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Encyclopedia / Frogs & Newts / Japanese fire-bellied newt
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Variations

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Japanese fire-bellied newt

Cynops pyrrhogaster · Japanese fire belly newt, Japanese newt, Akahara imori

Peaceful and sociable but secretes toxins.

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12 cmAdult size ✓
10–24 °CTemperature ✓
UnknownpH ?
UnknownSmallest tank ?
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Tank mates
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This one is best kept on its own, or with its own kind.

Not recommended
  • Japanese fire-bellied newt should be kept without other species, and it needs a land area too.
Not recommended
  • Japanese fire-bellied newt should be kept without other species, and it needs a land area too.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 23–24 °C.
Not recommended
  • Japanese fire-bellied newt should be kept without other species, and it needs a land area too.
Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ?Unknown
Group size ?3 or more
Temperament ?Peaceful
Swims at ?All levels
Care level ?Moderate
Diet Carnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 6–10 cm
Growth Slow

Behavior

Peaceful and sociable but secretes toxins. Best in a species tank with land; not with fish.

Good to know: Needs a land area (cork bark, moss, ramp) and cool water.

Food

Bloodworms, blackworms, daphnia and sinking pellets.

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Male or female

Males are smaller, with a swollen cloaca and a flatter, wider tail; in the breeding season they develop smoother skin, a bluish-purple tail sheen and a thin filament at the tail tip (absent in some populations). Females are larger.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Egg-wrapper · Moderate

Breeds in spring to early summer (April-June in the wild) after a tail-fanning courtship; the female lays eggs one at a time, folding each into the leaves of water plants. A winter cool-down of 5-8 °C helps but is not essential.

Pairing

Keep groups with equal sexes.

Setup

Aquarium with plants and a land area.

What starts it

Cool winter followed by spring warming.

Eggs

About 100-400 eggs per season laid singly (AmphibiaWeb: about 200); they hatch in about 20 days and larvae metamorphose after about 3-6 months.

Raising the fry

Larvae eat daphnia and brine shrimp; metamorphose in months.

Common mistakes
  • Warm water
  • Dirty tank
  • Fish tankmates
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionJapan – Honshu, Shikoku & Kyushu
Rivers and lakesPonds, rice paddies and streams of mainland Japan
HabitatPonds, paddies and quiet streams
Native rangeAbout 800 km across
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The story of the japanese fire-bellied newt

A newt found only in Japan, larger and more robust than the Chinese fire-bellied newt (Cynops orientalis), which is often sold under its name. Wild adults carry tetrodotoxin taken in from their diet.

This newt was described in 1826, based on specimens from Japan. It is a common amphibian in Japanese ponds and rice fields. It is a popular pet in cool-water setups.

First described by Boie in 1826.

  • Its red belly warns predators of its toxic skin.
  • Its skin contains tetrodotoxin.
  • It can live for over 20 years in captivity.

Sources

12 facts checked with sources