chinese firebelly newt setup

[mike]

Hi, I am a semi experienced aquarist who has just ventured out of my
comfort zone. Here's the thing, I got 4 juvenile chinese firebelly
newts for free last week and I have some questions about them. They
are about 1.25" long and mainly sit on the rocks / floating pads, but
do flail their way around the surface of the water portion to go in
between. [Until I move this summer they are in a 1/2 filled 5 gallon,
unheated, unfiltered, but planted tank (I am moving them into a 36"
wide ~30gal tank at my next place)]

Here are my questions:
1. How do I deal with protein film? by "deal" I mean: "stop from
forming" and/or "skim by hand" (I tried skimming with my dip-net and
wiping the water surface with a kleenex, but neither seemed terribly
affective)
2. They wont eat anything that doesn't move - I had a temporary
supply of live fruit fly larvae in a bottle, but it won't last much
more than another day or two. I have both freeze dried and frozen
blood worms - I tried putting some frozen worms in a beer bottle cap
on the island, but they went so far as to stand in the puddle of food
without eating any. --> Any advice on how to get them to eat?

Thanks,
Mike

[RedForeman ©®]

rec.pets.herps

Firstly, I don't think they are submersed in the water, I'm thinking more
along of 1.5" of water along the bottom, with rocks and such for them to get
out of the water.... Every display I've seen has them in shallow water, not
more than 2" deep, with a filter. This filter sits in the corner and just
circulates water and has a pre-filter on one side.... you can clean the
filter very easily, and the action of the pump creates some surface
agitation that will break the protein layer...

FBN may be more liking to deeper water, but that's more outside 'my' comfort
zone...

www.kingsnake.com has great forums for herps.... Good luck

--

RedForeman ©®





"mike" > wrote in message
om...
> Hi, I am a semi experienced aquarist who has just ventured out of my
> comfort zone. Here's the thing, I got 4 juvenile chinese firebelly
> newts for free last week and I have some questions about them. They
> are about 1.25" long and mainly sit on the rocks / floating pads, but
> do flail their way around the surface of the water portion to go in
> between. [Until I move this summer they are in a 1/2 filled 5 gallon,
> unheated, unfiltered, but planted tank (I am moving them into a 36"
> wide ~30gal tank at my next place)]
>
> Here are my questions:
> 1. How do I deal with protein film? by "deal" I mean: "stop from
> forming" and/or "skim by hand" (I tried skimming with my dip-net and
> wiping the water surface with a kleenex, but neither seemed terribly
> affective)
> 2. They wont eat anything that doesn't move - I had a temporary
> supply of live fruit fly larvae in a bottle, but it won't last much
> more than another day or two. I have both freeze dried and frozen
> blood worms - I tried putting some frozen worms in a beer bottle cap
> on the island, but they went so far as to stand in the puddle of food
> without eating any. --> Any advice on how to get them to eat?
>
> Thanks,
> Mike

[blove]

www.caudata.org is an excellent site, it has pictures of peoples setups too
if ya need ideas and the forums are full of experienced nice people.


"mike" > wrote in message
om...
> Hi, I am a semi experienced aquarist who has just ventured out of my
> comfort zone. Here's the thing, I got 4 juvenile chinese firebelly
> newts for free last week and I have some questions about them. They
> are about 1.25" long and mainly sit on the rocks / floating pads, but
> do flail their way around the surface of the water portion to go in
> between. [Until I move this summer they are in a 1/2 filled 5 gallon,
> unheated, unfiltered, but planted tank (I am moving them into a 36"
> wide ~30gal tank at my next place)]
>
> Here are my questions:
> 1. How do I deal with protein film? by "deal" I mean: "stop from
> forming" and/or "skim by hand" (I tried skimming with my dip-net and
> wiping the water surface with a kleenex, but neither seemed terribly
> affective)
> 2. They wont eat anything that doesn't move - I had a temporary
> supply of live fruit fly larvae in a bottle, but it won't last much
> more than another day or two. I have both freeze dried and frozen
> blood worms - I tried putting some frozen worms in a beer bottle cap
> on the island, but they went so far as to stand in the puddle of food
> without eating any. --> Any advice on how to get them to eat?
>
> Thanks,
> Mike

[Mike Edwardes]

In article >,
(mike) wrote:

> Hi, I am a semi experienced aquarist who has just ventured out of my
> comfort zone. Here's the thing, I got 4 juvenile chinese firebelly
> newts for free last week and I have some questions about them. They
> are about 1.25" long and mainly sit on the rocks / floating pads, but
> do flail their way around the surface of the water portion to go in
> between. [Until I move this summer they are in a 1/2 filled 5 gallon,
> unheated, unfiltered, but planted tank (I am moving them into a 36"
> wide ~30gal tank at my next place)]

Try:
http://mike-edwardes.members.beeb.net/Amphibiary/Corientalis.html
Not going in the water means that something is wrong - either the
temperature or pollution. DON'T KEEP THEM TOO WARM! Mine are
currently at 53F/12C for the winter.

> Here are my questions:
> 1. How do I deal with protein film? by "deal" I mean: "stop from
> forming" and/or "skim by hand" (I tried skimming with my dip-net and
> wiping the water surface with a kleenex, but neither seemed terribly
> effective)

Add an airstone (or preferably) a small air-driven box or sponge
filter to the tank. This will break uo the surface film and improve
the water quality.

> 2. They wont eat anything that doesn't move - I had a temporary
> supply of live fruit fly larvae in a bottle, but it won't last much
> more than another day or two. I have both freeze dried and frozen
> blood worms - I tried putting some frozen worms in a beer bottle cap
> on the island, but they went so far as to stand in the puddle of food
> without eating any. --> Any advice on how to get them to eat?

Feed them in the water, once you have improved the water quality and
adjusted the temperature. They will eat frozen blood worms, but live
food such as small chopped earthworms is best.

Mike.
--
Mike Edwardes Tropicals
http://mike-edwardes.members.beeb.net