Sick Newt

[Rockyphoenix]

Hi there, i wondered if anyone would be able to help me. Last week i bought two fire bellied newts from my local fish shop, a skinny one (Ike) and a fat one(Zac). I put them into my community tank with bogwood to climb on and a turtle dock to rest on out of the water. They seemed fine in there for about two days untill someone bit zac,s toe off! So i decided to take them out that tank and put them into another tank, but a few hours later the skinny one (Ike) died. I then immediately put zac into our spare little tank for 2 days until the weekend when i could go get him a bigger tank. I got him his new tank yesterday and since then he refuses to go into the water and stays on his floating land. i have put him into the water but he scrambles frantically for his land again. Also ive tried turning him onto his back( I read that they will roll onto their front quickly if they are healthy) and he is very slow to roll over. Ive checked water quality and temperature and everything seems fine. Has anybody got any ideas? All input will be muchly appreciated.

 

[Rockyphoenix]

Hi there, i wondered if anyone would be able to help me. Last week i bought two fire bellied newts from my local fish shop, a skinny one (Ike) and a fat one(Zac). I put them into my community tank with bogwood to climb on and a turtle dock to rest on out of the water. They seemed fine in there for about two days untill someone bit zac,s toe off! So i decided to take them out that tank and put them into another tank, but a few hours later the skinny one (Ike) died. I then immediately put zac into our spare little tank for 2 days until the weekend when i could go get him a bigger tank. I got him his new tank yesterday and since then he refuses to go into the water and stays on his floating land. i have put him into the water but he scrambles frantically for his land again. Also ive tried turning him onto his back( I read that they will roll onto their front quickly if they are healthy) and he is very slow to roll over. Ive checked water quality and temperature and everything seems fine. Has anybody got any ideas? All input will be muchly appreciated.

I am getting more worried about about my fire bellied newt, my husband just found him floating in the water (the right way up) he put him back on his floating land.he isnt moving much when he is on his land, is this normal? Im starting to wonder if i should put him back into the bigger tank, as he looked very happy there and spent ages walking around the bottom and climbing plants and bogwood. my only concern is im frightened whatever bit off his toe will hurt him again, this is why i moved him in the first place. The biggest fish in the communal tank are 1 blue ram at about 1 and a half inches and 1 female fighter fish at the same size and the rest are little danios and neons.Has anyone got any advice? Many thnaks

 

[rabbut]

I woulden't recomend any type on newt in a community aquarium. They have been known to take the fish tankmates as food when full grown, and have been bullyed when youngh. For those reaons, I would recomend that you leave the newt in his own tank, at least untill you can work out who bit him. If you do put him back into the communaal tank, remember to keep a very close eye on his progress. Please can you post water stats? Is the temporiture in the community tank and his lone tank any different? And what temp is each? I believe that firebelly newts are coldwater, so they will not appreciate temporitures above arround 24 degrees celcius. If the temporiture is a little high, simply adjust the heaters thermostat down a little, and allow the tank to cool naturaly. Sudden changes in temporiture will not go down well. Is you newt eating, and what foods are you offering?
HTH
rabbut

 

[Rockyphoenix]

Thankyou for your help, im not really sure if he has eaten very much at all since being put into his new tank although i have been putting food on his land. So far i have given him frozen bloodworm and he seems to like that, i saw him eat alot in the big communal tank but then again he didnt have a sore toe then! The temperature of his current tank is approx 20 degrees and the communal tank is approx 24 degrees. he did look a bit better this morning. he jumped off his turtle dock, floated for a bit then swam over and sat on the filter. then moved back to his dock and then back to the filter where he has sat for the rest of the day. his tank stats are

P.H 7.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrite (NO2) 0
Nitrate (NO3) 10ppm

Thanks again
Lorna

 

[Rockyphoenix]

Just incase anyone is watching this thread, im happy to report that for the past two days zac has been in the water and going about quite happily. he is still sometimes sticking his sore leg in the air but he walks fine in and out of the water. we got him a wee newt buddy today from our local fish shop and he has settled in really well. (I was worried that zac would be lonely by himself) we called him oreo, and he and zac seem to like each other. I will post some very cute pictures of zac trying to escape from his tank if i can later.

 

[Jen_S]

I'm d to hear that Zac is doing better Newts are definately coldwater creatures. They would do better being house with coldwater fish. White Cloud minnows would be good but you might have a few go missing. Mine are housed with fancy goldfish, dojo loaches, and apple snails. Best wishes!