Decent temporary tank for CFBN?

[mike12348]

Hey all,
I have three Chinese Firebelly Newts in this 10g right now. It was an impulse buy sadly so I didn't check how many are comfortable in what sized tank sadly. The caresheet on here didn't seem to mention it.
Anyways, I'm hoping to move them to my 20g in the next couple of months, but I just wanted to make sure this tank is okay for now. (Sorry for the low quality pic)

The temperature stays between 66-70F. Our AC is broken so I'm using frozen water bottles when it gets too warm, but that shouldn't be an issue in a few days. I've been feeding them red wrigglers cut in half, which they seem to love. Water changes every three days and no filter. LED lighting for the plants and no extra fertilizers.

Two of the newts seem to love the water (one barely leaves it), but the third spends all of the day on the logs. I read that this is pretty common until it settles, just worried. I love these little weirdos and just want to care for them as best as i can lol.
So just wondering if there is anything else i need to be doing? Or if i'm doing something wrong. Any advice or critique on the tank is welcome.

 

[Cliygh and Mia]

Looks good, but I would personally add more plants, and more space. Other than that it looks great!

 

[gregory741]

I don't know much about CFBS's I have some newts so I tell you what I know
I have 9 eastern newts in a 15g tank so a 10g tank should be big enough for just 3 of those little guys a 20g tank would be really nice for them also
every thing else look good to me with my limited knowledge

Gregory

 

[Chinadog]

The tank looks fine as a stop gap, you will never have too many plants for fire bellies, so more would be fine, even if its just cheap elodea or hornwort.
Remember to keep an eye on water quality if the tank is newly set up and be ready to do plenty of partial water changes until the tank cycles.

 

[mike12348]

I don't know much about CFBS's I have some newts so I tell you what I know
I have 9 eastern newts in a 15g tank so a 10g tank should be big enough for just 3 of those little guys a 20g tank would be really nice for them also
every thing else look good to me with my limited knowledge

Gregory

Thanks! Eastern Newts are so adorable. Well, all newts are really lol. I'm hoping to get some in the future. Got to add to my new jungle.

Looks good, but I would personally add more plants, and more space. Other than that it looks great!

Thanks! I ordered a lot of plants, but I had to split them between three tanks. Definitely going to get more soon though. I was thinking of getting some sword plants and larger crypts so the newts can rest on the leaves that come out of the water. Just wanted to wait a bit and let these plants settle to see if any die off lol.

The tank looks fine as a stop gap, you will never have too many plants for fire bellies, so more would be fine, even if its just cheap elodea or hornwort.
Remember to keep an eye on water quality if the tank is newly set up and be ready to do plenty of partial water changes until the tank cycles.

I still need to get a water testing kit, so no idea on how cycled it is atm. It was running with a filter and some plants for about three weeks so I'm hoping it should be cycled soon, but I'll know for sure when I go to the petstore. Would more frequent water changes be best for now? 20% every day or two instead of twice a week?

 

[Asevernnnn]

I have 9 eastern newts in a 15g tank so a 10g tank should be big enough for just 3 of those

3 H. orientalis would be fine for a 10 gallon tank, just try to have as much water volume as possible with a small floating land mass.
I personally think 9 N.v.v in a 15 gallon tank is pushing it, I wouldnt have more than 5-6 in a tank that size when its nearly full of water and plants, especially in a newly established tank that hasn't been cycled

 

[mike12348]

3 H. orientalis would be fine for a 10 gallon tank, just try to have as much water volume as possible with a small floating land mass.
I personally think 9 N.v.v in a 15 gallon tank is pushing it, I wouldnt have more than 5-6 in a tank that size when its nearly full of water and plants, especially in a newly established tank that hasn't been cycled

It's kind of hard to tell with the bad photo quality, but the two logs provide a fair amount of land. I'm hoping to get some more floaters soon so they can climb on them too.Y'all think this is enough or should I add another log?

 

[Asevernnnn]

They don't need much land, healthy individuals will rarely leave the water. My group of 5 only has a small piece of cork bark

 

[mike12348]

They don't need much land, healthy individuals will rarely leave the water. My group of 5 only has a small piece of cork bark

Yeah, I read about that. I was just a little concerned about the one that wont leave the land areas yet. I've only had them for a few days so I know it still needs to settle. I'm just a worrier and am trying to make them as comfortable as possible lol.
Btw, thanks y'all for the advice

 

[Asevernnnn]

It might be refusing water from stress from being imported and is no longer adapted to aquatic life. A way to reverse this is to set it up in a very shallow enclosure with lots of live plants and no completely dry land. After a few weeks you can gradually increase the water until it goes aquatic

 

[mike12348]

Thanks for the tip! I'm hoping that it might go in the water soon, but if not I can move it to its own tub for a while until it starts going into the water again

 

[gregory741]

I will probably have some N.v.v available in the near future pm when\if you want any

 

[Asevernnnn]

I will probably have some N.v.v available in the near future pm when\if you want any

Probably should mention that only CB animals can be sold here for a profit, LTC animals can be given a way

 

[gregory741]

Probably should mention that only CB animals can be sold here for a profit, LTC animals can be given a way

my newts will probably lay eggs soon that's what I meant