What temperatures can a newt withstand?

[kurt]

I have a pond with gold fish and Koi outside that develops a layer of ice in the Winter. I use a de-icer to keep some of it clear as to insure a good gas exchange. What is the temperature range that newts can withstand?

 

[benjamin]

Newts with gold fish and koi?!?!? If your worried about newts getting to cold in your pond in the winter don't, they've adapted for millions of years to winter temperatures, besides in the winter they won't be in your pond anyway.

 

[kurt]

Can elaborate a little more. Goldfish and Koi!?!?!? Is that not a good thing? Also, will they leave the pond in the winter, and where will they go?

 

[benjamin]

Gold fish eat newt eggs and larvae, koi eat newt eggs, larvae, and adults, and they often destroy the plants that newts lay their eggs on. Newts leave the water in the winter and go into piles of leaves, under rocks, and under logs where the temperatures are slightly warmer than their surroundings, though not much. They hibernate on land until spring comes, when they go back to the ponds. If you've had newt success, with fish in your pond this year I don't see why it won't happen next year, but usually newts never come to ponds with fish in the first place.

 

[kurt]

I was just thinking of putting them in my pond, but you have convinced me otherwise. My newts are in aquariums now and that is where they will stay. Do you see any problems mixing them with frogs? Thanks for your help!

 

[benjamin]

What type of newts do you have. Mixing with frogs unfortunately is not a good idea. deppending on the habits, size, and temperature preference there will always be a conflict between the two species. All newts love eating tadpoles, many frogs love eating newts, and many newts are so poisonous they kill the frogs after they are eaten. Some newts are even able to crawl out of the predator's stomach after it dies, but these are the most poisonous ones. Usually when something eats a newt it dies and so does the newt (once happened to a human in California).

 

[kurt]

I think they are Sharp-Ribbed Newts. I guess raising them for food is out of the question.

 

[benjamin]

Because they're such big newts there's more of a risk that the frog will be the victim.

 

[kurt]

Mike
If you read up a little bit you will see that you are beating a dead horse, because I was already convinced otherwise. I'M NOT GOING TO PUT THEM OUTSIDE! We've gotten passed that. I hope you can do the same.