Home | Livestock | Shop | Care Sheets | Feeding | Health | Articles | Q&A | Gallery | Events Diary | Guest Book | Links | Forum

Care Sheet: Paddle-tailed Newt (Pachytriton labiatus)

Common Name: Paddle-tailed Newt, Spotless Stout Newt, Giant Fire-bellied Newt.

Scientific Name: Pachytriton labiatus.

Distribution: South-eastern China.

Size: 14 - 18cm.

Sexing: Males have more swollen cloaca, females are often plumper when viewed from above.

Description: Light brown-black above with an orange-red belly with irregular black spots.

Requirements: Stout Newts are mainly aquatic and require a relatively large aquarium. A 20 gallon tank would be adequate for an adult pair but if you happen to purchase 2 males it may be best to keep them separate as they can be highly aggressive. 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 and aquatic plants arranged to provide a number of hiding places. The water should be clean de-chlorinated or spring water at a depth of 10 – 15cm, they prefer to have quite a strong water current this can be done with a power filter but you must arrange rocks and pebbles to provide some still areas for them to rest. 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 15°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 bloodworm, Tubifex, and whiteworm. Adult Newts should be fed every other day with a mixture of earthworms, slugs, maggots, and Tubifex.