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Posts by Kato: |
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Kato Member Joined: 14 Sep 2006 No. of posts: 6  View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 14 Sep 2006
Topic: New pond
I have just found and joined this site in the hope that someone can give me some good advice. I have a couple of fairly small ponds in my back garden. I don't keep fish in them and indeed only installed them (approx 20 years ago) for the local wildlife. Over the years I have noticed that the slightly larger pond seems to attract many more newts and frogs than the smaller one, I guess that could be to do with the postions of the ponds. Anyway, recently I decided to dig a much larger pond in place of the existing largest pond. The current pond is a fibreglass moulded unit but the new pond will be formed with a butyl liner. I have dug out all around the existing pond and was about ready to drain the existing pond and remove it when I noticed a few small newts swimming about. Most of the newts are at various stages of the larval cycle although some have progressed a little further and have ingested their gills. So far I have captured about twenty of these and put them in a spare fish tank - my question to all is - how long can I keep them in the tank, is freeze dried bloodworm and Tubifex sufficient to feed them, should the water be changed frequently, do they have any special requirements ?? My new pond will be a fishpond and although fairly large may not be suitable to accommodate breeding newts and frogs (the toads seem to have disappeared over the past few years) so I intend to re-site this displaced pond (much to my wifes depair). What with all this back breaking digging etc it will probably be quite some time before I can reintroduce these tiny newts back into a pond, hence my questions. Sorry to be so long winded .... Kato |
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Kato Member Joined: 14 Sep 2006 No. of posts: 6 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 15 Sep 2006
Topic: New pond
Thanks for the replies Steve and Jon, I had considered putting the the young newts into the other pond but as I said previously, the other pond seems to be less siutable habitat as evidenced by the very small number of newts using it compared to the pond I am removing. Also, there are at least 70 + frogs and the odd toad who could potentially use it and Im a bit worried that they may eat these tiny newts (maybe I'm wrong and frogs/toads don't prey on newt larvae). I suspect that I'll have to put some in though as I am now up to about 35 newts and still puling more out as I find them. At the moment these disposessed creatures are housed in a fish tank with about 3 inches of water, rocks to enable them to get out of the water and some floating weed. I have put in some freeze dried bloodworm and tubifex is this ok or do they need live food. Also, how often should I change the water and would aeriation via an air line help. Jon - I have inherited 18 goldfish - currently housed in a temporary pond complete with pump, filter and airline so I intend to start with these and see how things progress. thanks
Kato |
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Kato Member Joined: 14 Sep 2006 No. of posts: 6 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 16 Sep 2006
Topic: New pond
Thanks again for your response. I have now emptied the pond and the grand total of young newts came to approx 50. Only two were completely developed so I have transferred them to my other smaller pond, if they want to get out they can. So, at present I'm left with lots of newts in various stages of their larval development, some are really tiny and others are almost fully developed. I managed to get hold of some live Daphnia today - that alongside the freeze dried stuff mentioned previously should keep them going for a few days. Will the larger, more advanced newts prey on their tiny tadpole like bretheren ? I think I have too many to keep together so should I sort them by size. thanks again ........... Kato |
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Kato Member Joined: 14 Sep 2006 No. of posts: 6 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 24 Sep 2006
Topic: Young newts
Do growing newts shed thier skin ? In my other posting 'new pond' I mentioned that I have taken about 50 newts in various stages of their development from a pond which is to be relocated. I have kept most of them in a fish tank complete with rocks and moss etc etc and most seem to be doing well. Today I transferred them to another tank and took the opportunity of counting them again, there seems to be about ten missing from my original count which prompts a previously asked question - do the larger ones prey on the smaller, I also found what appears to be a complete newt skin floating in the water, it's completely transparent and looks just like a 'see through' newt. If they don't shed their skin what could have caused this ? What preys on these young creatures. The only other things in the tank are water snails, something that looks like a small leech and various shrimp like creatures etc. By the way, I seem to have answered a previous question myself - young newts will eat freeze dried bloodworms and tubifex, it's quite amusing to watch them stalk it and then attack and shake it. Thanks in advance for any answers ...
Kato Kato |
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Kato Member Joined: 14 Sep 2006 No. of posts: 6 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 27 Sep 2006
Topic: Young newts
Thanks for your replies ............... those leeches sound pretty horrific though !! Kato
Kato |
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Kato Member Joined: 14 Sep 2006 No. of posts: 6 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 28 Mar 2007
Topic: Newt update
Last year I posted a few questions regarding newt Larvae and their feeding. I mentioned that I had found approx 50 newts in various stages of development in a pond that I was about to replace. I kept them in tanks and released them as they developed over a few months. A few retained their gills for too long into the colder weather so I kept them in a tank through the winter. The tank mainly contained rock, earth and plants (and shallow water) and all the small insects and the like which came with them. They survived ok and developed well, I let the last few free a week or so ago. My new pond now contains several adult newts along with a great many frogs and sixteen goldfish. I had hoped to keep the new pond free of all but fish and in fact dug a smaller pond just for the amphibians, they have populated that too but in much smaller numbers,however, some should now survive although I guess the attrition rate will be quite high in the fish pond. I am trying to decide wether my newts are Palmate or smooth - any identification tips would be welcome.
Kato Kato |
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