FancyFins Posted May 23, 2005 Report Share Posted May 23, 2005 Okay a quick bit on firebellies....they are quite cool!! First are we talking about Chinese or Japanese Firebellies? A few good general articles here: http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Cynops/C_orientalis.shtml http://www.petshub.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-3893.html Habitat - Vivarium preferred - most will swim actively at night and sleep nestled in some spaghnum and ferns during the day. The water doesn't need to be filtered but it does need to be declorinated and kept quite clean as they can be prone to bacterial infections. Make sure they have a good cool humid ground space - clean, non fertalized topsoil works well and then spaghnum moss and plant out with low lying types of plants like ferns - small non-sharp edged plants - no flax types or anything that can slice their skin as they have no scale protection. Water deep enough to dive in and a few floating aquatic plants to top off. And a bit of wood to climb from one to the other. Food - when small - microworms and as they get larger - whiteworms, waxworms and soft small mealworms. Check Biosuppliers for them or start your own culture. http://www.ak.planet.gen.nz/~bio/ - Biosuppliers http://www.fnzas.org.nz/articles/food/microworms/ - Culturing Basic care - the oils in our skin can be harmful to them - so ensure your hands are clean and WET when handling - but even then do not handle often. Breeding - only one successful brood in NZ as of 2002. I have heard (but not seen) that there have been two other successful broods since then. The difficulty is getting the right humidity, food level balance, and a simulated environment. Best chance for success - RESEARCH and get an older pair - but the person selling you must be able to sex them - and this can be hard - so either get 6 or so and hope for a pair - or wait until you are sure of the sexes...however they do still have their own personalities and not all pairs will like each other - much less mate and then you end up with having to doctor bitten tails and bullied hearts - so having more and letting a pair naturally establish themselves is a much better (albeit more expensive) way to have even a chance at breeding.... Okay back to work - hope this helps! ~FancyFins~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted May 23, 2005 Report Share Posted May 23, 2005 And Fancy Fins it's lunchtime too Alan 104 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malawi_man Posted May 23, 2005 Report Share Posted May 23, 2005 anyone know where i can get some larger ones?? what gear do i need apart from tank?? do i need a light etc.?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylefish02 Posted May 23, 2005 Report Share Posted May 23, 2005 the only thing i disagree with is that they have only been bred three times the auckland zoo have bred them quite a few times cheers Kyle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted May 23, 2005 Report Share Posted May 23, 2005 Fishbait, Alan and Qidor have bred them that I know Alan 104 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newtman Posted May 23, 2005 Report Share Posted May 23, 2005 yea, and also a lady down south sumwhere how are urs going alan?? any nymths(tadpole lil things/stage i meen)/young 1s? Newt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted May 23, 2005 Report Share Posted May 23, 2005 I have to wait foer next season Tim. Alan 104 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted May 23, 2005 Report Share Posted May 23, 2005 I used to have fire bellies too and a man in Timaru bred them for years! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FancyFins Posted May 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2005 I stand corrected.... :oops: :lol: I wasn't really clear enough - what I meant was one brood I had seen in Auckland - not in all of New Zealand - typing too quick over lunch...and I meant by local private breeders - not the zoo - but I wasn't aware of many of the other breeders - so I was still wrong. As for the other question - do you need a light? Depends on tank placement - if it gets enough light to keep the plants doing well - both aquatic and terrestrial - then most likely not - however they are good escape artists and a nice snug lid with a mesh insert is advisable... Does that help? The links are good sources of general info and I know there is a book available in NZ but I can't remember the title about raising firebellies....but if you have specific questions not answered in any of those - ask away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted May 23, 2005 Report Share Posted May 23, 2005 I also did an article on them which can be found in the Feb 2004 Aquarium World magazine for those lucky enough to have a copy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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