Worried about a Fire Bellied Newt....

J

john

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I recently obtained a couple of fire bellied newts from a friend who had them left over after a biology experiment.. (They tested diets over a several month period i think, very interesting)...
Anyway, they are in a 20 gallon aquarium with 4 or 5 ghost shrimp and 3 dannios(sp?), small striped fish. Its also got several species of plants with large pea-gravel as the bottom terrain..

Both newts are very active, eat well and spend about equal amounts in/out of water. Water ranges from 67-72 degrees F.

One is very fat around the mid section, and seems to be getting fatter each day. I wonder if it is bloat. I am confused on what to do, as each website/resource seems to place the blame of bloat on different things. Any suggestions? If she looks bigger tomorrow I am going to try the moss box idea...

Thanks guys, this site seems to have some real professionals...This is my first set of newts, ive had salamanders until now.
 
Caudate has a section which contains all the answers, just find the appropriate article and send grace to Jeniffer Macke for the work she's put in it. It has helped me so much already.

http://www.caudata.org/cc/faq/FAQhea.shtml
My newt is getting really fat… should I be worried?
If the newt has been this way for several weeks and the throat is not puffy, it is probably a female that is gravid (carrying eggs). If the newt’s throat is puffing up, the skin looks unusually shiny, and the newt is sitting on land, or swimming strangely, it’s sick. This is called bloat. For more information on bloat, see Bloat in Newts.

==> article on bloat in newts by Ed Kowalski http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/bloatEDK.shtml


Don't you just love having all these experts around? I know I do, tnx once again all you guys/girls; my newts benefit from your will to share your experience
 
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    with axolotls would I basically have to keep buying and buying new axolotls to prevent inbred breeding which costs a lot of money??
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    Not necessarily but if you’re wanting to continue to grow your breeding capacity then yes. Breeding axolotls isn’t a cheap hobby nor is it a get rich quick scheme. It costs a lot of money and time and deditcation
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  • Clareclare:
    Would Chinese fire belly newts be more or less inclined towards an aquatic eft set up versus Japanese . I'm raising them and have abandoned the terrarium at about 5 months old and switched to the aquatic setups you describe. I'm wondering if I could do this as soon as they morph?
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    @Clareclare,
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