jamestothemax Posted November 15, 2006 Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 hey, i dont really know if this is the best place to post this but since the search is down at the mo i couldn't check where else this info may be. well I am about to get two japanese fire bellied newts (the slightly bigger ones right ?) and was just setting up a tank for them. The question i have is that i was planning on using some left over daltons propagating sand but then wondered if this would be safe for them. Its quite a shallow tank and i was planning on growing my chain swords in the same tank, you know kill two birds with one stone. so being able to use teh dalton would be quite good. I have read Jordan Patterson's 'Newts: their care and captivity' but this basically says "Use Gravel" with not much else. cheers for any help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted November 15, 2006 Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 I have some also and find them fascinating. I have bought an imported terrarium and put a glass divider across the bottom to make half water and half land. I used potting mix on the land with medium,smooth gravel on top and gravel only in the water. I installed a 12 inch light with growlux type tube and planted emerse grown Echinodorus bleheri and magdalensis (both died - I think from lack of light). Cardamine lyrata and Hydrocotyle leucocephala both are growing OK on the land then into the water. I am still learning about these guys but I understand they can obsorb through the skin and you therefore want relatively inert material for them to be in contact with. Soil with one third potting mix and strong light would probably grow the plants provided you cover it to keep it away from the newts. You will need good shelter for them to get out of the light. I spray everything with water from an atomizer most days and that usually brings them out from hiding. Good luck, You wll enjoy catching aphids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel1708 Posted November 15, 2006 Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 Hey James, I got my Chinese newts off Trade Me from a lady on the North Shore. She says she breeds both species and is willing to help anyone if you just PM her The link to the thread is here: http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/anyone ... 12575.html Mel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamestothemax Posted November 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 cool thanks guys. i have a feeling the sand shouldnt be much of a problem as i have just been looking at the AGA aqauscaping contest entries for palaudiums for the last couple of years and a lot of them use sand in the ones that have newts. there has only been one website that says use gravel bigger than they can get in their mouth but since they can get a fairly good size that would seem a little excessive. but i will keep researching just to be sure. not to sure what lighting i will put on it yet as its quite a low tank and may look at changing it to get a bit more room for a waterfall or something. who knows maybe even enter the AGA competition next year........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Are you the person that got them from lara3 on trademe ?? I had my eye on those 8) When i first got my chinese fire bellies i had there land area done with fine sand but it was sticking to them even when it was wetted down so I didnt like the look of it and im sure they didnt like it either so now Ive got just normal old dirt from outside mixed with a lil bit of potting mix and they seem and look happy as in amongest a fem plants, infact i havent seen them leave the land area to go into the water lol dunnoo whats up there!! The other good thing about a soil based substrate ive found if you over feed the whiteworms (which im not having much luck culturing) theyll bury into the soil and pop up at night and the little newts can go on a hunt :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamestothemax Posted November 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 nah these ones are coming from a friend who got them but didnt have enough space for them. however it may have been them who got them off trademe. I was planning on covering most of the land part with jaza moss or something so they can climb over that and hopefully not get sand on themselves even though it is still damp and i have provided a nice large flat rock in the water and on the land for them to climb onto which i was planning on feeding them on. Is it best to feed them from the same place each time so they know where teh food is comign from or doesnt it really matter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keri Anne Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Fishbait can breed almost anything LOL And he's good with the Newts... maybe PM him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 I dont know alot about them really as i havent had mine very long but if its live food they'l find it, ive been finding leaves in the garden with aphids on and i just drop the whole leaf into there land area and they soon find them, and white worms i try to drop near the newts but its not a major as theyl hunt them down! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidb Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 try live sphragnum (sp.?) moss on the land part if you don't want them getting the substrate all over themselves, It is easy to give it a quick rines every so often to keep it moist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Remember to make sure your hands are wet if you touch the newts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamestothemax Posted November 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 hey cool thanks for the help guys. Where do you get live sphagnum moss from? plant shops? yeah cheers for the heads up but i always wet me hands before touching in wet animal. i think we all learnt from the soap add that healthy skin has a pH of 5.5 hahahahh I noticed on some of the websites people talk about pellet food for the newts? is this in NZ and has anyone tried it. some of the books also mention raw beef strips, bloodworm, tubifex and brine shrimp. (frozen and live) I also noticed jansens have just started a range of foods from Flukers (?) i think it is. They do a canned moist food and a vitamin sprayand stuff so didnt know if anyone has or was going to try this with newts. thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afrikan Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 I have fed the newts ox heard, beef strips, blood worms etc and they really chow down on that sort of stuff Yep you get sphagnum moss from plant shops definately, just dampen it down, I am going to use it for the Blue Tongues to help shed their skin. Oh by the way James to the Max, are you the one that used to own a big Red Oscar called Angue the Beefcake? Mekhaela Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afrikan Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Ox heart not Ox heard, wake up Mekhaela! It's after 8 :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dennis Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 I was told the other day that doc or maf was going to band these in 3 mouths any one else kown any thing about this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afrikan Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 MAF have threatened to ban alot of things off and on over time.. not sure if the threats will ever eventuate and if so when... Not sure about Fire Bellied Newts tho?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 What a huge threat to the environment they'd be. More idiot ideas to justify their sitting on a cushy chair. Alan 104 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afrikan Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Yeah and only eat donuts :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamestothemax Posted November 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 cool ill try those other foods as well. i figure the more foods i can get for them to vary the diet the better. yeah i used to own angus? did you buy him? hows he going? I didnt know MAF were thinkign that either but itseems every week i hear rumors of MAF wanting to ban something else. how come it doesnt work the other way and every week they think of letting something new into the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afrikan Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Yep we are the ones that bought Angus off you He is absolutely gorgeous, and is in the 8ft tank out at my hubbys work... Everyone loves him, hes coming back home soon tho, miss him and my Jack Dempsey pair so making space for them to come back :lol: I have never met an Oscar quite like Angus, even tho Oscars as they get older are reasonably laid back, I don't think I have quite met an Oscar as laid back as Angus :lol: He reminds me of Sal off the Sopranos with that crooked mouth so at times hes called Sal.. :lol: 8) And yeah wouldn't it be great if MAF came up with a list of safe newbies that could come into the country Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamestothemax Posted November 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 hahahahha awesome glad to hear angus (sal) is going well and i bet he's living it up in a big tank like that. he definately was a unique laid back oscar and his crooked mouth was actually a result of him beign a bit to laid back against another oscar he was with before i got him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted November 17, 2006 Report Share Posted November 17, 2006 I think MAF should ban the import of humans into the country. I mean, they breed quickly, are extremely difficult to eradicate, bring all kinds of parasites, diseases and other invasive animals with them. And look at the millions of acres of New Zealand forest and wildlife destroyed by them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afrikan Posted November 17, 2006 Report Share Posted November 17, 2006 Amen :lol: Mekhaela Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted November 17, 2006 Report Share Posted November 17, 2006 Ummmm! Excuse me Ira, but aren't you an import?? Just checking. Alan 104 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted November 17, 2006 Report Share Posted November 17, 2006 You were imported too, Alan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted November 17, 2006 Report Share Posted November 17, 2006 I was not!!! I'm a born here New Zealander. Some of my ancestors may have been from overseas. But not this kid. Alan 104 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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