Cynops Cyanurus
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Cynops Cyanurus
Blue Tailed Firebellied Newt
Description:
Cynops Cyanurus are 3"-4" long as adults. They range in color from dark brown to golden yellow. Their distinct underside are mottled orange. They have a distinct orange dot just behind the eye.
Natural Range and Habitat:
Cynops Cyanurus originated from the area around the Yunnan Province of China. This area has a mild climate. They inhabit a wide variety of wetland habitats such as ponds and drainage ditches.
Housing:
Cynops Cyanurus adults are highly aquatic. A minimum standard 10 gallon tank can be adequate for 2-3 individuals. They do well in groups. Maintain a water depth of 8" - 14". A tight fitting lid is necessary as they can climb glass, although do so rarely. A small floating island is necessary for the newts to occasionaly rest on. Filtration should be provided with a low flow option such as a mini submersible or air driven sponge filter. Partial water changes are recommended to maintain a healthy aquatic environment. Live or artificial plants, driftwood, and aquarium hides/decor are necessary for the newts to retreat to and feel secure. Pleco tubes, cichlid hides, or small terra cotta pots are useful options. Substrate is not necessary. A bare bottom tank is easier to keep clean, but the newts do seem to appreciate some texture to grip as they slowly walk along tge bottom hunting for food. Is substrate is used, sand is recommended. Standard aquarium gravel will quickly become congested with uneaten food and lead to water quality issues and create difficulty for the newts to feed. Small particle size aquarium substrates could cause impacting issues as newts feed off the bottom. Sand is not an impaction danger and does not hold onto uneaten food. One option is to silicone a substrate barrier onto the bottom of the aquarium such that 2/3rds of the tank has substrate, and 1/3rd is bare bottom. When you feed, place the food in the bare bottom part of the tank.
A wide variety of water parameters are tolerated with a pH of 7 being ideal. As a pond dwelling species, tannins in the water are a natural part of the newts habitat and can be provided by adding Indian almond or oak leaves to the tank.
Temperature:
It is natural for these newts to experience seasonal temperature change, and is even necessary to induce breeding and other natural behaviors. Winter temperatures down to 55f and summer temperatures up to 76f are comfortably tolerated. A good maintenence temperature for juveniles and adults is 72f. These temperatures are likely easily maintained in the hone by keeping the aquarium at room temperature without the need for an aquarium heater. As mentioned, seasonal fluctuation is recomnended.
Feeding:
Cynops cyanurus accept a wide variety of foods. Prepared foods such as frozen bloodworms, frozen brine shrimp, small axolotl pellets, and Hikari vibra bites. Live foods such as small chopped earthworms, blackworms, daphnia, and scuds. Feed daily to every other day observing that all the food offered is eaten within a few hours. If uneaten food is left over it will quickly foul the water. If you notice uneaten food, remove it by the end of the day and cut back on the amount and frequency of food being offered. If you want to maintain the newts on pelleted food such as salmon/axolotl pellets be aware that their belly color will fade to light orange/yellow. Also be aware that if you feed their more preferred foods such as live earthworms and frozen bloodworms, they may begin to ignore pellets when they are offered.
Breeding:
Cynops cyanurus are one of the easiest species of newt to breed and raise. Females are slightly larger, with longer tails that gradually taper to a point. Males by contrast are shorter, with shorter tails that have a more rounded tip. Males tails also become a vibrant blue color, especially during breeding season. Cynops cyanurus don't need to experience a dramatic seasonal change in order to come into breeding condition. During the winter months the water temperature should drop down at least 10f degrees and the light cycle should be reduced to just 10 hours. In late winter, temperature and light will gradually increase and adult newts will begin courtship and egg laying. Female cynops like to lay eggs on plant leaves where the glue the eggs individually and fold the leaf around then. All cynops species are notorious for eating their own eggs. To be successful you should check for and remove eggs at least once per week. This task will be easier if you remove all live and artificial plants and replace them with thinly cut strips of plastic (sandwich bag or disposable plastic grocery bag material) tied to small rocks. Eggs and larvae can be maintained at room temperature.
Raising Larvae and Efts:
Eggs can be prone to mold and fungus. This can be prevented with the use of tannin rich water or methylene blue. Freshly hatched larvae will require tiny live food such as freshly hatched brine shrimp. The larvae will only accept live food for several weeks until they are large enough to try frozen bloodworms, frozen brine shrimp, and hikari vibra bites. Live foods for the larvae include daphnia, white worms, chopped blackworms, scud, and fruit fly larvae. Maintain good water quality for the larvae with a sponge filter, live plants, removal of detritus, and partial water changes. After a few months the larvae will undergo metamorphosis. They will loose their gills, start breathing with lungs, and their tail will become more streamlined. At this stage, to avoid the risk of drowning, they must be provided the opportunity to rest terrestrially on emergent or floating vegetation, floating cork bark, small floating turtle 'docks', or something similar. A post-metamorph newt is called an eft. Many efts are strongly terrestrial and live terrestrially until sexual maturity. Such is the case with other cynops species. Cynops cyanurus on the other hand can be maintained aquatically during the eft stage so long as it is easy for them to climb out of the water and rest. They will continue to spend most of their time in the water and will eat in the water as well. Reminder to have a tight fitting lid, as tiny juvenile efts can climb glass and fit through small gaps.
Blue Tailed Firebellied Newt
Description:
Cynops Cyanurus are 3"-4" long as adults. They range in color from dark brown to golden yellow. Their distinct underside are mottled orange. They have a distinct orange dot just behind the eye.
Natural Range and Habitat:
Cynops Cyanurus originated from the area around the Yunnan Province of China. This area has a mild climate. They inhabit a wide variety of wetland habitats such as ponds and drainage ditches.
Housing:
Cynops Cyanurus adults are highly aquatic. A minimum standard 10 gallon tank can be adequate for 2-3 individuals. They do well in groups. Maintain a water depth of 8" - 14". A tight fitting lid is necessary as they can climb glass, although do so rarely. A small floating island is necessary for the newts to occasionaly rest on. Filtration should be provided with a low flow option such as a mini submersible or air driven sponge filter. Partial water changes are recommended to maintain a healthy aquatic environment. Live or artificial plants, driftwood, and aquarium hides/decor are necessary for the newts to retreat to and feel secure. Pleco tubes, cichlid hides, or small terra cotta pots are useful options. Substrate is not necessary. A bare bottom tank is easier to keep clean, but the newts do seem to appreciate some texture to grip as they slowly walk along tge bottom hunting for food. Is substrate is used, sand is recommended. Standard aquarium gravel will quickly become congested with uneaten food and lead to water quality issues and create difficulty for the newts to feed. Small particle size aquarium substrates could cause impacting issues as newts feed off the bottom. Sand is not an impaction danger and does not hold onto uneaten food. One option is to silicone a substrate barrier onto the bottom of the aquarium such that 2/3rds of the tank has substrate, and 1/3rd is bare bottom. When you feed, place the food in the bare bottom part of the tank.
A wide variety of water parameters are tolerated with a pH of 7 being ideal. As a pond dwelling species, tannins in the water are a natural part of the newts habitat and can be provided by adding Indian almond or oak leaves to the tank.
Temperature:
It is natural for these newts to experience seasonal temperature change, and is even necessary to induce breeding and other natural behaviors. Winter temperatures down to 55f and summer temperatures up to 76f are comfortably tolerated. A good maintenence temperature for juveniles and adults is 72f. These temperatures are likely easily maintained in the hone by keeping the aquarium at room temperature without the need for an aquarium heater. As mentioned, seasonal fluctuation is recomnended.
Feeding:
Cynops cyanurus accept a wide variety of foods. Prepared foods such as frozen bloodworms, frozen brine shrimp, small axolotl pellets, and Hikari vibra bites. Live foods such as small chopped earthworms, blackworms, daphnia, and scuds. Feed daily to every other day observing that all the food offered is eaten within a few hours. If uneaten food is left over it will quickly foul the water. If you notice uneaten food, remove it by the end of the day and cut back on the amount and frequency of food being offered. If you want to maintain the newts on pelleted food such as salmon/axolotl pellets be aware that their belly color will fade to light orange/yellow. Also be aware that if you feed their more preferred foods such as live earthworms and frozen bloodworms, they may begin to ignore pellets when they are offered.
Breeding:
Cynops cyanurus are one of the easiest species of newt to breed and raise. Females are slightly larger, with longer tails that gradually taper to a point. Males by contrast are shorter, with shorter tails that have a more rounded tip. Males tails also become a vibrant blue color, especially during breeding season. Cynops cyanurus don't need to experience a dramatic seasonal change in order to come into breeding condition. During the winter months the water temperature should drop down at least 10f degrees and the light cycle should be reduced to just 10 hours. In late winter, temperature and light will gradually increase and adult newts will begin courtship and egg laying. Female cynops like to lay eggs on plant leaves where the glue the eggs individually and fold the leaf around then. All cynops species are notorious for eating their own eggs. To be successful you should check for and remove eggs at least once per week. This task will be easier if you remove all live and artificial plants and replace them with thinly cut strips of plastic (sandwich bag or disposable plastic grocery bag material) tied to small rocks. Eggs and larvae can be maintained at room temperature.
Raising Larvae and Efts:
Eggs can be prone to mold and fungus. This can be prevented with the use of tannin rich water or methylene blue. Freshly hatched larvae will require tiny live food such as freshly hatched brine shrimp. The larvae will only accept live food for several weeks until they are large enough to try frozen bloodworms, frozen brine shrimp, and hikari vibra bites. Live foods for the larvae include daphnia, white worms, chopped blackworms, scud, and fruit fly larvae. Maintain good water quality for the larvae with a sponge filter, live plants, removal of detritus, and partial water changes. After a few months the larvae will undergo metamorphosis. They will loose their gills, start breathing with lungs, and their tail will become more streamlined. At this stage, to avoid the risk of drowning, they must be provided the opportunity to rest terrestrially on emergent or floating vegetation, floating cork bark, small floating turtle 'docks', or something similar. A post-metamorph newt is called an eft. Many efts are strongly terrestrial and live terrestrially until sexual maturity. Such is the case with other cynops species. Cynops cyanurus on the other hand can be maintained aquatically during the eft stage so long as it is easy for them to climb out of the water and rest. They will continue to spend most of their time in the water and will eat in the water as well. Reminder to have a tight fitting lid, as tiny juvenile efts can climb glass and fit through small gaps.
