well cared for.

I know there's a possibility of the newts eating the shrimp, if the newt is big enough. I was hoping to get a few red clawed crabs... will there be gang wars in my tank? Possible newt limbs floating around after being clipped off by the crabs? I can find tiny sizes for all of these specimens, the place I go to has a huge selection. I'm just concerned of the hate crimes.

No crabs. I wouldn't recommend any other animals with newts at all. A few shrimp may thrive, but most will not. The crabs will have different care and habitat requirements and will more than likely injure your newts.

Let me know of what you think. I'm looking for a suggestion on a good water treatment. I have water treatment for my betta, made for bettas, I'm not sure if that would do for my newt tank.
Also, should I get testing strips?

Water treatment can be anything that says it removes chlorine and chloramines. Try to avoid anything with added chemicals to enhance the slime coat like Stress Coat. I use Seachem's Prime, Amquel is another good choice. Testing kits are a good choice, but avoid the strips. The liquid chemical tests are more accurate and cheaper than test strips. You get more bang for your buck and you can have more trust in their results.

Check out cycling your aquarium here.
Care sheets for firebelly newts can be found here under Cynops, the scientific name.