Species mixing

Not looking to start a brawl straight out of the gate.
I am new to the site but have done a little research on here and read lots of the species mixing threads. I understand why in most situations it's a bad idea.
My question is if I started from the ground up and wanted to mix fish with aquatic newts/salamanders what are the best options for both fish and newts/salamanders? I would like to build a tank that is 2/3 water with 1/3 above water. Making a nice background and lots of rocks and stumps breaking the top of the water. I could keep the temp below 75 in the summer and could probably get down to 63 or so in the winter.


Thanks for the help
Travis.

If you have to have fish, I would go for something like minnows. Just beware the amount of fish might go down depending on what newts you have.

In nature very few newts will coexist with fish. More often than not the introduction of fish to a newt pond will make the newts abandon it and go in search of more suitable habitats. If you force them to share a tank with fish there's a good chance the newts will become highly stressed and constantly trying to escape, or just refuse to feed or go in the water.
I know it's sometimes possible to mix them with small gentle natured fish as Jake said, but what's the point, why not decide if it's fish or newts that you want to keep, then set up the tank properly for whichever you choose, instead of trying to build an compromised set up that's just about adequate to keep both species together. Have a look at the link below for some idea of the problems of species mixing.

http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/Mixing_disasters.shtml

As I said I have read lots on the problems with mixing. I have also read several people keeping shrimp and fish with them with good success. I am wondering if there are specific species that are better options or that would cohabitate in the wild?

Is there terrestrial species that would be a better option if I made the upper section of the tank land?

What other animals would work better in this type river bank setting?

That's the thing jAFfa, nobody has to keep fish and newts together, it's done by choice, and it is a very poor choice...

Mixing shrimp with newts is not the same as mixing fish. Shrimp and other crustaceans are naturally present in caudate habitats, whereas most caudates will actively avoid fish, as Ben explained.

While it is true that given certain conditions of volume, plant cover, species, etc, a mix of fish and caudates might work, it's also true that it may not, so the question becomes, why take that risk? What exactly is to be gained that is so important that it justifies exposing those animals to a set of risks? This kind of mix is nothing but a whim, the only possible benefit is satisfying that personal whim, because for the animals there is absolutely nothing to be gained, but there's something to be lost.

If you want to have a variety of species with your caudates, certain shrimp and other fresh-water crustaceans, snails, as well as the microfauna that stablishes itself in healthy tanks, are perfectly adequate and benefitial additions.

Wildman1 said:

What other animals would work better in this type river bank setting?

Click to expand...

It might be worth looking into fire bellied toads, I've often seen them kept in tanks with nice planted land areas and relatively shallow water.

A common misconception about newts is that they move from land to water on a regular basis, but the truth is they are either seasonally aquatic or even fully aquatic in captivity. When newts are in an aquatic faze their bodies change significantly, their skin becomes smooth instead of rough and granular, the shape of their mouth changes to enable them to suck in aquatic pray. Some even develop webs on their toes or tall tail fins for swimming. While they are in this aquatic mode they are best kept in an aquarium with a small cork float and as much water as possible. They will very rarely leave the water once they are aquatic because their bodies are no longer adapted to terrestrial activity, so large land areas just take up space that would be better off filled with water.
Once seasonally aquatic newts have finished breeding, their bodies revert back. Their skin thickens, they loose the fins and webbing that were needed for swimming and become fully terrestrial, so for the rest of the year they would be happier in a terrarium with just a small bowl of water. If they are kept in a land/water set up it's the water area that's wasting space then because they will never use it until they breed the next year.
I know a river bank set up can look beautiful, but unless its huge I would urge you not to keep newts in it because depending on the time of year, either the land or water just won't be used.

Thanks for the excellent info guys. Not exactly what I was hoping but good to know.

Do all swap between aquatic a terrestrial?
Is there a couple aquatic species that would do well in warmer temps?

I've read terrestrial species hide most of the time. Is there a couple species that are more personable and will be out more?

Cynops ensicauda are the only newts I can think of that can tolerate long periods of warmer (up to 25c) water. Cynops pyrrhogaster will also be fine at those temps, but only for short periods in summer and unlike C. ensicauda, they ideally need a colder period in winter to bring them into breeding condition.
Both species are happy to live in aquariums all year as long as conditions are optimal. If things aren't to their liking they will attempt to leave the water and escape from the aquarium.
I keep C. pyrrhogaster, they are very active and entertaining for most of the year, especially the males, but they are dependent on dense aquatic plant growth to be happiest and plants are essential for egg laying.