water issues

my newt clark is a fire bellied newt "Cynops oriantalis"
and he is having some issues with water and i dont no wat to do
i have cleaned it several times
and he still doesnt want to go in it
he spends 99% of his time on land
and barely eats

here are some pictures
anyone know why??

http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/cdevine/?action=view&current=DSCF0597.jpg

http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/cdevine/?action=view&current=DSCF0598.jpg

He sure looks skinny. When is the last time he ate? And, did he just move in to the tank? If so, he could be stressed from getting to a new environment. Also, what did you feed him? If it was for instance earthworms, and you let them in the tank to sink, he could have eaten the gravel you are using and might have an impaction. I recommend sand as substrate, because it is easy to digest if he eats it, but with gravel it might get stuck in his system and be the cause of an impaction.

Freik

Hmm, also, have you checked the water quality? I have Chinese fire bellies my self (C. orientalis) and they need neutral PH and almost no nitrite.

I'm not sure what everyone else does, but we keep a large bucket outside to catch rain water. We even use that water for our fish tank. It's worth a try.

ummm he eats newt pellets everyday
and im working on getting him worms
i havent checked the ph cause i dont have the required stuff
so that could be the problem
thanks for your help

is that like perfect ph?

7,5 PH is neutral, and is perfect for them, yes. I think you can buy some strips that can check the PH for some cheap money, and some color scheme, though I'm not sure.

Try feed him some earthworms, then he will get fatter - you can just dig some in the garden, just remember to wash of the sand/soil of them, because its not good for the newts.

Good luck,
Freik

http://www.indigo.com/test-strips/ph-test-strips.html

This is what I was talking about, they are cheap, but not as accurate as the "pro" version from aquarium stores, the kits.

You should give him an island so he can go on land if he wants to. Cynops sometimes go onto land, especially when stressed. I doubt the waterquality is the problem.
So give an island with some shelter (pieces of flowerpots for instance) and feed him on land. You can feed earthworms or blackworms or... (see the food section) I'm not a fan of pellets.

I hope he will eat as he looks very malnourished. Getting him aquatic is a later problem.

Land bound Co's are common, especially if they are newly acquired animals. They go through horrible conditions getting to the pet shop and come to you already very stressed. I agree with Grunsven that fattening up the little guy is your top priority. Most newts don't like newt pellets - live foods like earthworms are not only more nutritious but are also more readily accepted by the newts. Try tiny bits of chopped up worm offered on the end of a toothpick. It may take several attempts for the newt to eat, but keep trying. Also, keep temps as cool as you can. Caudates like it cold and warm temps will not only add more stress to your animal, but will also speed up its metabolism and contribute to even more weight loss. Provide plenty of hides so your pet can feel more secure, like upside down terracotta pots and cork bark for the land, and floating plants for the water. If your tank is newly setup, it will need to be cycled, meaning it has the beneficial bacteria needed to break down toxic wastes. You need a water kit to check things like ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite. There are tons of great resources on this site, like water cycling, good set ups for your tank, and appropriate food items, so start browsing around and learning all you can.
Good luck with the newt and keep us informed,
Heather

k
did you read
he has land and all he does is spend time on land
its bad

thank you very much i need to get him some worms

I've read he is on land al the time but on the picture the land is small, probably wet and has no shelter.
You should increase land size and make a place to hide. The easiest way to do this is to put some bricks in that stay above water with some pieces of cork bark or terracota pots. This will reduce stress.

Meropoulis said:

thank you very much i need to get him some worms

Click to expand...

Yes, this would be a good idea and could trigger him to eat more.
You could also try some other live food, for instance micro crickets or woodlice; there are several good ideas around here and on Caudata Culture.

Good luck with the little fellow!

there is a shelter and the land is dry

okay il have to try dig up some earthworms
thanks