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Care Sheet: Japanese Fire-bellied Newt (Cynops pyrrhogaster)

Common Name: Japanese Fire-bellied Newt.

Scientific Name: Cynops pyrrhogaster.

Distribution: Japan.

Size: 8-12cm (3-5").

Sexing: Males have more swollen cloaca, and when in breeding condition they develop a purplish sheen to their tails. Females are often plumper when viewed from above.

Colouration: The dorsal surface is a dark brown to black. Occasionally light red spots are present on the dorso-lateral ridges. The ventrum ranges between bright orange to deep red with irregular black marking.

Varieties: There are at present at least 7 defined subspecies of C.pyrrhogaster, The most common being the nominal form C.p.pyrrhogaster. The second most common sub-species is the Sasayame form in which the black markings on the ventral surface join to form a pair of broad black lines, white spotting is also common in this form.

Requirements: Japanese Fire-bellied Newts are mainly aquatic and require a relatively small aquarium. A 15-gallon tank would be adequate for 4 adults. These Newts can be maintained in a totally aquatic set-up, provided they have a few floating islands (pieces of cork) to climb out on to. A base substrate of gravel or sand is ideal with large pebbles arranged to provide a number of hiding places and densely planted with aquatic plants. The water should be clean de-chlorinated or spring water at a depth of 20cm (8"). The water will need to be filtered using a submersible power filter to avoid the build up of ammonia and bacteria in the water, and partial water changes should be carried out at regular intervals. It is also a good idea to lightly oxygenate the water with the use of an air-stone. A water temperature of 20°C should be maintained, and a low wattage fluorescent tube should be used as a light source.

Feeding: Juvenile Newts should be fed daily with a mixture of suitably sized insects including Tubifex, bloodworm and whiteworm. Adult Newts should be fed every other day with a mixture of earthworms, slugs, maggots, and Tubifex. It is possible to get them to eat pelleted foods, and captive-bred individuals are most likely to be already well adept at taking pellets.