fire bellied newts

[poshweiller]

just got 3 today,they are really cute but can someone give me info on them,they are in a small tank which gravel and wood with the wood half in the water and half out,i have now added plastic plants.there is no light and the care sheet says room temp or below is what they prefer,i have been given some blood worms to feed them any other stuff i can feed them?cheers

[madelene]

These are great little newts.
Just make sure your gravel is too big for them to swollow and like the care sheets say they do need it cold.
To light mine I use an ordinary table lamp near the tank, it lights it but doesn't give them any heat.
Mine are mainly fed on bloodworm, I find they enjoy being hand fed and makes things less messy in the tank.....for treats they get either very small waxworms or calcigrubs.
They don't like fast moving water so I use an old fashioned box filter.

Maddie

[morg]

I have kept and bred chinese fire bellied newts for more years than I care to remember, and I agree that they are cute little newts.
Im sure you already know the species you have, but if bought from a pet shop they have a habit of calling almost all newts fire bellied.
In which case this article will be of help to you.
Caudata Culture Articles - What kind of Fire Belly is it?

This site is also[in my humble opinion], the best site you can find for care sheets, articles on feeding, breeding, set up ideas etc.

[poshweiller]

thanks for that they are paddletail newts going by the care sheet.

[madelene]

I have some of these they are nice newts but the males can be territorial and they are almost totally aquatic, I have some floating cork in with mine but they hardly ever use it.

Maddie