Filter...

[jason]

Okay, here's the deal. Within the next week I will be trading my two Red-eared sliders to my Alan Bosch (my herp supplier) because they're getting too big, and I can't afford a large enough tank or a pond. So that will free up a 20L tank. I plan on decking it out nicely and moving some CFB in there...

Okay, now for the questions. Substrate...I like they way sand looks in tanks, but would large gravel or no substrate work better? Also, what kind of filter do I need? submergable, or undergravel?

 

[kaysie]

Substrate: Sand is looks nice and is 'middle of the road', large gravel is harder to keep clean, and no substrate is the easiest to clean.

Filter: For these guys, I'd use a small submergable filter. I use a Duetto 50 in a tank that size.

 

[abrahm]

If you do use a submersible filter make sure that you pick one with the lowest possible wattage. The Duetto is good in that regards. If the wattage is too high it will cause the tank water to heat up.

Also, you will want to slow or redirect the outflow as the Chinese firebellies do not like current in their enclosure.

Here's an excellent article on filters:
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/filters.shtml

I prefer sponge filters personally. They don't heat the tank and provide excellent biological filtration. With either filter you have to make sure you keep up on water changes!

 

[jason]

Thanks guys!

 

[chris]

"Also, you will want to slow or redirect the outflow as the Chinese firebellies do not like current in their enclosure."

i was told otherwise due to the fact they are stream-based newts.

 

[abrahm]

Well, according to the little natural history information available. The Chinese and japanese Firebelly do not inhabit streams or other high current waters.

From the Chinese firebelly caresheet:

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>quote:</font>

These newts occur in the Chinese provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Anhui, and Hubei. Researchers have described the natural habitat as “suitable water bodies at various altitudes, mountain ponds, small brooks, flooded fields in mountain valleys...” and "cold still ponds, wells, terraced fields, and ditches". Early researchers also stated “Always the water is cold and quiet, in the shade of grass, with a mud bottom free from stones, and the animals frequently swim up to the surface, darting back and forth actively.” Though this information is limited, it gives clear hints on how to approach keeping this species in captivity.<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

All the descriptions are non-moving bodies of water, except for brooks. The final information that they always live in quiet waters tells us that it is non-flowing water. They probably reside in quiet pools of brooks.

Pachytriton labiatus the Paddle tail newt, which is often confused with firebelly newts, is a stream newt and seems to like a small current in its tank.

(Message edited by magustrate on February 07, 2007)

(Message edited by magustrate on February 07, 2007)