1.2.0 Cynops Ensicauda Popei new adults adjusting to water help.

[VentureBro]

I have had these newts for 9 days now

When I first introduced them to their new aquarium, they all freaked out. They were rotering their tails like crazy afraid that they would drown. Day 2 and one of the males became fully aquatic, like he meditates calmly in the water. Day 3 the female joined him.

The female and the aquatic male have become completely aquatic. They only come to the water to rest every once in awhile. The male has been fanning his tail at her and they have attempted to mate a few times from what I can see. I have also gotten them to eat earthworms, wax worms and crickets. They're adjusting very well.

The other male has been hesitant with the water. He has not ate the entire time I've had him. I got him to bite onto a nightcrawler once but he dropped it and didn't want to eat it. He does not seem lethargic. He climbs and tries to escape. His swimming has gotten better, a lot less panicking in the water but he still won't go down below.

My main concern is that he hasn't ate, or at least I haven't seen him eat. I've left food in a dish and it has disappeared overnight. But it could be the other two eating it.

At what point should I be concerned with him not eating?

The image of the Newt touching the screen is the boy that hasn't become aquatic.

 

[eldaldo]

I see this as two possibilities. Either he is stressed from the new environment and not eating or is stressed by his tankmates and not eating. While healthy newts can go weeks without eating, I'd try putting him in a separate tank by himself and see if you can get him to eat. I've done this successfully with small juveniles who are being bullied by the bigger ones. Since it is temporary you could even try a large Tupperware or plastic shoebox, just make sure you have some plants in there and are changing the water frequently enough. If he doesn't start eating in a few days it might be something else. If he does start eating, keep him in there a week or two, try to get him fattened up (make sure to do your water changes), and then add him back in to the other newts. Maybe it works now, but if they just don't get along you either need a bigger tank or a separate tank....

 

[VentureBro]

I see this as two possibilities. Either he is stressed from the new environment and not eating or is stressed by his tankmates and not eating. While healthy newts can go weeks without eating, I'd try putting him in a separate tank by himself and see if you can get him to eat. I've done this successfully with small juveniles who are being bullied by the bigger ones. Since it is temporary you could even try a large Tupperware or plastic shoebox, just make sure you have some plants in there and are changing the water frequently enough. If he doesn't start eating in a few days it might be something else. If he does start eating, keep him in there a week or two, try to get him fattened up (make sure to do your water changes), and then add him back in to the other newts. Maybe it works now, but if they just don't get along you either need a bigger tank or a separate tank....

Thanks for the reply. These Newts were raised together their whole lives from tadpoles. When the other two decide to hang out on land, the non aquatic one usually will be next to them. Sometimes he'll move over to where they are and hang out with them. I don't think bullying is going on but maybe I'm reading things wrong. I would think he would try to avoid them but it's the complete opposite.

If he doesn't adjust this week I will try moving him to a Sterlite container with water, substrate and some moss. One good sign, I believe his skin has shed like the other two and is softer and wet looking now.

 

[VentureBro]

Here are the two boys hanging out together. The left one is the one that doesn't want to go down under the water.

If I isolate him from the two other newts he likes to hang out with, will that stress him out more?

 

[MidMichiganNewts]

What did u pay for this group of popei ?

 

[andrew_taricha]

I would continue to try to hand feed him live worms. You could also try dimming the lights or having them on for a smaller part of the day which could help his stress. Also, fluval bug bites "granules" and "pellets" sizes (https://fluvalaquatics.com/us/shop/product/bug-bites-cichlid-granules) have worked wonders for me, as far as getting my popei to eat more consistently. Really surprised me as they wouldn't accept other pellets. The granule size might be best as the pellets are large but my 3 year old adults get them down. But that could be worth a try. If you do see him in the water toss a couple of those in there and see if that entices him.

 

[VentureBro]

What did u pay for this group of popei ?

I was desperately trying to get ahold of these guys for weeks and was about to give up but someone in my state a few counties away saw my post and hooked me up. They had a large group they got form Jennewts so he sold me three of them for around what he paid for them with shipping.

I would continue to try to hand feed him live worms. You could also try dimming the lights or having them on for a smaller part of the day which could help his stress. Also, fluval bug bites "granules" and "pellets" sizes (https://fluvalaquatics.com/us/shop/product/bug-bites-cichlid-granules) have worked wonders for me, as far as getting my popei to eat more consistently. Really surprised me as they wouldn't accept other pellets. The granule size might be best as the pellets are large but my 3 year old adults get them down. But that could be worth a try. If you do see him in the water toss a couple of those in there and see if that entices him.

I bought axolotl, salamander and newt pellets and they don't care for it at all. I'll try these fluval ones! Thanks! Are you able to feed them this above land or is this only an underwater thing?

 

[MidMichiganNewts]

I was desperately trying to get ahold of these guys for weeks and was about to give up but someone in my state a few counties away saw my post and hooked me up. They had a large group they got form Jennewts so he sold me three of them for around what he paid for them with shipping.


I bought axolotl, salamander and newt pellets and they don't care for it at all. I'll try these fluval ones! Thanks!

Try live foods if available,black worms white worms

 

[VentureBro]

Try live foods if available,black worms white worms

So far I have tried wax worms, chopped nightcrawlers that are still moving and crickets. Yesterday, I tried thawing blackworms but he refused those as well.

The nightcrawler he bit but then spit out and didn't want it. This is what the original owner used to feed him. The wax worms he might have ate. I put 4 of them in a dish next to him on land and the next day they were all gone. But any of the newts could have ate them also. The cricket... He became best friends with... Joking, but they were sharing a little island together and he ignored it.

I would continue to try to hand feed him live worms. You could also try dimming the lights or having them on for a smaller part of the day which could help his stress. Also, fluval bug bites "granules" and "pellets" sizes (https://fluvalaquatics.com/us/shop/product/bug-bites-cichlid-granules) have worked wonders for me, as far as getting my popei to eat more consistently. Really surprised me as they wouldn't accept other pellets. The granule size might be best as the pellets are large but my 3 year old adults get them down. But that could be worth a try. If you do see him in the water toss a couple of those in there and see if that entices him.

Do you feed the fluval pellets above the water or is this something they'll only eat in the water?

 

[MidMichiganNewts]

So far I have tried wax worms, chopped nightcrawlers that are still moving and crickets. Yesterday, I tried thawing blackworms but he refused those as well.

The nightcrawler he bit but then spit out and didn't want it. This is what the original owner used to feed him. The wax worms he might have ate. I put 4 of them in a dish next to him on land and the next day they were all gone. But any of the newts could have ate them also. The cricket... He became best friends with... Joking, but they were sharing a little island together and he ignored it.

Do you feed the fluval pellets above the water or is this something they'll only eat in the water?

I’ve seen a few efts take soften pellets above water ,it may be possible however much more difficult to entice them on a non moving prey source on land

 

[VentureBro]

I’ve seen a few efts take soften pellets above water ,it may be possible however much more difficult to entice them on a non moving prey source on land

I think you already got in contact with user mroconno since I followed some of their post, but they have some popei juveniles. DM them if you're interested.

 

[VentureBro]

I got him to take a bite of a nightcrawler and I was relieved. But then he eventually gave up trying to swallow it and spit it out.

 

[VentureBro]

I decided to isolate him in hopes to get him to eat but also in a set-up to transition him into the water. There is a hide and some moss underneath to feel more like a bed. I hope this is the right thing to do. Of course he seems stressed, but I can see it's already much easier for him to walk around this set-up and at least he's not freaking out swimming anymore on the surface of my aquarium.

I left three wax worms at the entrance of the hide so I'm hoping he'll eat them. I have him in a darker area.

I'm hoping he can eat and gain some weight for me to put him back in with the other two.

 

[andrew_taricha]

That looks like a BIG piece of earthworm. Try to find one smaller. He might be able to get a smaller one down.

 

[VentureBro]

I thought it would be okay because the others eat even longer ones but maybe he's intimidated. At this point he hasn't ate for two weeks so I think I need to try wax worms. He refuses those too right now.

 

[VentureBro]

I left him with three wax worms last night. This morning there was only two so that's a good sign.

 

[MidMichiganNewts]

I would seriously consider smaller live foods like white worms ,did u see how Matt has his setup works great to get them aquatic

 

[VentureBro]

I would seriously consider smaller live foods like white worms ,did u see how Matt has his setup works great to get them aquatic

Can I see Matt's setup? Do you have a link? I will go buy him some white, black and bloodworms when I get a chance. Need to find people that sell them around me.

This newt (Miles) has ate two wax worms, but I have to leave it on the ground for him and go away. I decided to put him back in the tank with the others because I will be going away for the weekend and I know this tank is cycled and temperature controlled. He's definitely still scared of me. Today I cut up a bunch of tiny earth worms and left a few wax worms on the cork barks floating around for him. So I'll come back and see if he ate more. The thing is, the previous owner fed him chopped nightcrawlers the size I am showing in the photo. So I believe he's mostly not eating due to stress. I might have to accept that Miles will remain the runt of the three and perhaps he'll eat less frequently than the other two.

The female (Gwen) is eating a lot. She might be pregnant and gravid, I don't know. But she ate two pieces of night crawler and went on land and ate some of the nightcrawler on the corkbark that I left.

The other boy (Peter) is growing already and I've only had them for about two weeks but his head has gotten bigger and he's grown a little longer than the other boy.

 

[VentureBro]

Updates: A lot has happened in the last 4 weeks of me owning these newts

1. Peter got Gwen pregnant, she looks like she'll be laying eggs soon

2. As of yesterday, 2/26/2024, Miles popped his head in the water and watched the other Newts carefully. He then, for the first time, went underwater without freaking out. He became one with the water.

3. Today, 2/27/2024, Miles accepted a piece of night crawler from me off of some tongs when he was underwater. This was the first time I fed him successfully.

Photos: Peter and Gwen mating with Peter tail fanning Gwen to collect his package, Gwen pregnant, Miles finally in the water with Peter, All three of them together in the water