New to fire bellys

23matt3

23matt3

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Hey guys, I'm very new to fire bellys. How long does it take for them to acclimate to the tank? I currently have a 20 gallon with two newts. They swim every now and then but for the most part stay on their log and haven't eaten since I've gotten them. I have fed them bloodworms and earthworms and they won't even budge. I'm just worried that I'm starving them and don't want to kill them.
 
A picture of your tank would be good so we can see what your setup is like cause environment can be a big cause of stress and not eating and is your tank fully cycled?


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The water looks green, it's just the light reflecting off the plants
 

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Yes it should be. I had it running with some fish almost a month before I got the fire bellys.
 
Get some water test kits to make sure your ammonia,nitrite and nitrate are good and add lots of more plants firebellys love plants and the more the better. How long have you had them and where did you get them? If there new to the tank it could just take awhile for them to settle in and adding more plants will help with that and if there from a pet store chances are there wild caught so there stress levels might be through the roof because of all the travel overcrowding and sickness that goes along with it...so just give them the best conditions you can make sure the water is good and lots more plants


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If you still have fish in there, I would remove them. This may be deterring them from entering the water. As Doomus suggested, do check your water quality too.
I encourage newts to enter water by dropping the water level to maybe an inch and just have a plants breaking the surface. As they start to adapt to the water, slowly raise it.
 
I got them from a store and I've had them only for a few days


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So I just got my water tested, the only thing that she said was high was my nitrates. So I bought some water conditioner and also I know it's because I got a new filter. So I will do a 20% water change


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Yup, the infamous Chinese fire-bellied newt. Make sure everything is perfect for them, as of right now, they probably can't take much more improper care. Make sure that their water is cool, and if they are staying out of water, mist them with some safe treated water, and that should reverse their terrestrial stage
 
If you are going to use a filter just make sure there are no water currents, Chinese firebellies hate moving water. As has already been said, their environment needs to be optimal in every way to help them recover and adapt to captivity, even slight flow from a filter could put them off getting wet.
Generally, none of the commonly sold filters will remove nitrate. Only live plants and regular water changes will do that.
 
I have an internal filter at the moment that the current blows against the tank so barely any current


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update: nitrate levels are normal and the water is at 68 degrees which I believe it good for them. Anyways they are still not eating and won't get off the log. I'm just hoping they are still acclimating to the tank. Tomorrow will make it a week since I got them.


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Did you add more plants to your tank???? Have lots of plants makes an insane difference for them they are extremely stressed out and you have to make there living conditions as perfect as possible for them to settle in and start to get better


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I'm still trying to add more right now I have a lot of eel grass and Java moss


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