Pond Newts

[drewprovan]

I need some help with pond newts. We had a small lined pond built 3 years ago. There is an upper section with a waterfall and there's a pump in the lower section which pumps the water to the higher bit so the water flows in a cycle and gets filtered (+ there's a UV filter). We have about 9 goldfish + loads of newts (that we bought and have been breeding well). The problem is when I clean the pump filter I find newts that have been sucked into the pump since it has negative pressure and draws water + bits in. Somethimes the newts are alive (just) but looking a bit the worse for wear but often they are dead. I built a wire mesh basketo to house the pump in but the newts still get through the smalll mesh. So the pump is off and the water is cloudy and a bit green.

Does anyone know of any material (japanese mesh?) or pump that would make it newt-friendly? I am loathe to put the pump back on since I don't want to kill any more newts but I would like to use the pump and get the water circulating well. I have searched the Internet for wildlife-friendly pumps or attachments but I can't find anything.

Any suggestions welcomed

Cheers

Drew

[JeffH]

How about placing the pump under an aquatics pot with a stone on top? The mesh of the pot should be small enough to stop your newts getting sucked in and you could easily cut out a small hole in one side to go round your piping.

Jeff

[drewprovan]

Thanks, Jeff. I am not sure what an aquatics pot is but will look for it now online and see if that would work.

Cheers

Drew

[JeffH]

It's simply a plastic plant pot specifically intended for placing aquatic plants in ponds and with mesh sides. They're available in a range of sizes and from any aquatics centre or garden centre with an aquatics section.

Jeff

[Ukwildlifeo]

You say you bought the newts? I thought it was illegal to sell our native newts. Or are they a non-native species?

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Ukwildlifeo

You say you bought the newts? I thought it was illegal to sell our native newts. Or are they a non-native species?

Its illegal to sell them if they've been caught in the wild - i think you can sell them legally if they've been captive bred for the purpose , obviously this is one of many loop holes that the unscrupulous can drive a coach and four through tho

[drewprovan]

I know what pots these are now. I have a couple but they are too small but will look for large ones.

We bought a couple of pairs of breeding newts at Crews Hill which is a large garden centre complex in North London. I didn't realise there was a problem selling them and I don't think the place we went to was particularly dodgy - it was one specialising in fish, ponds, aquatic stuff, bloodworms etc. The newts are breeding well and we have a lot but would never sell them ourselves.

[Kayleigh]

You need some ultra fine insect mesh they sell it by the metre.

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[smartie]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

You need some ultra fine insect mesh they sell it by the metre.

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I agree - it's amazing what small mesh newts get through, as we also found to our cost - well, to theirs I suppose Unless your pond is unusually sludge-free, you will need to clean the mesh from time to time as it will get clogged.

[Lance Morgan]

I have a small pond - the pump is situated or embedded in a large 'solid' cube of black plastic matted/net material which has holes cut in it to accomodate the pump thus it also acts as a filter sucking water through the matting. Could this solve your newt problem?
They are available in assorted sizes from any garden centre which has an aquatic section.