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Care sheet

Chinese Fire-bellied Newt

Cynops orientalis

Also known as: Oriental Fire-bellied Newt

Salamandridae · Caudata

BeginnerIUCN LC
Temperament
Hands-off
Adult length
2.2–4 in
Lifespan (captivity)
10–20 yrs
Native range
Eastern China, lower Yangtze River basin (still/slow water, 30-1000 m)

Care guide

Overview

Chinese Fire-bellied Newt (Cynops orientalis) — a small, hardy, mostly aquatic newt that is a good beginner caudate. It needs cool water, gentle filtration (or a heavily planted tank), and a mandatory emergent land area to climb out onto. The skin secretes mild toxins, so handle only when necessary and wash your hands. A secure lid is important — they can climb and escape.

Environment

Climate

Cool side
58–68 °F
Nighttime
58–68 °F

Housing

Enclosure

Orientation
Semi-aquatic
Bioactive setup
Suitable
Minimum size by life stage
  • HatchlingNot specified
  • JuvenileNot specified
  • Adult~10 gal for one, 20 gal for a pair/trio. Emergent land/haul-out required; low water flow.

Housing

Substrate

Safe options
bare-bottomvery fine sand
Avoid
gravel (intestinal obstruction risk)

Nutrition

Diet & feeding

Dietary type
Insectivore
Feeding frequency by life stage
  • Adult2-3 times per week (aggressive feeder)
Supplementation

Varied small prey (chopped earthworm, bloodworm, brine shrimp, daphnia). Underwater dusting washes off; supplement terrestrial juveniles.

Care

Water & behavior

Water

Dechlorinated water 58-68F, low-flow filtration or heavy planting, ~20-30% weekly changes; emergent land area required.

Legal & ecology

Conservation

IUCN Red List
LC · Least Concern
Wild populations

Least Concern but under collection/pesticide pressure; not CITES-listed. Mildly toxic skin (aposematic orange belly) — wash hands, do not handle unnecessarily. Taxonomy: sometimes placed in Hypselotriton.

Citations

Sources

Every husbandry parameter on this page is backed by the references below. Click through to read the originals.

  1. Hypselotriton orientalis: Oriental Fire-bellied Newt

    AmphibiaWeb, UC Berkeley (Y. Wu)

    academic

    Morphology, range (lower Yangtze), breeding water 15-23C, diet, IUCN Least Concern, no CITES listing.

    Published: 2008-01-01

  2. Cynops orientalis — Care Sheet

    Salamanderland (G. Molinari)

    breeder community

    50 L for pair/trio, 14-20C (max ~26C), bare/fine-sand only (gravel = obstruction), emergent land, low-flow filter, feed 2-3x/wk.

    Published: 2024-01-01

  3. Fire Belly Newt Care Sheet

    Dubia Roaches

    breeder community

    58-68F, ~5 gal per animal, land area, low-flow filter + weekly 20-30% water changes, feed 2-3x/wk.

    Published: 2022-01-01

Chinese Fire-bellied Newt (Cynops orientalis) care sheet — Herpetoverse