fire belly newt care - Noah's Ark Pets
Common Name: Fire Belly Newt
Scientific Name: Cynops pyrrhogaster
Native to: Japan and parts of China
Adult Size: up to 6 inches
General Appearance: Dark brown to black in color with the ventral (belly) side being orange or red with dark patches.
Captive Environment: A semi-aquatic aquarium will be needed. For a few newts (3-4), a 20 gallon tank should be sufficient. Newts need to climb out of the water and have a land area to bask or hide. You can do this in several different ways. You can divide the tank in half using a piece of Plexiglas to create a dry and water area, or add gravel and slope it out of the water to create a land spot. You could also use rocks or platforms at the waters’ surface for the newts to climb on to. Whichever way is used, there should be 3-4 inches of water to swim in. A ratio of half land and half water is best. The bottom of the tank can be lined with smooth gravel, which should be large enough that the newts can not swallow it. Provide lots of plants live or artificial. Filtration should be provided, although strong currents are best avoided. Inside corner filters (the kind powered by air) work well, as they create little current. Internal power filters are also a good choice, as long as they are not too powerful and positioned so as to minimize the current produced. Under gravel filters are also a good option. A tight fitting top is needed because they can climb the walls and get out.
Temperature: Room temperature at 68-70 F. seems to be fine for them. Use a submersible heater if needed. Always use a thermometer to ensure proper temperature is maintained.
Lighting : UVB emitting full spectrum lighting is optional for newts. However it may prove to be beneficial to the long term care of your pet. The light should be positioned less than 18" from your pet for maximum effect. Glass blocks ultraviolet light, and air circulation, therefore it should never be used as a top for the enclosure. A 12- hour day/ night lighting cycle is a good start for your pet reptile. Using a timer is the best way to ensure that the proper amount of light is received.
Food: Depending on your newt, you may have to try a variety of food sources. Bloodworms, frozen or live, seem to a favorite among newt keepers. They may also eat earthworms (chopped), brine shrimp, glass shrimp, daphnia, and freeze-dried tubifex cubes. Floating reptile/amphibian sticks can also be fed, although some newts refuse them. Larger newts, particularly the larger Japanese fire bellied newt may also eat feeder guppies if offered. Fire bellied newts do not have to be fed every day - every other day or every three days is often enough. It may take a little experimentation to figure out how much and how often they should be fed. You can try to judge by their growth and body condition (fat or skinny) and whether excess food is being left over which can cause toxins to build up in the tank.
Maintenance: Water will need to be added if it starts to evaporate. Keep filter pads cleaned and change pads monthly. Use a gravel siphon to remove detritus from the aquarium. Approximately 1/4 of the volume of water in the tank should be removed and replaced with fresh, dechlorinated water every 1-2 weeks (depending on the size of the tank and the number of newts - it should be done more often for smaller tanks and larger numbers of newts). Handlers should always wash hands before and after handling newts.
NOTE: This care sheet is a general guide, to learn more about your pet consult a book about it. 
