# fire bellied newt compatability



## hedge105 (Apr 15, 2008)

hey i am thinking about getting a newt but i would like to know if its compatable with freshwater tropical fish. i have a 5 gallon if not but what i would like to do is build a platform the entire lenth of my 90 gallon tank make 3 or 4 pond holes and have some sharks as well is this ok? it would give him way more room to swim and a lot of land to himself. will they get along with fish?


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## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

Newts eat fish... and worms...and live crickets... that is their natural diet. Most newts also get relatively large... so as they grow, whatever fits into their mouth is considered food. Newts that are kept together should be watched very closely for any size difference. They are famous for canibalizing... the larger ones eat the smaller ones.

Any freshwater "shark" species you can find is going to be a threat to a newt and vice versa. Not a safe mix. 

5 gallons is not sufficient to raise even 1 newt alone. 10 - 20 gallons is a bare minimum, and extremely tightly sealed. They are escape artists, and once out of the tank they are hard to find and will dry out quickly. Newts are best kept in a planted tank with 1/3 water, dry land and things to climb on, and species only. They also need a heater for the water because they are tropical animals. Water temp should be 76 - 78 degrees. 
Newts are also very dirty animals, so lots and lots of water changes will be needed to keep them clean. Dirty water leads to open sores on the skin, bacterial & fungal infections, and eventually death. To go from healthy to dead happens quick if conditions are not kept stable and appropriate. 
Newts are most susceptible to drops in pH due to high nitrate levels... and this causes death. Having water test kits are extremely important when keeping newts. Most important are ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH.


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## hedge105 (Apr 15, 2008)

*thanx*

thank you for the info. i will use my25 gallon instead then. what about snails,plecos or any other tank cleaners are these or any others safe to keep with them or will they just eat them. Also it doesn't sound like it but is there anything you know of that it might be compatible with besides other newts. Thanks again


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## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

You're welcome. 25 gallons would be much more suitable for keeping 2 - 3 newts, depending on their species. 

Again, the problem with companions will be species specific. There are some things that will with with specific tank mates, but others that won't with anything... 

My suggestion would be to prep the tank, then research the newts available to you. If you get species names that you are considering, come on back and post the names, I'll be able to break it down for you futher and send you links to accurate info on the net wherever its available. Some newts will spend more time on land than others...some will stay in the water more often... diets will differ somewhat, as will water temp for a few of the larger species. It's all in the specific newts you're planning to work with.


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