Fire Bellied Newts
Fire bellied Newts for Dummies
Fire bellied newts are fairly mellow in temperament. This newt was originally found in China and Japan.
Fire bellied newts' natural habitat is in the still, cool waters of ponds that are heavily vegetated. Like most amphibians, the fire bellied newt is mostly an aquatic creature. They generally like to spend most of their time in the water.
Fire bellied newts are confused sometimes with Chinese fire bellied newts. They are actually two separate types of newts. The Chinese type has ventral area orange coloring, but is usually overall darker in color. The Chinese variety is also smaller. Mature newts of the Japanese variety, which we are studying, can grow to about four to six inches in length. Black or dark brown skin that is granular in texture is most common. They also have speckled, red bellies, and you can easily see the glands that appear on their heads. The fire bellied newt has been observed in several other colors, but none as often as this coloration.
Males are easy to distinguish from females when they are adults. The easiest way to tell their sex is by examining their tails. The female's tail is rounder than the male's, and the male has a purple tail. The tail of the male also has an attachment like a string, which females don't have.
The environment you create should mimic the natural surroundings of the newt, to the extent that is possible. The newts should always have the option of being in the water or on land. If you set up your aquarium as 1/3 land and 2/3 water, that should be adequate for your newts. If you want to keep more than a few newts in captivity, make sure your aquarium is over ten gallon-sized, to allow them adequate room.
Your fire bellied newts will do much better in captivity if you change their water frequently, and install a solid filtration system. Set the filter at minimal flow so it won't make the water turbulent – newts like calm or slowly moving water. Sand and gravel are recommended for your substrate. Be sure to use larger gravel pieces, because the smaller sized pieces may be ingested. Place your sand under your gravel, as it is just for the plants. Increase the gravel level as it lifts into the land area of your tank.
You can place logs or rocks on the land area, as the newts like the small hiding places. They also seem to like moss. Plants are a pleasant addition to both the land and water areas. Make sure to provide a few dark hiding places for them, too. Keep the temperature cool, as newts do best in temperatures between sixty and seventy.