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FYI: finally figured it out!

fignewton

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Well in my intro post, I stated that I had no idea what my newt is. I do now! When I'd first looked around on this site, I skipped over the Japanese Firebelly Newt, because my newt is a little over 7 inches I believe. So I was like OH ****! Too big. So I didn't bother looking at all the pictures I guess. Going back through everything, Patrick is definately a Japanese Firebelly. He's also a male, which was a lot easier to figure out than his speices! LOL He has the rough skin, arched back, shorter leggs, his midsection is shaped like a giant marble in in there too! His bottom is orange and black mottled. He's got a fait orange stripe on his neck to his mid back section. I think we found a winner!
So - mystery solved!! .. I think. What do you guys think, lol?
Emily
 

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jbherpin

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That doesn't look like Cynops Pyrrhogaster (Japanese Fire-belly) too me. It appears to be some species of Warty newt (Paramesotriton), possibly Paramesotriton chinensis. Take a look- http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Paramesotriton/P_chinensis.shtml

Good Luck!:D

I agree. The size description and skin texture are both signs pointing to this species. Don't feel bad though, pet shops in my area sell these as "giant fire-bellies" so the similarities are there...In ways. I actually own one and love him(fyi), He's been a part of my family for approx 2 years, and is by far the most impressive newt of my collection as far as size is concerned! Good Luck!
 

John

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You've both got better eyes than me...
 

fignewton

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Hmmm... this could be a possibilty! In the pictures, the way these newts' nails curl, that is how Patrick's curles. I guess what really made me think he must be Japanese Firebelly, is that in one photo on the care page, he looks JUST like that. His body shape and everything. (it's the picture that says courtship some something, it shows two newts swimming along side of each other.) The picture I posted of him is from the night I got him, he's a bit bigger and rounder in the middle now. I'll try and take some pictures that are more detailed. I can't ever get pics as bright and clear as the ones on the care pages, I always get reflections and such from the glass. Or he ends up looking like a black spot lol. I'll keep trying! I wish there was info on that page about how they live, because Patrick never comes out of the water. He has a lily pad but never uses it... sometimes he will swim up and pop his nose out of the water but then drop back down to the rocks.
Emily
 

Nathan050793

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Patrick never comes out of the water. He has a lily pad but never uses it... sometimes he will swim up and pop his nose out of the water but then drop back down to the rocks.

Warty newts are nearly entirely aquatic during adulthood, and rarely leave the water...another indication that it may be Paramesotriton.
 

Azhael

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I agree it´s not a C.pyrrhogaster. Looks definitely like Paramesotriton..maybe chinensis? Hard to tell.....
 

jbherpin

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I agree it´s not a C.pyrrhogaster. Looks definitely like Paramesotriton..maybe chinensis? Hard to tell.....

My paramesotriton is a hongkongensis type and also shares the red stripe from the neck onto back as described by the threads author. Furthermore, he definately is FULLY aquatic. The lily is a good idea for emergency haul-outs and resting points. One last thing, not powerful swimmers, don't use heavy current filtration.
 

Nathan050793

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I'll clarify and say that I believe it is Paramesotriton chinensis, based solely on the yellow spotting shown in the picture.
 

jbherpin

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I'll clarify and say that I believe it is Paramesotriton chinensis, based solely on the yellow spotting shown in the picture.

Good call, I over-looked the spotting detail-:tongue:-Sorry. For as big as these get, they love hunting Brine Shrimp. Just something I like to include in the diet.
 

fignewton

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I finally got some good pictures of him! I don't handle Patrick often, but I figured I might as well if I wanted to get some good pictures. So I cleaned his filter and tank, then added some new plants and moved things around a bit too. I took the lily pad out because it seems pointless.
Emily
 

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fignewton

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Do you give the newts frozen brine shrimp or is it live? I've never seen it come live... but I thought I'd ask.
Do you think he'd eat ghost shrimp? I've thought about getting some for him to see if he'd eat them but never did. Mainly because he seems so passive... he's never bothered the fish that lived with him or the little female crab. None of them are in the tank with Patrick anymore but he's still got a snail with him still and doesn't bother that either.
Emily
 

Azhael

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I don´t keep Paramesotriton personally, but from what i´ve read, and i´ve been told, they tend to like small foods, like bloodworms, or even Daphnia. Keep in mind the best food are almost always, earthworms.
With a diet of earthworms, bloodworms, and the ocassional cricket, waxworm, or slug, you´ll have a very healthy animal :)
 

jbherpin

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Do you give the newts frozen brine shrimp or is it live? I've never seen it come live... but I thought I'd ask.
Do you think he'd eat ghost shrimp? I've thought about getting some for him to see if he'd eat them but never did. Mainly because he seems so passive... he's never bothered the fish that lived with him or the little female crab. None of them are in the tank with Patrick anymore but he's still got a snail with him still and doesn't bother that either.
Emily

I get Brine Shrimp live from a local pet store, but the freeze-dried eggs are sold everywhere. The eggs are simple to hatch...All you need is a small tank, a bubbler, and water with a tiny bit of salt(required for eggs to hatch). Just add a few hundred eggs at a time and cycle them out. My paramesotriton takes ghost shrimp, but it takes him a while to catch them.
 

fignewton

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I didn't even consider earthworms! I didn't think he'd be able to eat something that big, actually... he's been getting those aquatic turtle/newt sticks, and newt pellets. He always eats everything. I have earthworms for my Tiger salamander, so I can give those a try today.

Thanks for the info on the brine shrimp!
 

Alejandro

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Make sure you cut the earthworms in small pieces, no larger than half an inch for proper digestion.
 

audrey

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I believe that is a Paramesotriton chinensis. Paras get large and seem to be very aggressive feeders who appreciate a larger food item.They love earth worms. Once accustom to eating them they will wait patiently at the side of that tank every time you are around hoping to be fed. Nightcrawlers are usually the easiest worm to find since they are sold as fish bait. Chop them up into half inch peices and stick it in front of it's nose and it should readily except them, if it is too shy to go for this right away leave the pieces in the tank in a underwater dish and it will also take well to being fed that way also.
 

jbherpin

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Make sure you cut the earthworms in small pieces, no larger than half an inch for proper digestion.

Petsmart markets a smaller worm they label as "red-wigglers",which are an average of 4-5". I cut them at least in half, but I agree the "tips" are relished and preferred by them.They will feed on these over a couple days and then reject them for a while...Maybe this is just MY individual, but even my other newts/sals tend to have a preference for a diversity of food prey, and will refuse if fed these worms all the time...Again, this is just my experience, maybe your's will take at every feeding. Small pieces are a must and do better to encourage them to feed. I find if a prey item is larger than half the specimen's size, they will at least spit it out, if even grab it.
 

audrey

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Red wigglers are known for having a foul taste do to where they come from- I won't go into detail but you can research it if you want - Many sals won't eat them at all. Nightcrawlers however do not have this same taste and not only are a favorite with most sals but are also one of the most nutritious foods.
 

jbherpin

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Red wigglers are known for having a foul taste do to where they come from- I won't go into detail but you can research it if you want - Many sals won't eat them at all. Nightcrawlers however do not have this same taste and not only are a favorite with most sals but are also one of the most nutritious foods.

If you mean chicken farm waste I am concerned...I wouldn't have expected a reputable store(in my opinion) to keep such (nutritionally) low caliber foods. My wife works there, and I think I will ask why they believe this is a suitable meal for anything, let alone my beloved Newts and Sals. I've heard of The Canadian Nightcrawlers, but such large worms foul the water so quickly, especially when cut. Am I mistaken?
 
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