Can I keep my paddletail newts in my garden pond?

Most emphatically, no.

Not only is this more than likely illegal in your home country it also poses a substantial risk of introducing new diseases into local amphibian populations. Amphibians will move in and out of your pond and be exposed and the introduced newt can easily leave as well.

Exotic species should never be introduced into the wild. Animals that have been kept in captivity should never be released.
 
I`m from Ireland and whilst you would get away with it, it is illegal. Also, you`d never see the newts again. If you really want to keep something outside, there`s probably no harm in axolotls (I`ve known people to do it). No one is going to mind about the axolotls because they`re not going to pose an invasion risk.

Mind you I have often wondered why someone doesn`t get a group of German fire salamanders and let them go in the Glen of the Downs or something. I think that would be an interesting experiment. A toad, a frog and a newt do not an amphibian population make...

Actually what would do really well would be Mesotriton/Triturus alpestris and Triturus marmoratus, particularly alpestris.

Disclaimer: I am in no way condoning the breaking of any laws of the Republic of Ireland.
 
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ah i see

the paddletails never leave my water so i thought they would be ok

would an axolotl survive in a pond in ireland ? would he get on with goldfish ?
 
but

Do you get L. vulgaris in Ireland?, what newts are there? What if they got busy with the T. marmoratus and made L.T. marmugaris?
 
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L.vulgaris does not hybridize with T.marmoratus. In the wild T.marmoratus does hybridize with T.cristatus but that species is not native to Ireland.

I think well conceived outdoor vivaria are a great idea. There are a number of species that would do well in the Irish climate. I know breeders in the UK that have various salamandra thriving in greenhouses. Placing non-natives into your regular garden pond is generally a bad idea unless you can be certain they won't crawl out.
 
I remember realising my post didn't make sense,, but hybrids with cristatus, has anyone ever seen one??! what do they look like?
 
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