New Alpine Newt Tank

[Stupot1610]

I got my first new tank today, this one is going to have my alpine newts in it. The tank is 80x40x50, about 110 litres. I'm going to have play sand as the substrate, obviously thoroughly washed, I'll have a couple of peices of bogwood and I've ordered about 200 live plants. I'll try upload pictures of the tank later. I won't be setting it up until Sunday evening as I'm going on holiday for the weekend.

Stuart

 

[Stupot1610]

I've set up the tank now, it's still a bit cloudy from the sand though. So I'll add photos tomorrow when it's all settled. I should be getting the second new tank around Christmas.

Stuart

 

[Stupot1610]

Well, here is the tank. It looks a lot better in person

Stuart

 

[Benny101]

Wont sand like tiny gravel be a problem for them when they eat as far as ingesting it?

 

[Stupot1610]

Sand passes through them easily, so causes no problems. I find mine don't accidentally eat any substrate - once out of curiosity I fed them on the sand then moved them to a different bare-bottomed tank for a couple of days (not sure exactly how long, but plenty long enough to produce waste) and only an extremely tiny amount of sand appeared in the tank. Showing that they swallow very little and it passes easily.
The same cannot be said for gravel, it can and will cause serious problems if swallowed - often leading to the death of the newt or salamander. That being said, some species do well if kept on appropriately sized gravel too big for swallowing.
So, most hobbyists opt for sand as a substrate, or choose to leave the tank bare-bottomed (without substrate).

Stuart

 

[rigsby]

yep because in the wild they eat off plates it would be for gluttonous feeders like axis but not these.
Remember these don't like it too warm and they should be fine in there.

 

[rigsby]

Oh and make sure your tank is completely escape proof, you can force alpines to stay aquatic but they can and will climb glass.

 

[Azhael]

They certainly don't eat off plates, but to be fair, most Ichthyosaura habitat does not have gravel either.
There are plenty of things that they get in the wild that there is no reason to expose them to in captivity, potentially hazardous substrates among them.

 

[Stupot1610]

I've added a lot more plants and the tank has really filled in now, so I should probably put an updated picture on. I'll try later.

 

[Benny101]

yep because in the wild they eat off plates it would be for gluttonous feeders like axis but not these.
Remember these don't like it too warm and they should be fine in there.

I'm not sure how much sand if any is found in their natural habitat and they will ingest it .

 

[Stupot1610]

I'm not sure how much sand if any is found in their natural habitat and they will ingest it .

I have observed this species wild in Belgium, France and Scotland and I can tell you that without a doubt substrate in the wild includes sand. I have seen them in lakes, ponds and ditches where the substrate can be purely sand, soil (mud), silt, gravel or rocks or even all of these together. So, yes they will ingest this, but they will also ingest this in the wild and probably to a greater extent. And sand, what I use in all my tanks, will just pass through them without causing any harm. I always aim to provide my animals with as natural enclosures as possible, so after researching their habitat (and in this case it was direct research) I can make an informed decision on how I choose to set up the tank.

Stuart

 

[Chinadog]

It looks a bit like my pyrrho tank when I first set it up, once the plants take hold it will look great. Keeping the bottom simple will make cleaning and pruning the plants much easier than when there's rocks and other structures in the way.
If you like the natural look, I find growing Java ferns under fast growing stem plants like those can give a nice natural look and thickens out the spindly looking area underneath.
As already said, they will climb the glass, mine do from time to time. I would put in a cork float or turtle dock. Unlike my Cynops they do seem to emerge to rest for short periods every now and again, so some kind of island should keep them happy.

 

[Stupot1610]

The plants have grown like weeds over the last month. The only plants I can grow in my tank Are ones that would survive in ponds, due to the temperatures I keep them at. I also believe this is why they are so aquatic. Instead of islands I have thick mats of floating plants which they enjoy. I have only once seen them climb the glass and it was resolved by moving them to a colder place which encouraged them back to the water. for a while I did have an island but it wasn't used, that's why I added the mats of aquatic plants instead.

Stuart

 

[Benny101]

I have observed this species wild in Belgium, France and Scotland and I can tell you that without a doubt substrate in the wild includes sand. I have seen them in lakes, ponds and ditches where the substrate can be purely sand, soil (mud), silt, gravel or rocks or even all of these together. So, yes they will ingest this, but they will also ingest this in the wild and probably to a greater extent. And sand, what I use in all my tanks, will just pass through them without causing any harm. I always aim to provide my animals with as natural enclosures as possible, so after researching their habitat (and in this case it was direct research) I can make an informed decision on how I choose to set up the tank.

Stuart

What temps are you keeping them at ?

I considered them some time ago but felt my temp range of 68 - 72 Fahrenheit was to warm .

I did keep Florida peninsula newts at this temp for many years but read to warm for Alpines .

 

[Stupot1610]

I keep them at 2-15'c (35'F - 59'F)

Stuart

 

[Benny101]

Thanks .

 

[Stupot1610]

No problem!

Stuart