Hikari mini algea wafers

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snailaquarium

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Hi,

I find that my newts aren't really eating the mini algae wafers from hakari

https://www.hikari.info/tropical/t_31.html

They grow hundreds of little white strands that spread around them. Is this white stuff some kind of positive plant growth or is it bad for the tank?

I was told by the pet store newts can eat it.

Thanks in advance.
 

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The white is fungus forming on the decomposing wafers; remove uneaten food as soon as you see this.

Newts are carnivorous, not algae eaters. When I had my tank of several species many years ago, I fed them live tubifex worms (these came in on Fridays to some local stores), chunks of frozen squid (they really went after this, it is a good large fish and amphibian food available in some fish stores), very small earthworms (depending upon the size of the newts), floating insects I was lucky enough to swat out of the air, and floating sticks which I believe were shrimp/plankton or something.

My experience was that prepared/dried foods tended to be ignored if they sank, but might be taken if floating. Newts are not all that clever, and I used to place a small chunk of the squid on a piece of bamboo (like a stick from an old fashioned mop?) so I could move it around, and that got them very excited. The frogs and toad loved this too!
 
Oh well clearly the guy at the pet store was talking out of his backside!

Thanks for the advice, I'll remove at once!

I guess I'll have to get some appropriate food for the newts then.
 
Hi

Are there any creatures I might find in the garden that I could feed the newts? Diced up worm?
 
Worms should be fed whole because when you start dissecting them there are nutritional differences. Almost any live food small enough to be grabbed would probably work. My concern would be toxins such as pesticides, fertilizers, oil, etc. If free of any of this, small worms, ants, bugs might work. Remember though that newts are slow moving, so the prey has to almost be lethargic. I remember seeing very small earthworms easily get away from a newt.
 
Aphids can be found on roses in spring and make good food.
You can get wingless fruit flies from most universities (in the biology department).
You can get white worm and grindal worm cultures from some pet shops.
Mozzie larvae can be found in buckets of water sitting under trees. Use the small larvae and don't put too many in the tank, just in case they don't get eaten and hatch.
 
Wow thanks a lot for all your responses, I have a electric bat I could use to catch flies and will visit the pet store.
 

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