P.waltl good Newts

[Roney]

So i figure its useless trying to find away to get an axolotl legally and id rather not have unwanted attention from Fish and wildlife, so ive decided to look into P.walt. Also to my knowledge they are legal in new jersey correct me if im wrong; do you think four P.walt will do fine in an 36 gallon aquarium. I also would like to know were to get aquarium plants from i plan on using big rocks on the bottom and having plants and some hides any suggestions?

[Jennewt]

What are the dimensions of a 36 gallon tank? It would probably be fine for 4 waltl.

For aquarium plants, I'd recommend eBay, just check the seller's reputation carefully. Other online shops are also good.

[Roney]

30"L x 15"W x 21"H those are the tanks dimensions it has a bowed shape, what substrate do you recommend i have my firebellies in a tank with medium pebbles but i feel like there a hassle was looking to try something different.

[donia]

Sand is a good and easy to maintain substrate, though a lot of people have just bare bottomed tanks. Pop in some easy to keep plants like Elodea, as during breeding my females lay all over the plants!

[Roney]

Do you use sand or bare bottom tank?

[Jennewt]

I use bare bottom if I'm going to be feeding blackworms. In other cases I use a thin layer of fine sand (pool filter sand or playsand).

That tank size is just a bit bigger than a 20-long, in terms of length/width. It will be adequate for 4 waltl, but be sure you have it at least half full of water (could be less while they are juveniles) and a good filter. They are poopers!

[Roney]

Ok im probably going to use sand to just cover the bottom.. Would happen to know any information about mossy frogs, I plan on getting some they look cool.

[Ken Worthington]

P waltl are great fun! They are active, and have personality and appetite in abundance!
(and captive-bred ones aren't hard to find)

For information about mossy frogs (Theloderma?) there is a 'sister-site' to this one;
Frog Forum (http://www.frogforum.net/forum/)

Hope this helps :happy:

[Roney]

Thanks, do you think Waltl will eat cherry shrimp?

[donia]

Do you use sand or bare bottom tank?

I use sand in my tank, as I think it looks better than a bare bottomed tank. It also gives the newts something to grip on to when at the bottom. I've got a 120cm by 38cm half full of water (height is 50cm) with 6 newts in it, so space is more than adequate for them.

P waltl are great fun! They are active, and have personality and appetite in abundance!

Very true! They are not the most colourful newts, but they learn when their food is arriving and mine actually beg for food when they see my face over the tank edge!! Love them!

[Ken Worthington]

My P waltl is so tame, its great!
It's really nice to start the day with a 'wave' (or a high 4 :rofl:) from the little guy when he sees me (the worm-bringer!)

Agreed, they aren't as 'pretty' as some newts, but are 'handsome' in their own way! :rolleyes:
What they may lack aesthetically, they certainly make up for in adorability heheh

I have a few Glass (or Ghost) shrimp (Palaemonetes) in with my newt, which seem to co-exist well.
The shrimp are too fast to become lunch (so far), and although 'Lil Who' has never gone more than 3 or 4 days without a worm, as he's getting bigger and if I cut back on his rations, then I'm sure that at least one of the shrimp will become newt-rient!

I'm getting round to finishing a tank specifically for breeding cherry shrimp (18"x10"x10") which hopefully will supplement the diet of a future axolotl or two....(I might add that the shrimp are fascinating in themselves!)

From what I can gather, the odd cherry shrimp in the diet of a P waltl, is a good thing, in that it is easily digestible and is nutrient rich (probably a good source of calcium,too).
My waltl eats earthworms as a staple, with the odd frozen or live bloodworms, and live whiteworms every now and then.

:happy:

[Roney]

Haha they are interesting looking and I can't wait to get some and set up the tank hopefully in December.

[michael]

Thanks, do you think Waltl will eat cherry shrimp?

They will learn to devour them. I had a bunch of redclaw shrimp in a tank that I added P. waltl to. They coexisted for about a year. One day a big shrimp got caught in a shed by a ribbed newt. Within a week the tank was cleared of shrimp.

[Roney]

Are canister filters a good idea for waltl

[ghostsaw]

I feed my PW's Chopped up nightcrawlers.

[joeysgreen]

I use a sponge filter for my P.walti tank. It works for me, with a trio in a 36x12x18tall tank. I find canister filters can wreak havoc on plants and are horrible for sucking in all the duckweed and turning into a slimy mess. I'm sure there are ways around this, but I just switched to the sponge filter.

[Roney]

What brand?

[michael]

It depends on the kind of canister filter. If you can turn it down to a low flow or use a spray bar it could be o.k. Most aquatic newts and salamanders don't like strong current. Of course their are exceptions like necturus...

[Azhael]

Pleurodeles waltl is a species that inhabits still water, exclusively, so the ideal way to keep them is with no current at all. If the tank is big, very well planted and fully cycled, you don´t need a filter.

[Roney]

I'm looking into Fluval canister and putting a sponge on the intake part.. Michael did you get my reply?