New With LOTS Of Questions!!!

[dimaris]

Hey!

I'm new here and I have a couple of questions. I want to do a 30g vivarium with newts and fish. I'm playing with the idea in my head and thinking how will I do that. The newts I'll get for it are either Japanese/Chinese Fire Bellied Newts, Spotted Newts or Crested Newts (depending on what I can find locally).

Now, on to my questions. Is sand ok to use at the bottom of the tank, or should I stick with gravel? I read that it was ok to use sand, but was thinking if it could cause blockage, since I read that you should use gravel big enough so that they don't swallow it, wouldn't they be able to swallow the sand? I would like to use the sand, but just if it's safe. If the sand is safe, which type of sand should I use? Any in specific? How should I clean it? Syphon it just like I would do the gravel?

Now, on to the fish. I have a small list of fish that seem suitable to house with newts. I would obviously not get all of them, but I wanted to have the clear up on them all being ok with newts. If you have another one to suggest, feel free to do so. I would prefer small fish, from 1-2 inches, full grown. My list is this:

Zebra, Gold, and Blue Danios
White Cloud Minnows
Scissor-tail Rasbora
Ram’s Horn Snails (Do Gold Mistery snails are ok? Those are the only ones that I've seen around here... is it really a good idea to add a snail for cleanup? I've read around that they could harm the newts...)
Freshwater shrimp
Guppies,
platys
Silver tipped tetra
Neon tetras
Black neon tetra

Is also a female betta ok? Any other fish/acuatic animal that you would suggest as an addition to my tank? (I'm just making a list, but will reduce it depending on costs, availability and what I like... I just what to know if they are ok to have with the newts)

Last, is the flora of the tank. Any aquatic plant that I can get at a pet store is ok with newts? Or is there any particular plant that might be dangerous? I'm talking about the plants sold for fishtanks. I also have access to water lettuce (you can read up what plant is here: http://www.floridadriftwood.com/aquarium_plant_water_lettuce.htm ) I was thinking it would be cool to put one or 2 to float on the surface. Also, it's ok to use "lucky bamboo"? I've seen it used on other aquariums/vivariums, but just to be sure about it. For the land, I wanted to use live moss, but I really don't know how that one grows. Do I need a porous surface for it to attach and grow? Any tips on growing it? Do I need a substrate, like sand or soil? or can I just grow it on a piece of wood or bamboo? Then, I wanted to hang on the back corners a couple of plants, these would be off land and off water, kinda like aereal plants. I was thinking of an orchid on one side and a fern on the other side. Sadly, I'm not too good with plants, so I can't say the species I have available, and can use (cause I don't know them...) but is this as bad idea? is there any of these plants that might be toxic? Also, I was thinking of adding some "clover of fortune" plants to the land area (sorry, I tried to find the species of the one I have available, but couldn't find it...)Any other plants that might be a good idea to add instead or besides the ones I've mentioned? As with the fish, I'm just making a list of what I can put, and will scratch off things as I go. Oh, and to keep the plants alive, inside the house, I would need a UV bulb, right? Any other special bulb I need? What type of UV do I need?

This is the first time that I do something like this. I've had freshwater aquariums, I had newts for a short period of time, but they escaped and I never found them and I had them in a simple, 10g setup with artificial plants. I've missed them so much that I really want to get another pair and I'm planning it big! So, any suggestions you have, ideas, reccomendations... whatever you want to tell me to help me plan this and slowly bring this dream to reality, you are welcome to do it! Sorry this was so long, and thanks in advance for any help you can provide. Oh, and if you have any webpages that you would like to show me where I can get ideas or information about this, you are also welcome to post them. 8) Thanks!!!!

 

[ester]

check out this page before trying to combine species..
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/Mixing_disasters.shtml

On the www.caudata.org/cc you'll find more useful information

Good luck with your vivarium.

 

[dimaris]

Thanks!

Hmmm... I got most of my list of fish from this site... in the FAQ section... (from the danios to the shrimp), the others I researched on peaceful, small tropical fish. I'm pretty sure now that bettas is a no-no. That's why I like to still ask the questions on the forums, cause sometimes webpages have wrong/contradictory info, in forums you can see people's experiences... still I'm reading as much as I can on the subject... Any person has successfully kept fish and newts?

 

[justin]

Nope, most people who do it they start out seeming to have a peaceful fish-newt relationship. Then you wake up one day to see your fish's fins gone or worse, your newts hand/tail gone..

 

[joan]

Dimaris, some fish are on the 'moderately acceptable' list, such as danios. This is because in general, danios are fast and not that aggressive. But most, if not all, good keepers just don't keep fish with newts. Danios may be fast, but what if you get one that's just a real butthead, and he takes off your newts toes? If you had a really toxic newt, you'd have a dead fish and a newt with no toes. But for the most part, don't put fish with newts. Or anything else with newts, for that matter.

 

[jennifer]

Dimeris, the problem with keeping newts with tropical fish is the "tropical" part. Fish such as tetras really like temperatures that are too warm for newts. While some newts can tolerate mid to upper 70F for PART of the year, they will be much more healthy if kept cooler (below 70) for as much of year as possible. Newts coming from a pet shop have a better chance of surviving if they are kept very cool for the first few months. Also, crested newts do NOT tolerate temperatures above 74F for any period of time.

Right now is the hottest time of the year. I think you should set up the tank, and introduce a couple of small fish (such as white clouds). This will allow the tank to cycle, and allow you to monitor the water temperature for a period of time. IF the temperature in the tank stays reasonable for newts, then you can think about adding newts.

Be sure to read the articles on Caudata Culture about filter types and how to seal the tank to prevent escape.

Regarding sand, yes, sand works nicely. If they swallow a little bit, it passes through easily. If you search this forum, you'll find a lot of discussion of various types. "Play sand" works, but you have to rinse out a lot of fine material. Swimming pool filter sand is what I use - it is easier to prepare, but some people worry about it being "sharp".

(Message edited by jennewt on July 19, 2005)

 

[dimaris]

Thanks for the replies. I made the list of fish, not with the idea of adding them all, but to have a list and then thin it to just 1-2 species and just a total of 2-4 small fish in the tank with 1-3 newts. But if fish is such a hassle, I will stay with the just the newts, cause that's what a really want to keep... I've kept fish before and setting up a 5.5 or 10g with just small tropicals will not be such trouble. 8)

I read about the filters... I like the internal filter but I'm concerned about the temp raising, so I'll probably go with a corner filter, maybe under the land part (I plan to do it like I did my previous 10g with newts, that the newts can swim under it, kinda like a floating island, but attached so it doesn't moves around the tank). Putting it there would reduce the current a bit. For cooling the water, I'll probably use ice on top of the lid (made with chlorine free water).

Here is a picture of the tank I had, I wanna do basically something like that, just in a 30g and with live plants and more natural-looking.

I'll search the threads later for info about the use of sand. What about the plants I mentioned? and I do need the UV light on at least for a bit to keep the plants alive, right?

 

[lenora]

Dimaris, I use water lettuce with both my fish and my newts. They all seem to love it. You only have to get one plant and it will spread quickly even with fairly low light.

If I can make one suggestion about your set-up? Zoo-med sells a product called a turtle dock that might work better than your improvised island. The turtle dock is a floating island with a plastic frame that attaches to the aquarium walls with suction cups. The island part automatically adjusts to the water level. One half of the island is even slanted so a newt could lie half in and half out of the water if it wished. I have a silk pothos vine twisted all around mine and trailing into the water.

 

[dimaris]

Thanks! Yeah, I have seen the turtle docks, but they are small and expensive. The one I built here didn't costed me a thing cause I have all the stuff lying around, and I still have some plexiglass to do a bigger one for the 30g. I was also playing with the idea of using bamboo to make the land part, covered with live moss.... I know it sounds like I'm complicating stuff... but I like building things, plus it gives me more time to think about it and get some ideas. 8)

Oh! and I already have water lettuce! Mom got 2 plants for a fountain and now there are around 7-8... so I can get some from there 8) I myself "built" the fountain... I really like doing stuff like that... here are pics:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v605/Padfoot83/DSC00047.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v605/Padfoot83/DSC00049.jpg
Mom is a big fan of plants... specially orchids, and I can get from her the small orchid I would like to put high on the corner, the fern and the clover. So I would just need to buy the underwater plants.