Newt skin

[lotty]

A simple question. I think I know the answer as yes, but I will ask anyway. I think it would help others too.

I have 2 x chinese firebelly newts in the aquatic tank. One seems very plump around the middle. But I am not overfeeding them.
I have just saw something black / dark grey colour floating in the tank. I went over to it and saw it was a newt skin. I take it one has shed its skin. I take it the tank (all perameters are excellent) is healthy and the newts are happy and am I right in thinking I leave the skin in as they eat it ? I am sure I read it somewhere. I know I do with the blue crayfish in their tank and when I had shrimp. It gets eaten for the calcium.
At first, I thought it was a dead newt as it looked quite ghostly. lol.

 

[jewett]

Hi Ian,

Many newts will eat their shed skin, and that's normal. But I think it also normal (or at least common) for some to not. I would remove the skin if you see it uneaten after a few hours.

HJ

 

[Otterwoman]

They do like to eat their skins. People have posted pics of perfect skins on the forum that look like ghost newts!

 

[lotty]

Thanks for the advice. i have took it out. It breaks up so easily when taking out of the water, yet it floats like a ghost when the water is disturbed around it. lol.