Poop removal

[samuel]

Hy Guys,

Just curious about the ways you guys remove newt poop. Can you list me yer favourite ways? Thanx.

 

[chris]

I use turkey basters, siphon, but my personal favourite, as long as I don't want to remove water, is the aquarium vac. It attaches to an air pump tube and pumps the water through a fine mesh bag then back into the aquarium. Then you just wash the bag out and sterilise it after.
Chris

 

[samuel]

The suction power of the vac should be quite great to be able to suck in poop, won't that stress the newt? btw what is a turkey baster, keep hearing 'bout it but never seen one. we don't really eat turkey over here, more of chickens.

sam

 

[kaysie]

a turkey baster is just a giant, oversized eyedropper.

 

[samuel]

have to get that. so far, i'm using a fish net which is rather clumsy. You guys have any experience with poop eating critters like ghost shrimps?

 

[jennifer]

Ghost shrimp are OK with newts, I have some in one tank. Some newts are able to catch and eat them. They may scavenge poop, but they prefer to eat the newts' food. The ghost shrimp also produce tiny poops of their own. They don't really "get rid" of waste, you have to do the work one way or another. I also recommend the turkey baster.

 

[jesper]

Hey!
I have never removed any poop, I use it as fertilizer for my plants. Trick is to keep the tank loaded with plants, fast growing ones and to keep track of the nitrite. What do u think of this? How about a peleus-balled pipette

 

[chris]

As far as I know, as long as you don't move it around to fast and the newts aren't skittish the vac doesn't stress them out too much, as long as it is not used too often, like every time you see a poop. It is also good for removing uneaten bloodworm.
Chris

 

[samuel]

Hmm, i'm using a gravelless tank the only plant i have is a fern so newt poop can't really feed it. I always remove newt poop on first sight or the newts will crawl over it, break it up and mess the floor. Just tried ghost shrimp, my CFBNs are rather small and quite freaked out by the fast moving shrimp. They dun eat it but the bigger one just lovs eating em chopped up.

 

[samuel]

Hey, this thread's a little late but i have some updates on this topic.

Ok, Jesper, i just bought some anubias and java fern so that should help me lower nitrate levels.

Jennewt, can't find a turkey baster but i've came out with a simple but just as effective solution; using a plastic straw and some physics.
Newt poop removal is now much simpler!!!

And i just got a small snail so that should help out with the brown algae prob.

Cheers!!!

 

[jesper]

Java fern(microsorum pteropus which version?) and anubias(ver. nana?) grow slowly and wont reduce nitrate much if I am not mistaken

 

[samuel]

Hmm, not aware there were versions of the plants. sigh, guess i'll have to stick with weekly water changes then

 

[jesper]

For pteropus there are several version, windelöv, tropica and narrow(Cant think of others right now...) Narrow is the most beautiful I think, it has the same overall appearance as the wildtype but has more narrow leafs. I think most anubias are version nana(nana means dwarf).

 

[samuel]

ooh, nana sounds like babytalk for grandma

. I think mine is narrow pteropus cuz it's got narrow leaves. I removed my anubias(or so i think) from the rock it was on cuz it was like a little crumbly. i now have it fixed onto a piece of driftwood using rubberbands. Btw can anyone of u pls send me a pic of limestone? i think the rock i'm having now maybe it. Thanx

 

[samuel]

Oh, btw how long does it take for anubias to root into the driftwood?

 

[elisabeth]

Sam, that straw idea is awesome. I've since tried it, and now I can get that poop out mess free!

 

[samuel]

Yeah! I agree!

I used to use the net... very messy and it freaks out my newts. now i can remove poop even at tight junctions. Glad you benefitted!

Sam

 

[jesper]

Straw and some physics?
Nice....just dont swallow!

I did(Well I was 9 then...) once 15 years ago, I can still taste it

. "Turtle water" doesnt taste good, believe me.

 

[samuel]

No jesper, i don't use my mouth,

1.hold the opening of the straw with a finger make sure it completely covers the hole this is done out of water
2.place it directly above the poop in the water
3.release finger, poop will be sucked into straw
4.replace finger over hole and transfer poop to bin

Hahahaha you actually used your mouth b4?? Gross!!!!

 

[jesper]

Hahaha...

Yes I did but it was the tubes that you use to change water, there were no "pumptubes" at my petshop. A small price to pay to make Jackis and Per happy(my two turtles). I was a fearless little nine year old boy, ok ok I would probably do it now too if I dint have my "pumptube".