Common Names: Eastern Newt, Red Spotted Newt (juvenile land stage - Eft)
Scientific Name: Notphalmus viridiscens
Distribution: Eastern U.S.A.
Size: Up to 4 inches, usually about 3 inches.
Temperament: Very compatible in large groups or in community tanks.
Hardiness: Very hardy and easy to maintain.
Sexing: Males in breeding condition develop enlarged back legs, with nuptial pads and a swollen vent.
Food: Tubifex worms, night crawler sections, daphnia and small insects. Takes live, dried, and freeze dried foods.
Housing: For ease of maintenance these newts can be set up in a 10 gallon aquarium with a gravel substrate and plenty of aquatic plants. Provide a water depth of 4"-8". Add some rounded cork bark slabs (floats) for hauling out purposes.
Water: Use only dechlorinated/dechloramined water, with under gravel or mechanical filtration.
Temperature/Humidity: 55F - 75F, this species prefers cooler temperatures.
Lighting: Standard aquarium lighting as for tropical fish is sufficient for most Newts.
Heating: Supplemental heating is not needed for this species, under normal conditions.