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My firebelly newt has a new home. I got him about 5 to 6 months ago after a fair amount of research (never saw anything about the possibilty of toxins being released). He has been in my 29 gal aquarium since w/a lily pad to bask on and has done fine, but it was brought to my attention that he could poison the fish in my tank so i went to all the LFS around my house and finally:%) found a plastic 'tank' for him. It has a basking area, as well as a moat w/rocks on one side and nothing but water on the other side. I put a couple of small plants in there w/him and so far he seems to like it just fine...I do appreciate knowing that he could be a threat to my fish but would suggest that in the future such information be made a tad more mmmm, tactfully. I just felt that i was being flamed for having him in my tank and/or maybe for not doing enough research (but i did, it just wasn't something that was listed where I looked).

Thanks though for the info. Rest assured he is safe, my fish are safe and he's happy.
Robin
MODS: Please leave here in livebearers b/c this is where the info came from. Thanks!

Okay, i'm a bit confused...I've done some more research on my fire belly (and yes, he's a true fire belly) and from what I read they are not poisonous unless you eat them therefore they won't harm your fish unless they eat them...

Here's a quote from the site:

Poison
The brightly colored bellies should tip you off: newts are poisonous - but only if you eat them. If you were to do something dumb like try to eat or lick your newt, you'd notice a horrible burning sensation, and then you'd probably start vomiting to get the little guy out of your stomach. How do we know this? Because every now and then some drunk guy will dare or bet some other drunk guy to swallow a newt. These cases make it into the medical literature (citations coming as soon as I can dig them up), and we find that if by chance you don't throw up, the poison from the newt is enough to kill you.

Is it safe to keep newts? Yes. As long as nobody's eating anybody else, the newts' poison will not hurt you or the newts' tankmates. All of this also applies to fire-belly toads, which many people keep with newts: they can live with newts or other animals and not harm them.

1. In general, newts are a very safe pet.
2. Keep newts away from children and stupid drunk people who might eat them.
3.If your child has eaten a newt, don't email me! Call the poison control center.

the weblink is http://www.loxosceles.org/newts/disease.shtml


Just FYI...any comments on the info found? No flaming please, i just found and posted the info i didn't write it...
Robin

doesnt it say in that information that they are safe with tankmates, as long as they are not going to be eaten! What fish was he in with before you moved him?

i might have read this wrong or missed bits!

Yes it does. He was (happily I thought) in with 2 gouramis, some platies, and tetras (now all that is in the tank is What I have listed in my signature). He had been w/them for close to 9 months and not one problem. I was told I needed to have him in his own tank b/c he could poison the fish. To be honest he seems so lonely now....Not sure why i think that he just doesn't react to me the way he did...Should I put him back in the tank? I mean he had a lilly pad to bask on and all sooo????
Thanks!
Robin

I have had my newt with a betta, frogs, swordtails, and a bunch of other stuff, and he never killed them.. they are safe with tankmates.

when i used to have mine he never ever cause any problems or killed any of my fish. If he doesnt seem happy on his own maybe either get him another friend of his own kind or put him back! Thats my advice!

yes they r poisonous they do release toxins even when we pick them up they secrete a toxin it isnt exactly harmful to our skin if ingested yes it is dangerous they can b handled but for there safety its best avoided unless ur hands a very wet we have oils on our skins that r not good for them to protect themselves they secrete the toxin this is also how they can climb up the side of the tank i keep my alone most of the time but i give him a week or 2 vaca in my tanks to let him stretch n get a new rejuvination if u think he was more suited for the tank put him back in

Thanks for all your suggestions...I have decided what I am going to do is buy a 10gal terririum (sp?) and buy another newt...They will have plenty of water, rocks, etc....Til I get another one though I am letting my newt in the tank for a little bit each day....He loves it! :-) Anyway, my new newt w/be here by the end of the week! Thanks again ya'll...
Robin