Tank Mates for Newts and Salamanders 

@Nizy Alcantara Hi there, apologies for a late reply. If you're keeping them together, I would separate them immediately. Check out this article, it shows many examples of what can happen if newts and axolotls swallow fish: www.caudata.org/cc/articles/Mixing_disasters.shtml. Also, this example specifically shows a disaster between an axolotl and cory catfish, the spines of the catfish can pierce through the axoltol if swallowed. I wouldn't risk this possibility: www.caudata.org/threads/axolotl-ate-corydora-cat-or-tried.32365/

Funny thing with axolotls and fish is that not only the fish nip the axo's gills. But i have seen axolotls clear over 20 fish in 24 hours meaning they will definitely over feed.

@@scaffa1478 Yup, that's definitely a good point. And there's other potential complications that could result from axolotls over feeding on fish.

Thank you for the kind words!

You also have a great hairline..... I would assume.....

Nederlander!!!!!!

Hey sorry for getting back to you so late, notifications haven't been coming through consistently lately. But I'm glad my videos have been helpful! If you ever have any questions I'm more than happy to help.

What fish can co exist with newts?

@@danieltorresjr.698 white cloud minnows, pencil fish, brilliant rasbora, Cory catfish, those are the ones that worked for me, they will try to eat the fish for the first few days but stp eventually

Hey there! Glad you enjoyed the video! I'd still highly recommend separating the two even if nothing bad has happened. Both species contain toxins that can definitely be harmful to one another. Both the eastern newt and spotted salamander are poisonous.

Hi there, sorry for the late reply! RU-vid doesn't give always show me notifications for comments anymore. I personally wouldn't risk this. If there is a way to 100% ensure the newt or turtle cannot get over the wall or wind up in the other enclosure then I suppose it might be fine. But newts can climb tanks and walls so I'm not sure how safe this is.

Honestly, most fish shops or big chain pet stores aren't really knowledgeable when it comes to amphibians and it seems like axolotls become a victim to a sort of comparison towards fish due to their popularity in the pet trade for seemingly just being aquatic. Even the show Tanked did this and paired axolotls with aggressive fish, so it's quite unfortunate that this practice is well better known as being acceptable. Your first instincts were definitely spot on!

Unfortunately, no. Even though both of these animals inhabit the same forest and tolerate cooler temperatures, their living conditions still differ too greatly. Skinks still require special lighting to bask, which will in turn raise the temperature to levels that aren't tolerable for the marbled salamander. The skink can still potentially show aggression towards the salamander as well. Also, marbled salamanders contain toxins that can be harmful to the skink. I wouldn't recommend doing this.

Hi! No, this really wouldn't be a good idea. Environmental requirements are only aspect of keeping these animals. Marbled salamanders contain toxins that can be harmful to the frogs. Mixing frogs and salamanders unfortunately doesn't work.

Hi! The setup you're planning sounds amazing. I love setups like this, but unfortunately crabs and newts don't mix. Its a dangerous idea for the newt. Even the fish aren't going to mix well in this case. Temperature is a concern here because while 72 degrees is just tolerable, the newts will really need temps between 60s to 70. I highly recommend checking out this article: www.caudata.org/cc/articles/Mixing_disasters.shtml#id63

@@TheSalamanderWilds thanks so much! So there are no types of newts that could fit this set up then? That's unfortunate. I've been looking for a good mixture of land and water cohabitants but it seems impossible

@@SnappyStrm Unfortunately, not in this case if you are mixing species. The setup for newts really needs to be specific to the species you're keeping. Also, I'm glad to answer any questions!

Can a small bichir fish live with a newt?

Hey there! By the same breeds, do you mean species? I wouldn't recommend keeping newts with salamanders since their life styles are more than likely very different. Each newt or salamander, no matter how similar should be treated with it's own unique care. If you keep a newt or a salamander, it should be kept only with other animals of the same species, like Eastern newts only with Eastern newts or Two line salamanders only with Two line salamanders.

At 4:00 he starts the talk about mixing since some have poisons and toxins, honestly glad I found his video, I was looking to get an axolot for my guppie tank

Hi! Cold temps are certainly not the norm for these shrimp based on my research and even my own experiences keeping neocaridina. That said, this why I also mentioned if the goal is to keep all animals happy and comfortable, then they can'tbe mixed with the expectation for both animals to thrive comfortably and happily. Cold temps aren't comfortable long-term conditions for neocaridina to thrive and just simply conflicts with what most newts/salamanders require. Obviously water temps fluctuate naturally, but surviving and thriving are completely different.

Hi! Yes this would still apply to plecos and synodontis. The required temperatures for both fish are well outside of the comfortable temperatures for axoltols and most other aquatic newts and salamanders. Also, if those spines and sharp fins ended up in the mouth of an axolotl or some other newt/salamander big enough to attempt eatting one, they would peirce through the newt/salamander and result in a very dire situation for both animals.

Hey there! It's better to get snails that are bigger than the newt's head so that they can't eat them. If they try, a smaller size would be better so they don't get stuck. It goes both ways, but it would probably be better to get bigger snails in the first place to avoid any sort of situations.

@@TheSalamanderWilds thanks! Also I have another question, is there any good ways of lowering the aquarium's temperature? I have some iberian ribbed newts and as far as I've researched I think they're just fine at around 71° but I'd like to know if I could get it a little lower as it is basically at room temperature

Hi! Which species of fish is this exactly? If it is a loach, I wouldn't try this. They can be pretty aggressive.

Oh, well I actually found out that it's actually a loach. From my native langague to english it's translated as spined loach. They're almost extinct in most areas so it's hard to get any material on the species. I've caught one that was almost 28 centimeters (sorry I don't know inches),but they usually stay much smaller, and this one looked pretty old and really fat, plus it was found in a fish eggs hatching area so it definently had what to eat. Thanks for the advice!😀

Plus do you think the newts could be kept with a few kuhli loaches? They stay really small and usually either ignore every single thing around them or they're terrified of anithing tham moves, also they won't eat snails. There'd be a lot of hiding places and underground places so I don't think territorial behaivor would be a considerable concern.

@@alexsilasi630 I wouldn't risk this. These loaches have spines and with their small size, if a newt attempts to eat one, the spines will pierce through the newt. Not a good scenario.

Thanks for the advice! 🦎🦎🦎

Definitely! I'm going to be exploring different tank setups for certain species so this is something on my list.

Your best bet is checking caudata.org.

Hi! No, I don't sell newts or salamanders. I would check caudata.org- there are many reputable breeders there.

@@TheSalamanderWilds Thanks :)

Hey there! Unfortunately no, sirens are known for being aggressive feeders. The greater siren especially would have no trouble making a meal out of most other animals smaller than it.

What sort of newts were you keeping? If another newt didn't work, it could be due to issues like not enough tank space or perhaps nipping over food?

@@TheSalamanderWilds I had two California newts. I gave away the other Newt since one bit the other. The Newt got away. She fed it only shrimp which it could not see and it climbed out of the tank on bubble hose. Janitor put it outside and I don't know what happened after that. It was summer. I will have the one Newt. It is 25 years old? He eats reptile sticks but those to me are not healthy...GMO/Roundup? I have to change the water once a month and the snails had thread worm, but most died and I got new snails. Sometimes I had too many snails since they reproduce fast and poop a lot. I wanted him to have company. I don't know if the Newt is a HE or SHE. Gold fish scared him. I talk to him daily. He likes to chase my finger on the aquarium. He likes sounds of music that were low that he could feel. I didn't want to touch him since he maybe poisonous. I hope he is not bored. He is next to me by the computer now, but was in my bedroom where is was more boring for a long time. He is ok if the room gets cold. He has a lump now on his side and one on his tail when I didn't clean his water soon enough. I hope it is not a rock that he swallowed and don't know what is wrong with the tail. I put one stick in the morning and one at night. The snails eat some of it. He is ok, but I should not have gone so long before I change the water so he is less healthy. He is ok. He may live many more years I hope. He was from a pet shop that didn't last long due to them letting people pet the dogs and other issues. I can't get another Newt...no shop has them now in my area of WI. He is a great pet. I rearrange his aquarium in a new way each month...lily pad/large rocks/plastic pretend plants. He has 3 gallons of water to swim in. He is fun to have and watch. Thanks for asking! God bless! Thanks for your awesome videos!

@@TheSalamanderWilds It had less water....was a round bowl/with rock and at first I did not know how much food to use. I used Reptile sticks for both CA Newts. I felt bad. I bought a different kind of newt later and it needed live food and not Reptile sticks. It did not last due to lack of moving food. The place that sold me that did not tell me about needing live food. There were no computers/books about it to learn from back then. Current Newt is ok, but wish I knew more. I had to learn by on my own. I don't want live plants/shrimp since that would be hard to clean the aquarium. I love the plastic lily pad which he goes on if he needs a different temperature or water is not clean enough. He enjoys a hollow glass log he can go in and out of also. He is fun. I enjoy his smile. He loves rain water in the aquarium, but current clouds are Chem trails and there are toxins/Aluminum in the rain from the Chem trails.

@@TheSalamanderWilds Thanks for helping! Happiness... God bless!

Hi! With all due respect, you have only gotten very lucky as this is not a normal occurrence. The facts on paper still stand that axolotls are cold water animals, and plecos still require warmer temps to live comfortably. You might be keeping them at temps that are borderline acceptable for both species. It's not something that should be recommended at all. I highly suggest reading this article: www.caudata.org/cc/articles/Mixing_disasters.shtml#id26

No

Yes you definitely can. Don’t listen to these guys saying that you can’t keep almost anything with them. I’ve had a Spanish ribbed newt with fish such a white clouds, cory cats, guppies, mollies, tetras, bettas and almost any small fish that likes colder water. They do absolutely fine together and I’ve seen many examples of this. Every once in a while a white cloud or guppy goes missing because the newt eats them, but that’s totally fine and it’s a nice treat for them. I have had an aquarium full of fish and an adult spanish ribbed newt together for over a year now with no problems.

@@ethanselig9796 thanks

Hey, that's awesome! Definitely separate the fish from them. Otherwise, the newts could become potentially snacks for the fish!

@@TheSalamanderWilds I putted some in a tank to look at for a while, I gave them some aphids from the garden and they ate soooo much I kept feeding them and they just never stop eating. Also the fishes are moved

Hi! Unfortunately no, firebelly newts need an aquatic setup that wouldn't be suitable for tree frogs.

Hi! The best way I can sum up the video is a same species tank is necessary and most fish and other animals cannot be housed in the same enclosure as your newt or salamander. If anything else is added, do as much research as possible before adding other animals to the enclosure.

Hey, I wouldn't be discouraged from getting a newt. Newts and salamanders can definitely be hardy, especially if the enclosure is setup and catered to that specific species. The problem comes in when we try to force unnatural circumstances upon these animals.

It may depend on the species of shrimp but I've never heard of any incidents regarding shrimp attacking newts. That said, if it's something you're concerned about, I would proceed with caution and perhaps wait until the newts are larger.

Thank you!

Based on the temperature requirements and size, it might be possible but it's always the possible the newts can still become stressed. You would have to carefully monitor the situation.

Hi there! No, I wouldn't recommend this. The gold fish can easily stress out the newt. And besides that, gold fish and newts have a different range of temperature requirements. Most newts prefer cool waters.

Yes you absolutely can. There wouldn’t be any problem if the sizes are right. He says that newts usually like cooler water, but goldfish do too obviously so it’s no issue. Newts really don’t care about fish if they don’t pose a nuisance or threat.

Should be fine. Goldfish are primarily sediment feeders, and they can survive a wide range of temperatures (they're invasive here in Michigan). Just be aware that goldfish don't stay small - they can grow up to 14 inches and live for more than 20 years.

Hello, your points are well taken and I'm sure you've had positive experiences, but I believe a few arguments still stand here: -if the health of the fish are taken into account and the goal is to keep the fish alive as well in a community mixed enclosure, losing the fish would also be a detriment. -it is true that there peaceful fish that may not harm newts or axoltols for that matter, but fish aren't good food sources for caudates due to possibly leading to obesity, and if not that, there's the potential for parasites. Also, small fish can still get stuck in a newt's mouth if they manage to catch one. -caudates don't go out of their way to live with fish in the wild, even while inhabiting the same ponds or streams. Peaceful fish can still cause stress to aquatic newts or salamanders, even if it's not immediately obvious. I personally wouldn't take these risks.

Unfortunately no. The temperature requirements alone are conflicting for both species.

Because they do and can definitely be successfully kept together

Newts can live perfectly fine on their own without another tank mate, but if you add any other tank mates your should add only the sames species to that enclosure.

Ooof...yup that's unfortunate. There's just a whole lot of misinformation out there and newts/salamanders are no exception. I don't claim to be an expert, but differentiating between reptiles and amphibians should be basic. Then again, a lot of people I meet think newts/salamanders are lizards when it's simply not the case. Newts and salamanders are amphibians- a lot of people seem surprised to hear this lol

Hi there! So I think if I'm understanding your comment correctly, you've mixed these species together and they got a long just fine. The problem lies in the details. You say green newts and brown salamanders but which species were they exactly? That matters tremendously as newts contain toxins that the brown salamanders may not have and this can harm the brown salamander and goldfish as well. Even if they got a long for a whole year, this is not sustainable and one year or even two years is really no time at all when newts or salamanders can live for 20 years or more. The species of the bottom feeder fish matters as well since these can be aggressive. The temperature requirements for these animals is also critical and to keep all of these animals with very different needs puts them all at risk. I mean no disrespect, but I think the message of my video still stands and explains this.

@@TheSalamanderWilds The salamanders had red bellies with some design...fire belly salamanders I think. The newts were medium green on top, lighter green on the underbelly. There was no temperature control. I suppose I did see it all as a social-science experiment.

No disrespect or anything, but it isn't just about whether the animals will attack one another. The temperature requirements of axoltls are in the 60s while guppies require temperatures well into the 70s. By housing them together, you are pushing the temperature tolerance of these animals.

Hi! With respect, I have to disagree. There aren't really any exceptions for frogs. Frogs are completely different from newts and salamanders, in terms of behavior, size and life style. Temp requirements can differ greatly and a hungry frog can definitely attempt to go after a newt or salamander. So this doesn't really mix. As far as fish, yes there a few exceptions. Even fish that aren't aggressive, temps need to be kept in mind and newts can still become stressed. Larger salamanders can eat smaller fish, so I think my point stands. If the goal is to maintain both the life of the salamander and the fish, then separate enclosures are needed. Check out this article: www.caudata.org/cc/faq/FAQhou.shtml

I've heard about this being a possibility but, I think this is a risk for any large salamander/newt that is capable of swallowing a snail, not just an axolotl. But there's a few factors to consider, the size of the newt/salamander and the snail. Black trap door snails are very large, usually bigger than the axolotl's head so this shouldn't be an issue if paired with the right sized animals.

Where I live there are these golf ball size trap door snails that would probably go well with any cold or room temperature amphibian

Might be a bit tough since I don't currently own any at the moment, but I'll see what I can cook up!

For my axolotls and eastern newts

@@protennin I still wouldn't recommend this even if the temperature requirements are similar. Behavior of the fish should be taken into account. The fish can attack the axolotls gills or nip at the newt, or the axoltol/newt can eat the fish. Also, there are other potential hazards to newts and axolotls consuming fish.

No!

@@milanasabal5276 no because betta fish are territorial and will be angry with the salamander

Hi! I mean no disrespect, but this isn't true. While you may have been keeping them without incident, both your newt and guppies require temperatures that don't coincide with one another. The Chinese fire belly newts require temps between 58 - 68 degrees and the guppies require temperatures well into the 70s, which would be detrimental for these newts. While the guppies are peaceful, you are pushing the temperature tolerance of your animals.

@@TheSalamanderWilds ok thx but those guppies live there hole live already in cold water and they look healtier than my tropical guppies (not that that guppies are unhealty) so much peaple say that but its what they used to life in so. You make great content

@@henk4700 Thanks, like I said I meant no disrespect. I'm glad your animals are doing well. Under most circumstances this would be risky.

@@TheSalamanderWilds thanks

@@TheSalamanderWilds can you keep crabs with chinese firebelly newt?

That's because the point of the video is a case by case detailed factual basis, not just saying shrimp and snails are ok. While I am plenty open to criticism, what I said in the video is true. Dwarf frogs and Chinese fire belly newts have different temp requirements-- firebelly newts require 60s to 70s, dwarf frogs need at least 75 F. These temps are not similar, nor are the temps for tropical fish. So if you kept them together with no problems, I'm glad but that doesn't make what I said untrue, it means you've been lucky. Keeping Spanish ribbed newts with those fish doesn't work either. Temp requirements are being pushed at the tolerable levels for some of these animals as ribbed newts need 60s to 70 F and even betas require higher temps. Cory catfish can also be aggressive. If the ribbed newt attempted to swallow a cory catfish, the sharp spines can pierce through the newt. Again, if you really aren't having issues, I'm glad none of the animals were harmed but it is still a risk and you are simply lucky. Those animals cannot live comfortably with each other, there is a huge risk of disaster. Its not only the size of the animals in the tank, but the behavior of those animals. Spanish ribbed newts grow very large and can easily attempt to eat a cory catfish or even the beta. You should really check this article, it's from a highly reputable source which I also linked in the description of the video and it shows too many mixing disasters involving some of the same animals you just mentioned: www.caudata.org/cc/articles/Mixing_disasters.shtml. This article shows exactly what can happen when mixing a cory catfish and a ribbed newt: forum.kingsnake.com/newt/messages/24576.html

Hey there! It's not just about the newt or salamander being in the larval stage. Many newts are aquatic as adults and simply cannot be housed with most fish due to the reasons mentioned. Temperature alone is a big wall that prevents mixing species.

Nothing deceptive at all. Cichlids are tropical fish that are found in many pet stores. That's why they were included here - they shouldn't be mixed with a cold water species to begin with. And regardless of them becoming less aggressive over the course of their lives, there's nothing stopping a chance disaster from occurring. Cichlids can still be aggressive, and most are sold as smaller fish. I'm in no way questioning their intelligence. I'm making the point that temps and aggression are an issue, especially to people who don't do enough research and would mix any animal they like without thinking about the consequences.