Eastern Newts Mating in My Garden Pond

[seandelevan]

I built my pond(roughly 1000 gallons) in 2016. It’s home to about 15 goldfish. Of course all sorts of frogs and toads immediately made it their home as well. All the critters successfully mated there as well.

But today there was a surprise. Two eastern newts mating. I’ve included a video. I counted 3 others merrily swimming about as well. The goldfish didn’t pay them no mind. This is mind blowing to me. I’m well aware of the long complicated life cycle of an eastern newt I’m shocked about how all of a sudden they have arrived. I do live out in the country but in the 4 years of living out here I’ve never seen an eft or any species of salamander for that matter on my 2 acres of wooded property. And I’ve turned over many a log and rock in 4 years here. There are no other lakes or ponds near me. There is a river about a mile away but a highway splits between it and my house. I’m not complaining by any means, but this is really cool!

 

[Otterwoman]

That is great and amazing! I'd be tempted to get rid of everything else and just let newts live there, haha!

 

[seandelevan]

That is great and amazing! I'd be tempted to get rid of everything else and just let newts live there, haha!

Oh it’s crossed my mind as well lol. Live and let live I guess right? Today I’ve noticed the newts lunge at any goldfish that dares swims too close. There is also a glob of frog eggs they’ve been eyeing waiting to hatch obviously.....

 

[Viking]

I guess it is like the expression the movie, "If you build it, they will come." I am a little jealous. I set a 3000 gal tank. All I got was toads and 2 species of frogs to spawn. The goldfish will eat the larvae even though they are herbivores. The first food in goldfish breeding operation are daphnia. They are hard-wired to chase swimming food.

 

[John]

Congratulations!

 

[MnGuy]

Wow! That is amazing! Thank you for sharing. Do you have more photos of your pond? Would love to see more photos, including the whole pond.

As someone else posted, the goldfish will eat the young when they hatch. I would recommend moving all fish if you want the newt larva to survive.

Good luck.

 

[seandelevan]

Wow! That is amazing! Thank you for sharing. Do you have more photos of your pond? Would love to see more photos, including the whole pond.

As someone else posted, the goldfish will eat the young when they hatch. I would recommend moving all fish if you want the newt larva to survive.

Good luck.

Probably wouldn’t be a problem to take the fish out. But then comes the hassle of where to put them? I also think it would upset the order of things. They are great at eating algae and mosquito larvae and what not. Now these fish have lived with frog and toad tadpoles for a few years. I know the toad tadpoles are not exactly tasty and they’ve learned to stay away...which has also benefited the tadpoles of the frogs that have lived there. Maybe the newt larvae will too? Not every newt larvae survives in the wild but if a few do....Plus I have TONS of rocks and crevices, leaf litter etc along with a carpet of Sagittarius and anacharis for them to hide. PLUS I’ve noticed tadpoles and newts like to hang out in the 6 inch shelf area that is about half of the pond. Most if not all the gold fish stay in the deep area.

I remember years ago as a kid I would go fishing in a large pond that was loaded with large mouth bass. Along the weedy edges were colonies of eastern newts. Not saying this will happen in my pond but I never thought newts would even end up there in the first place so who knows?
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[Chinadog]

Beautiful pond! I agree really, the newts would vote with their feet if it wasn't to their liking. In a smaller, more basic pond, or where the fish stocking density was higher there wouldn't be room for both, but I can imagine something approaching a natural balance in that one.

 

[Otterwoman]

Very beautiful!

 

[otofrog]

Lucky, I wish eastern newts lived in my area. Historically they did but now they're restricted to only a few wildlife preserves (where I looked and didn't find anything). I considered going upstate and collecting a few so I could breed them and put them in my pond but I know that would be frowned upon by this forum. At least the green frogs and wood frogs enjoy my pond enough to lay their eggs
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[John]

Lucky, I wish eastern newts lived in my area. Historically they did but now they're restricted to only a few wildlife preserves (where I looked and didn't find anything). I considered going upstate and collecting a few so I could breed them and put them in my pond but I know that would be frowned upon by this forum. At least the green frogs and wood frogs enjoy my pond enough to lay their eggs
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I don't think we would frown on it provided it is legal. It's the illegal collecting and the commercial sale of wild caught that people usually don't like.
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[seandelevan]

Thanks! I’m not one of those pond people who keep their pond in pristine condition and pick out every single leaf and scrub their pond liner every year. I think I’ve found a balance between that and a swamp.
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[seandelevan]

Probably wouldn’t be a problem to take the fish out. But then comes the hassle of where to put them? I also think it would upset the order of things. They are great at eating algae and mosquito larvae and what not. Now these fish have lived with frog and toad tadpoles for a few years. I know the toad tadpoles are not exactly tasty and they’ve learned to stay away...which has also benefited the tadpoles of the frogs that have lived there. Maybe the newt larvae will too? Not every newt larvae survives in the wild but if a few do....Plus I have TONS of rocks and crevices, leaf litter etc along with a carpet of Sagittarius and anacharis for them to hide. PLUS I’ve noticed tadpoles and newts like to hang out in the 6 inch shelf area that is about half of the pond. Most if not all the gold fish stay in the deep area.

I remember years ago as a kid I would go fishing for in a pond that was loaded with large mouth bass. Along the weedy edges were colonies of eastern newts. Not saying this will happen in my pond but I never thought newts would even end up there in the first place so who knows?
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Picture of the “newt/tadpole” area. It’s about 12 feet by 5 feet. Ranging and inch or 2 near the shore to 8-10” near the area where it drops off into the deeper fish area.
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[John]

I like it. Keep up the good work!
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[MnGuy]

I don't think we would frown on it provided it is legal. It's the illegal collecting and the commercial sale of wild caught that people usually don't like.
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It is absolutely not recommended to capture and relocate animals to a new location far from their original homes. Please do not do that. Your pond will serve as a home for the animals nearby that need it. That is great and good enough.


To the original poster, thank you for sharing those great pictures! What a beautiful pond. Keep us updated with new photos throughout the year.
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[seandelevan]

That is great and amazing! I'd be tempted to get rid of everything else and just let newts live there, haha!

Well...I did it. I didn’t get rid of my fish...just built another pond for them. They are now in the deeper lower pond. Much more fish friendly. The newts AND the spotted salamander larvae have the upper pond to themselves.

 

[axie owner]

that's great!

 

[Salamanz33]

I built my pond(roughly 1000 gallons) in 2016. It’s home to about 15 goldfish. Of course all sorts of frogs and toads immediately made it their home as well. All the critters successfully mated there as well.

But today there was a surprise. Two eastern newts mating. I’ve included a video. I counted 3 others merrily swimming about as well. The goldfish didn’t pay them no mind. This is mind blowing to me. I’m well aware of the long complicated life cycle of an eastern newt I’m shocked about how all of a sudden they have arrived. I do live out in the country but in the 4 years of living out here I’ve never seen an eft or any species of salamander for that matter on my 2 acres of wooded property. And I’ve turned over many a log and rock in 4 years here. There are no other lakes or ponds near me. There is a river about a mile away but a highway splits between it and my house. I’m not complaining by any means, but this is really cool!

Love this story. Good luck.

 

[seandelevan]

Love this story. Good luck.

Thanks! a few days last week spotted salamanders have been laying egg masses on the newt side of the pond and one was hanging out at the bottom of the fish pond. Nonetheless there are three spotted salamander egg masses days away from hatching.

 

[seandelevan]

. And I’ve turned over many a log and rock in 4 years here. There are no other lakes or ponds near me. There is a river about a mile away but a highway splits between it and my house. I’m not complaining by any means, but this is really cool!

Just want to add...I was wrong about this. Using google maps one day, I did discover a pretty big pond probably half an acre in size in someones backyard about a mile down the hill from me.