Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello again, i have stumbled across this newt (eastern newt) in a bag of minnows i purchased from a bait store. i put him in my fishtank back home and he gets along great. I feed my fish flake food, but i tried to read on what newts like to eat. I came to the result of brine shrimp and angleworms. The problem is, I feed the worms and they get devoured by my pictus catfish, and i feed him brine shrimp, but I see him swim right by the brine (and ?mystid?... i think its spelled Mystid...). Should i be using foreceps and individually feeding it or is there a better/easier food source for this little guy..
Thanks, Abe

It would really be best if you could set him up in his own tank, not only will he fell safer but that way you won't have to worry about him or your fish nipping at each other.
As far as feeding goes, try to feed a small earth worm from tongs.

>>It would really be best if you could set him up in his own tank, not only will he fell safer but that way you won't have to worry about him or your fish nipping at each other.
>>As far as feeding goes, try to feed a small earth worm from tongs.

Yes I agree it is best to keep the newt alone because of the toxin in its skin. If the newt is stressed, then the toxin will be released. It could harm the animals that try to bite or eat the newt. If swallowed, the newt may die, and so may the fish that swallowed it.

Eastern newts will eat all sorts of animal matter. Brine shrimp will work. Earthworms may be a bit too big for them. A thin strip of raw beef may also work. The tiny amount of blood and/or the smell of the meat in the beef will arouse the newt to feed, especially if moved in front of its snout slowly and gently. Rapid movements may scare the newt away.

I too have found a Newt: an Eft, approx. 2" long that I keep in a "Woodland-type" Terrarium. I have not found anything small enough for him to eat! He seems to be feeding off of invisible mites on the moss or leaves in the container. Any suggestions for feeding him across the winter will be appreciated. Wyldeflowre

You can get fruit flies from most petco and petsmarts which he will love. You can also try "pinner" or baby crickets. Efts will also consume tubifex or black worms if you place them on a small piece of wet paper towel. Also keep in mind they are fairly nocturnal, so no bright lights.

Your newt needs his/her own tank. Especially if it is just getting used to being in captivity. Provide him aquatic plants and give him a place to crawl out of the water such as a turtle dock. You can also create an island using slate. Aquatic newts will eat blackworms, tubifex worms, frozen bloodworms... terrestrial forms will eat baby crickets, waxworms and earthworms (depending on the size). Keep in mind newts do not like red wigglers as they produce a distasteful toxin when stressed.