My Pachytriton labiatus

[Janusz Wierzbicki]

I was making a photo session of my P. labiatus. You have there a comparison picture with 15 cm Cynops ensicauda ensicauda and zoom on tail... Am i right in thinking the white area will be a white spot like tail sheen?



Here looks like a Calotriton for me

Comparison in fototank before filling with water

[Lusiwarrior]

Hi Yahilles,
beautiful that your pet! The mine also has the same white mark on its tail, to the greater good chance! I think this is a feature of the same species, if not an indication, and now here I am not sure, that is to be a male!
I apologize for your English! lol

[Rodrigo]

The clear spot could very well develop into a tail sheen.
They do have a strong resemblance to Calotriton and Euproctus which is very understandable given that they are all species that inhabit brooks, and their biology is quite similar.

[Ben Krysa]

Very nice animal. My P.Labiatus looks almost identical but is not quite as chubby. Mine also has the same white spot on it's tail. Yahilles, how long have you had this newt?

[Janusz Wierzbicki]

My newt is fed with waxworms & dendrobeana for some time so got some weight
How long i have it? Well i got it accidentally, 4. April. I wanted to buy a hongkongensis male through man who gets animals from Germany and sales them to Polish aquarium enthusiast, he found newts named as "Paramesotriton hongkongensis" so bought them and sent to me, he couldn't know that they sold him other species...
Now i'm not sad i got this Pachytriton, it's a beautiful and interesting newt with most beautiful appetite of all my caudates. The animal is still living in small replacment tank but i'm planning to set up a new one for it, and maybe buy another Pachytriton. I would like to see some social more behaviour after Cynops and Paramesotriton who ignore themselves all the time, except biting during feeding frenzy.
Also stream tanks are ruling in my head and winning with planted aquaria these days!

[Lusiwarrior]

Yahilles, the P.labiatus not require a planted aquarium because they are animals of the river quick and plants them there! What they need is a filter with a good flow and stones, many stones, where they have to hide and where they deposit their eggs. If you buy a companion for that is good that you have a tank full of generous and hiding places, thus avoiding as they are and that each time that cross I'm sure it will attack! Now if you want to put a plant or two that's you! See here my example and believes that he is happy!

[Janusz Wierzbicki]

I know these, that's why i said "winning with planted aquaria". I'm reading a lot about Pachytritons.
In tanks full of stones, with nice flow i see something very very interesting.

[Lusiwarrior]

That's right, try to do something original, but never neglect their needs!

[Rodrigo]

It´s true that the natural habitat of the species, being fast moving streams, lack vegetation for the most part, but in captivity plants have proven to be very useful for Pachytriton tanks because they provide excelent visual barriers. There haven´t been any adverse symptoms for using plants, as far as i know.

[Janusz Wierzbicki]

Yes yes i think i'll use some plants but in small amounts (surely some mosses like Fontinalis sp.) and probably Blyxa aubertii - this is native Hong Kong plant and i don't think it's endemic to the island. Presence of plants will depend on light available for tank.

[Lusiwarrior]

Yes, the use of plants in an aquarium Pachitriton is optional, but is always a good moss and that of course! Although the issue of visibility also can be resolved only with rocks, caves and caverns. I think it is more natural. There are also who uses caches of clay, I also do not like to because it inhibits their natural behavior!

[Ben Krysa]

My Pachytriton setup uses a combination of stones, plants and a medium current. As well as being found in the actual streams this species is also encountered in small pools that form on the edges of the pools with slower currents and more plants. I started with only a few small plants but had to get more due to an slight algae problem. I believe the current in the tank gives the water higher oxygen levels, hence the bloom of algae. Anyway, I added some Elodea and the algae went away and my newt really seems to love crawling around in the leaves.