1st Time Nano Vivarium + Newts setup

[s11loop]

New pets for 2012!!!
Fire Belly Newt (ang ang... apart from my other Fire red shrimp, lots of Fire pets in my room now kekeke)

Pardon the poor image quality, taken with iphone and LX3


Say HI!


Also went shopping at Aqua Empire for a new setup > Vivarium!

Equipments ready! Didn't notice until I get home and realize that all the items I bought for this setup are all Gex products.


Beautiful looking Japanese Nano tank


Bunch of japo words but the pictures should is pretty straight forward


Coolest purchase, a fake fiber glass backdrop, this is the smallest they sell so gotta DIY saw it out.


Hard scape arrangement with bog wood abandon from another setup


Some rocks to give a more natural look and to break down the asymmetry of the layout.


Settling in


Newt hanging on the branch


Newt hanging on the branch


Relax and destress corner, now have the best of both world, a planted and a vivarium!


Hiding, camera shy...


Views of the tank


Views of the tank


Views of the tank


Beautiful minimalistic design light from GEX

[fotoudavid]

nice. wonder you cycle the tank or does not need??

[longcheeze]

thanks for sharing.

[cdckjn]

you better cover the tank properly as these creatures have a habit of escaping.

[Don90]

you better cover the tank top soon.

I used to keep them, and these guys can climb up the tank by sticking to the glass. And they can even climb through a tiny hole of the tank cover I made for the canister inlet.

[s11loop]

Hi all, the tank come supplied with a very good 2 section tank top cover, it's being Cover up. I did use some of the water from my shrimp tank, so far so good thinking about setting up a moss wall on the other side of the tank.

[delhezi]

For the good of the newts....I suggest very seriously, that you increase the water level. Firebelly newts are almost aquatic and you should also not handle them. If they are out of the water, it is either too dirty, or too hot. Again, 16-20 degrees celsius. You don't need to spend much money to keep these guys, just a very cold environment, some tubifex, bloodworms, sponge filter, heavy planting, settle.

[s11loop]

For the good of the newts....I suggest very seriously, that you increase the water level. Firebelly newts are almost aquatic and you should also not handle them. If they are out of the water, it is either too dirty, or too hot. Again, 16-20 degrees celsius. You don't need to spend much money to keep these guys, just a very cold environment, some tubifex, bloodworms, sponge filter, heavy planting, settle.

Thanks for your recommendation, hmm seriously again in SG climate 16-20 degree c, I know that's the text book specs of keeping them but even some of the shrimp tank running on a chiller can't get temperature to go down below 22 degree and you are talking about 16-20 here. Hahaha no disrespect intended but it's not the reality here in our local climate... I have friends who have keep them successfully for the past 3 years, her tank temperature is around 30 degree +/-. This pair of newts have different characteristic, there's the lighter color fellow who is very active and gets in and out of water ofter while the other one which is slightly darker and fatter is very lazy and always spotted around the same spot most of the time.

[David Moses Heng]

I would suggest that if you are serious about keeping your newt, you should get it a decent size tank. The nano is in no way suitable. Also, from my limited experience, if you can not provide the ideal temperature as stated by the folks here, you will find that the newts WILL be prone to fungus and skin infections.

Regards.

[Don90]

hmm... In 30 degree temperatures, the newts will live, but will not thrive.

Maybe getting a chiller to get the temps to 24 degrees would be good. Any lower than 24, you are likely to experience condensation on the tank.

[s11loop]

Thanks for all the suggestion with regards to the temperature of keeping the newts, however having a chiller is definitely out of the question to this as even my fire red shrimp which are breeding well in my 24 degree +/- tank do not have a need to. Before anyone would like to jump at the temp issue again, for the record my aircon room temp is ard 24 on the outside and ard 24+/- in the shrimp tank and 22 degree c for the Newts tank ( just measured with a thermometer, probably with the lower wattage 5w light of the newts tank, the temp is lower compare to my planted shrimp tank). Seems like the few bros who commented on the temperature issue thinks that I am keeping the newts at 30 degree? Sorry for the confusion haha! Maybe will upgrade to my 2ft tank in the future but for now, I am quite enjoying the beautiful nature of this tank beside my desk

[stormhawk]

I'm curious, why is there a tetra in the small water zone, and is there even a filter running on this tank?

[s11loop]

I'm curious, why is there a tetra in the small water zone, and is there even a filter running on this tank?

The tetra was replace with some feeder guppy from my feeder bag, there's a back rain bar filter cleverly hidden by the moss that I have tied to it

[delhezi]

I don't suggest it at all. Do look at pictures of newts kept at cold temperatures, it reduces their metabolism, but they remain plump. Your newt is not skinny, but is probably thin. There's no way to keep a newt well without spending the money, like a saltwater tank. Funny how AVA doesn't allow caudata, 5 minutes in the sun and they'll be fried, along with any coldwater bacteria, viruses, fungi that live on them.

[dkk08]

You can consider using a fan, I've kept a few of those newts for more then 4 years so once you got them acclimatize they should be quite hardy...

[delhezi]

As I've already mentioned, these guys can be real hardy, but to keep them alive at best, please please please try to keep them at least below 22 degrees celsius. A fan will only bring down the temperature by 1 or 2 degrees, and it will not be sufficient from a typical 28 degree celsius room. They will survive, but will live miserably, eat poorly, and not behave in a natural manner. I found that using ice bags is fairly easy, though it does take about 3-4 replacements a day to keep an average of 24 degrees celsius.

[s11loop]

I don't suggest it at all. Do look at pictures of newts kept at cold temperatures, it reduces their metabolism, but they remain plump. Your newt is not skinny, but is probably thin. There's no way to keep a newt well without spending the money, like a saltwater tank. Funny how AVA doesn't allow caudata, 5 minutes in the sun and they'll be fried, along with any coldwater bacteria, viruses, fungi that live on them.

It's only about 3 days since I got them from the fish farm till now... I don't expect them to be well fed at those retail environment and fyi they are only less then 2inch big, not adult size how big do you expect them to be btw? For my 24 degree tank, is there any need to get the temp down further? I don't think they need anymore cooler as appetite seems good, initially they don't seem to be eating anything I give them, after about 3 days today I had a count of the feeder guppy and saw 4 missing and they just finish off 1 cube of bw in 20mins.

Bro delhezi you I bet you definitely had some very bad experience with your newts before with all the infection and stuff, thanks for sharing and I will continue to monitor this 2 fellow condition.

[delhezi]

You don't understand. None of the information you listed on the top of your post is actually relevant, of course they come in not as well. My point being, the newts kept hotter will never become as natural in behaviour as the newts kept cooler. 24 degrees is a good standard, it could be cooler though, thank you for the effort anyway.

[David Moses Heng]

Guys, cool down... let's not get emotional about the discussion. we are all here to learn and for those of us whom have offered our experiences, we must learn that not all advices will be well received. In the same note, those of us on the receiving end, I would suggest due appreciation be given for the effort by those who share.

Regards.

[delhezi]

Ehs? I hope I wasn't too pushy. Diplomatic..