# fire bellied newts, any info please?



## deedee71 (Mar 28, 2010)

hello everybody,

what is the type of fire bellied newt mainly found in uk shops?

is there any info on care? how much are they?

i saw a clip on youtube, someone had the fire belly newt and fire belly frog housed together, does this work are is one in danger of the other, with predation or bacteria? :whip:

if i got some newts, would i be able to keep them with apple snails (thinking of adding to munch algae in the swimming area) ...

what do they eat?
do you need a heater in the water?
do they need uv light?

dee xx


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## spend_day (Apr 10, 2008)

hey 

Chinese fire belly newts are the most commonly found in shops, japanese fire bellies used to crop up alot too but not some much these days and other cynops species (like sword tailed newts) also turn up from time to time. Unfortuatly alot of species get named "fire belly newts" in pet shops but aren't (often paddletailed newts (pachytriton species) and warty newts (paramesotriton species) are the 2 most common but these species get larger and need more space each.

care info can be found here for chinese Caudata Culture Species Entry - Cynops orientalis - Chinese firebelly and japanese here Caudata Culture Species Entry - Cynops pyrrhogaster - Japanese firebelly as for price £5-10 each is the norm but sometimes up to £15 each for chinese japanese tend to be £10-15

Housing fire belly newts with fire belly toads (bombina species) is a bit of a touchy issue, some people say its fine and never have an issue I personally don't agree with it as the newts tend to do best in deeper water than the toads it can cause stress issues and sometimes (most common with chinese newts as they are smaller) the toads will attack or eat a newt. finally there is anacdotal eveidence of shortened lifespan (possibly due to prolonged toxic exposure) the toads can live for 10-15 years while fire belly newts can get into there 30's and this doesn't seem to happen with these mixed tanks but as I said this is anacsdotal and has yet to be proven fact. also both species will have to be quarantined for a few months to make sure neither is sick before introduction.

Keeping newts with snails isn't often an issue there have been a few incidents where newts have had limbs cuaght in the trap doors of apple snails causing injury, also newts sometimes kill and eat the snails. personally I never had an issue with my apple snail up to the point I caught my newts munching on it. they now live with an unidenified snail that came in with some plants with no issues. 

they eat insects, most captive bred ones will take frozen bloodworms of amphibian pellets (may i recommend pollywog number 2 pellets) but some are fussy about only eating livefood in this case live bloodworms, tubifex, adult daphinia and small earthworms can all be fed in the water quite easily. but all this is in the caresheets above 

No they do not need any heating high temperatures actually kill them, chinese fire belly newts need to be kept under 21C as much as possible where japanese are hardier and up to 23C is fine. 

they dont need UV light but some people use it personally I don't but a 2-5% bulb can be used 

hope this helps


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## deedee71 (Mar 28, 2010)

hi

thank you ever so much for your reply. my local shop has one. how long do i need to mature the water for, or is it not essential to cycle the water like a fish tank? i have an ideal filter for the water. i have tetra aqua safe to de-chlorine the water and add slime coat. i was not sure if they need a land area or not, as the chinese newt care sheet said some newts may like to be on land, what do you provide?
do you provide a floating island of bark for them to sleep on at night, or do you have a piece of glass divider with a small area of proper land please? can i feed them mealworms?

dee xx


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## spend_day (Apr 10, 2008)

cycling is recommended but I know plently of people who have used noncycled tanks and not had any issues. 

I would recommend a small land area I use a small zoomed turtle dock but a piece of decoration or a bit or cork anything that breaks the water is good. Mine spend 99% of the time in the water but occasionally they will exit the water for a few hours, also newts that feel stressed, insecure or sometime if ill will leave the water and when your newt is put into its new tank it may tank day to a week or 2 before it feels confortable enough to enter the water alot (also young newts (under 1-2 years old) tend to go through a terrestrial phase and if the one in the shop is young it may spend more time on land) 


I've never tried feeding mealworms so I can't really say sorry


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