Defining Characteristics:

• Striking red and black belly earning them the name “fire-bellied”
• Males develop a blue tail during the breeding season
• Diurnal with bold and active personalities
• Highly aquatic and can be kept fully aquatic year round
• Peaceful and do well in colonies
• Easy to breed
• More tolerant of warm water than other species of newt

Name: Hypselotriton cyanurus, more commonly known as Cynops cyanurus, the Blue-Tailed Fire-Bellied Newt, named for the striking blue tail of the males during the breeding season and the bright red and black bellies.

Recommended Enclosure Size & Setup: Blue-tailed fire-bellied newts are best kept in a fully aquatic setup or in a paludarium. These juveniles have been kept fully aquatic.

A single newt should be housed in at least a 10 gallon tank, and a group of 4-6 will do well in a 20 gallon long. Water depth should range between 3 and 10 inches. 

Sponge filters are an effective form of filtration for blue-tailed fire-bellied newts. Sponge filters offer great biological filtration, minimal water current, and allow for an escape-proof lid. If they’re kept in a paludarium, a simple air stone can help break the water surface and keep some circulation going. These newts can climb glass walls easily and any opening around the lid larger than ¼ inch should be blocked.

Suitable substrate for the water portion can be aquarium sand or bare bottom. Larger pebble substrates should be avoided as they can accidentally be eaten and cause compaction. Food can also fall between larger pebbles where the newts can’t get to it.

Live aquatic plants are highly recommended as they create hiding and resting places for the newts as well as provide excellent biological filtration to help maintain good water quality.

Cohousing newts with fish and inverts should generally be avoided, but small inverts such as cherry shrimp and snails do well with newts and act as a bioactive clean up crew.

Temperature (°F): Water temperature should be maintained at room temperature (65 to 75°F). The use of a water heater should be avoided. While blue-tailed fire-bellied newts are more warm water tolerant than other species of newts, temperatures above 80° should be avoided.

Humidity: If kept in a paludarium, humidity in the range of 60-80% should be maintained.

Size: Blue-tailed fire-bellied newts hatch as aquatic larvae at just ¼ of an inch long and metamorphose in about 4 months at ~1.5- 2 inches. They reach adult size of 4–5 inches at around 2 years. All juveniles sold are well started at 2– 3 inches.

Age: Blue-tailed fire-bellied newts can live for 10–20 years in captivity with proper care and diet. Juveniles for sale are 2+ months post metamorphosis.

Feeding: In the wild, the blue-tailed fire-bellied newt’s diet consists of terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates such as earthworms, isopods, zooplankton, etc.

In an aquarium they are fed frozen bloodworms, chopped earthworms and redworms, live blackworms, and sinking pellets. On land they can be fed earthworms, redworms, 1/4 inch crickets, isopods, and hydei fruit flies.

Juveniles for sale are fed mostly frozen bloodworms and chopped redworms. They should be fed daily or 2 out of every 3 days.

Sexing: These juveniles for sale are not sexable. Males and females can be distinguished at about 2 years of age when they enter their first breeding season. Males will develop a blue sheen on the tail and the cloaca will become bulbous. Females will not change color but the cloaca will remain small but become cone shaped.

Color/Pattern: Blue-tailed fire-bellied newts are unique in that they vary in color from light grey to black but always have a bright red and black blotched belly. A feature that can tell them apart from other fire-bellied newts is a cute red spot on their cheek, just behind and below the eye. Their color as morphs tend to remain the same into adulthood.

Social Behavior: Blue-tailed fire-bellied newts are diurnal and are quite active during the day. They do well in groups, especially if you want to observe courtship and breeding behavior as adults. Some aggression during feeding time can occur but injuries are very rare. They are not aggressive during the breeding season.

Breeding: The blue-tailed fire-bellied newt is a relatively easy species of newt to breed. They reach sexual maturity at about two years of age. They require a cooling period in the winter of 5-10°F and will breed in the spring. Males will develop their courting colors and begin tail fanning at the females. Courtship and egg laying can go on for several months with clutch sizes of 50-100 eggs per female.

Natural Range: This species is found in southwest China. 

History in the Hobby: Blue-tailed fire-bellied newts have been successfully captive bred in the US for several decades. They are a relatively easy species to keep and breed and lend themselves well as a great newt for both beginners and experienced caudate keepers. They are bold and active newts making them very attractive as pets.

Links of Interest: 

• Caudata Culture Cynops cyanurus Care Guide