Question: Newt care

Hello everyone. I'm a beginner to the whole newt keeping buisness, and would just like to clarify with some reputable sources, if my current information is correct.

As far as I can gather, my L60 x B30 x H40 (cm) tank should be adequate for one or two newts, Japanese firebelly is what I expect to start with.

One third of the tank should be land and the other two thirds water, about 6 inches deep ? The land made from gravel not large enough for said newt to swallow?

As for feeding, it will be a worm/cricket diet. Not currently sure what its main source will be.

I have a filter for the water, albeit a smaller than usual one, which I am supposed to leave on for a few hours each day ?

Dechlorinator for the water which I replace one third of every 2-3 weeks and completely change every 2-3 months?

As for temperature, 18-21C should be fine for a Japanese Firebelly, or so I hear? Fans can be added to the tank to chill it a little, as I have plenty lying around.

Is there anything else I need to know?

Thanks,
Monstrous

That all sounds pretty good. My first newt was a Japanese firebelly. They are a really easy species in my experience. They are pretty aquatic so you may not need that much land, you really only need enough for them to pull out on. The only place you might run into trouble is with the filter, you don't want one that gets too hot or has too strong a current. Check out this site for really good basic information (http://www.caudata.org/cc/index.shtml)

here's an article about filters
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/filters.shtml

here's the care page for Japanese firebellies
http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Cynops/C_pyrrhogaster.shtml

here are a list of other newt species if you change your mind on which species you want
http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Salamandridae.shtml

Hope that helps! Good luck, Japanese firebellies are a great newt!

hi,

As far as I can gather, my L60 x B30 x H40 (cm) tank should be adequate for one or two newts, Japanese firebelly is what I expect to start with.

Click to expand...

This should be adequate for a couple of newts yes.

One third of the tank should be land and the other two thirds water, about 6 inches deep ? The land made from gravel not large enough for said newt to swallow?

Click to expand...

I would make the tank all water with a few rocks or ledges sticking out of the water for them to rest on. The depth should be around six inches or more deep. Large gravel? If it is too big for them to swallow then this is a good idea to use as substrate but if it isn't then get larger gravel/pebbles or use sand.

As for feeding, it will be a worm/cricket diet. Not currently sure what its main source will be.

Click to expand...

I haven't heard of people feeding firebellies crickets and so for this reason you should make worms or bloodworms their main source of food.

have a filter for the water, albeit a smaller than usual one, which I am supposed to leave on for a few hours each day ?

Click to expand...

I would have it on for most if not all day to make sure it gives a steady flow of oxygen through the water.

Dechlorinator for the water which I replace one third of every 2-3 weeks and completely change every 2-3 months?

Click to expand...

Do not change all the water. Ever. This will stop the cycling process and kill all the good bacteria in the tank. Yes do put in dechlorinator and then change 10-20% of the water every week.

As for temperature, 18-21C should be fine for a Japanese Firebelly, or so I hear? Fans can be added to the tank to chill it a little, as I have plenty lying around.

Click to expand...

18-21C is a good temperature for these newts and fans are a good way to keep the temperature down.

Is there anything else I need to know?

Click to expand...

Read these pages.
http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Cynops/C_pyrrhogaster.shtml
http://www.caudata.org/cc/faq/FAQhou.shtml
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/cyclingEDK.shtml

Good luck!

Blackhawk