Newtlets

[fus1on]

Hello there,

Ive got a pond in my garden that was there previous to me moving in. The pond was cleaned about 1 year ago. (completely emptied and scrubbed) The plan was to put a pump and filter in as the pond has a built in waterfall. Ive got the pump and filter already and went to start work but noticed that there are atleast 4 newtlets in there.

Can i still go ahead and use the filter ( i know i would need insect netting on the pump) and waterfall and possibly put fish in or would the newts vacate after me doing so?

By the way the filter is a sponge and UV filter.

Thanks in advance for your help....
Mark.

[Dogghound]

Is the pump powerful as it may drag them in? by putting fish in you will reduce the chances of the newts hanging around.

[Kayleigh]

I echo what dogghound has said...
Can't you just leave it for wildlife some people would be very envious of you having newts.
Do you know what they are as greater crested and the habitat are protected by law.

[fus1on]

Hi,

Thanks for the reponse(s).

Firstly the pump isnt very powerful as it is a small pond.
Secondly i already bought the pump because when i cleaned the pond there was no wildlife in it at all, so i really dont want it to go to waste.

As far as fish go im not to concerned about having them but i would like the pond to look a little cleaner, so what effect would it have if i install the pump and filter but dont put fish in?? Also will the waterfall affect them?

As for the breed, i honestly couldnt tell you, all i can say is there between 5 - 10mm long and are a darkish brown in colour.

[auntystatic]

A picture would be good or look in the gallery to identify them, if they are Great Crested Newts you can not do anything to the pond at all, as they and their habitat are protected by law, a link to gallery photo Great crested newt - Triturus cristatus - Wildlife Photography

If your pump has a sponge filter on it, it won't suck them in but if your pond is dirty it will clog up very quickly. newts will not live in ponds that contain fish, they will move on to somewhere else.

[Dutchess]

Can only endorse what has been said already.

We have two ponds. A big pond with two fairly vigorous water features which houses our fish, and a very small one which was put aside for tads and/or newts. Guess where we find our newts in abundance? That pond is tiny, probably the smallest pre-formed you can buy at a garden centre, yet the newts love it. There's always babies, every year and they haven't got any fish to worry about.

"If it ain't broke don't fix it" is my motto, but someone always comes along with good intentions of making things better. A friend has added a (albeit very weak and small) water feature and cleared the newt pond of overgrowing vegetation so we "can see the newts better".

Yup. I am going to put it back the way it was as the newts seemed happier with the dark, heavily shaded by vegetation, non-moving water.

Watch and listen to what the wildlife tells you.

D.

[dragonfly]

hya as you have newts leave the pond alone it will sort itself out in time and atract far more wild life as they prefer still water as for fish they tend to eat everthing in site