Pachytriton Labiatus tank setup

[dannyyyallenn]

Here are some shots of my paddle tail setup. Its entirely aquatic although I'm thinking I should have some sort of rest for them so they can come up and let me know if something's wrong with the water. I do have a mystery snail tho which is really sensitive to water quality and will close up if something goes wrong. The reason I don't really want to put a rest for my newts is because I would need to lower the water and the filter I'm using won't work with really low water, along with the fact that the waterfall back in will fall further and produce a super strong current, stronger than what I already have going. I have gravel as a base substrate only because it can be beneficial to the tank providing a place for important bacteria to grow but it's covered with an inch or two of sand so the paddle tails can't ingest it. The tank is 30 gallons, is that large enough for a pair of paddle tail newts? I have two hiding places and I'm considering taking a run to the lake and getting some smooth stones to pile up and make more hides. Also, the water temp stays low to mid 60's Fahrenheit and I have a strong USB fan running to keep it that way. The highest the water will ever go is probably 70 degrees Fahrenheit but that will only be if its super hot in the summer. Any suggestions for improvements? The newts arrive tomorrow but I've had the tank setup for a week to ensure the water quality is constant and the plants grow in.

 

[dannyyyallenn]

Annnd great, my pictures are flipped and fuzzy lol. Sorry

 

[Asevernnnn]

I would add more hiding places for a pair of them. And a piece of floating cork bark can be given as a land area

 

[sde]

I agree with Aaron, more hiding areas would be fantastic.
Don't worry about the current, I doubt the filter you have is too strong, this species inhabits streams in the wild.
Yes, a 30 gallon tank is large enough for two.
Here is a great care sheet that should help you out
Caudata Culture Species Entry - Pachytriton - Paddletail
-Seth

 

[dannyyyallenn]

Yeah, I have a power filter that strains the water and then sends it back as a waterfall. You can see the suction tube in the pic, but if I lower the water like 2 or 3 inches right now the filter will stop sucking up water, idk why but I guess it's for deep water tanks. Yeah, I've read the care sheet a few times and know they love currents which is why I have the power filter. Thanks, I'll take a stop at the lake for some stones. I'll post a pic when the newts arrive.

 

[ChristineB]

My cork bark doesn't protrude much and if I add a bit too much water for it to clear the cover, I just squish it down with the cover and they can still access the sides of the float (it's fairly big and curved from the shape of the trunk). If the cover wasn't an issue, or could be modified, a nice big water lettuce or water hyacinth on the side opposite the filter would look great and provide hides and a float in one. Otherwise maybe another type of floating plant? Your plantings at the bottom look great, and I think it'd look even better if you brought some up into some of your vertical space. I look forward to your pics of the newts!

 

[dannyyyallenn]

Okay, so a floating plant would be strong enough to hold a newt on it? I'm aiming to have all living plants so I'll take a look at some hyacinths maybe. I'll try to get better quality on the new photos when they come

 

[ChristineB]

Water hyacinth could handle at least a couple newts without sinking, they are especially buoyant because they have hollow, air-filled leaves, but now I think about it they need a few hours a day of sun, not sure if that's a problem. Someone recently shared a pic of a floating "turtle dock" that he'd wrapped in java moss, and it looked very natural all filled in, so that's another option that wouldn't need room above the waterline.

 

[dannyyyallenn]

I found some drift wood in the lake with really thick back(I want to say it was pine). I got a sizable piece that floated well and put it in the back corner of the tank. I stuck a paper clip into the side of the wood and attached that to the screen top of the tank so the bark wouldn't drift around. I also created a nicer hiding place with plenty of rocks directly under the current flow so it flows around naturally.

 

[alexps]

I am not sure if pibe would be that safe if it leaches any oils or resin it might be a bit rough on the skin ??

 

[Asevernnnn]

Pine is listed as one of those types of wood to be avoided when dealing with caudates.
Caudata Culture Articles - Wood in Vivaria

 

[dannyyyallenn]

Oh wow. Okay well after reading that article I'm going to check and determine what type of wood this is for sure. If I can't pinpoint it I'll take it out. Thanks for the tip.