Question: Need Advice on suitable newt for my tank?

[Spudss]

Hi,

This is my very first Aquatic/terrestrial tank and im pretty new to keeping newts. I kept a Paddle tail newt in a fully aquatic tank years ago but thats about it.

The tank is a 80L tank and iv only half filled it to create little islands using driftwood.

The tank has very small pump and a sponge filter which i cycled for 3 months in my other fishtank.

I managed to put a spider plant in the corner by filling a glass with soil and hiding it behind the driftwood. At the moment i have a few floating plants (Frogbit and duckweed) and Java moss in there. I eventually want to add some Anubias too.

Could you maybe give some suggestions of newts/salamanders that would be ideal for this setup? Idealy ones that prefer to have both land and water. I know some Newts tend to be fully aquatic once the conditions are nice.

Thanks for any help!!!

Here is a pic of the tank, its far from finished... Im going to eventually add sand substrate.

 

[evut]

I think the islands created by the wood do not provide enough land for animals that use land and water equally. Such type of newt would probably be one of the Tylotritons (have a look at species here).

It would be a good idea to see what species of newt you can obtain and provide good conditions for, and then perhaps adjusting the tank for that particular species. I understand why a newt which uses both land and water seems attractive, but fully aquatic animals might be easier to look after and they are a lot of fun. I keep Cynops pyrrhogaster and I would really recommend them as a species to look at. They are fairly hardy, active and will breed happily.

If you decide to change the tank for a more aquatic species, add more water. I know it won't be easy to keep the wood as land area but if you keep the water level this low, you are wasting a lot of space that the newts could utilise. You could keep the wood under water and create a small island with cork bark or something similar. If you want to add sand, keep the layer thin to prevent anaerobic decay. There are also plants which will grow well in sand.

 

[Spudss]

Yeah i have a heavily planted fish tank so i was going to transfer plants and add sand substrate.

Good point about just getting a fully aquatic newt since the little islands arent really that big.

The shop im going to is one of the best reptile/amphibian shops in ireland so im going to do loads of research on suitable types and call them up to see if they have em or can order em.

I will aim to get a small aquatic newt since a cant really fill it up since i need to shift the tank to get my hand in.

Thanks for the help

 

[evut]

See if you can get captive bred newts rather than wild caught. Even if you ignore the ethical issues, you are very likely to end up with stressed and sick animals if you purchase wild caught. Pet shops will often lie about the origins of their stock just to sell...

Another thing - make sure you have a 100% escape proof lid before you put any newts in.

 

[Azhael]

Yeah, definitely look into CB animals. There are plenty of breeders in the UK with a variety of species suitable for your 80l tank that can ship to you without problems.
Like Eva, i would recommend a fully aquatic species. I know it sucks to have a plan in mind and realize it´s not the most practical, but if you go fully aquatic, i can guarantee you won´t regret it If you take advantage of the full volume of the tank, you cycle it adequately and put in lots of plants, you´ll have a very stable environment that will require minimal maintenance.

 

[Spudss]

Im already looking for a new spot for the tank so i can raise the level, No problem changing the setup if it better suits the newt . Hmm ill check out breeders too. Thanks!

3 japanese Firebelly newts? What would be a good number for a 80L?

I found a few bags of sand from my old tank in shed i forgot i had!! I thought i threw them out last year. Looks much better with substrate!!

 

[Spudss]

Found a new place for it and filled it up. Thanks again!!

Do i need a lid? The only way it can climb out is by climbing up the wires. I blocked the way with tape.

 

[nwmnnaturalist]

A secure lid is necessary for any habitat, because they can escape just about anything. An escaped newt will likely suffer and die quickly outside of it's habitat.

 

[Jennewt]

I don't see anything to stop a newt from climbing straight up the glass on the left-hand side of the photo. They can do that. So yes, you need a lid or a lip all the way around. See:
Caudata Culture Articles - Preventing Escape

Your setup would be good for adult firebelly newts. If you find CB, they are likely to be juveniles, and most firebelly juveniles need land and wouldn't work here. The following are 2 species you may be able to get as CB that would be OK in this setup, even as juveniles: Cynops cyanurus (blue-tail firebelly), Pleurodeles waltl (Spanish ribbed newt).

 

[Spudss]

Thanks, will deffo make a lid then if i go for newts. The blue-tail firebelly looks very nice!

Would a lid be required for an Axolotl?

 

[Jennewt]

If you left the water level low, like in the last photo, you would probably be OK without a lid for axolotls. If you wanted to fill it up higher, then you would. But a lid for axolotls is simpler. It doesn't need to be sealed shut, only to provide something to prevent them leaping out. For example, an ill-fitting piece of plexiglass or plastic ceiling grate (this stuff: http://www.cultivatingconscience.com/wp-content/uploads/06.jpg) would do the job.

 

[Niels D]

A lid is nice, but using tape at the edges works just fine for me. I've used duct tape, but you can use transparent tape as well. Make sure you use broad tape.

 

[Spudss]

Tape around all the edges is a great idea. Yeah Im going to leave the water that level if i get a Axolotl... probably tape the edges too just to be safe.

Thanks all.