1 kinds · tap one for a closer look
Territorial with other newts; fully aquatic.
Paddle-tail newts in shops may be any of several Pachytriton species. The name P. labiatus is no longer used.
This one is best kept on its own, or with its own kind.
Territorial with other newts; fully aquatic.
Worms, frozen foods.
Tap a food to see what it is.
In the breeding season males develop a few white or bluish-white spots near the tail tip; mature males also have papillae at the cloaca.
Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.
Rarely bred in captivity ·
In the wild breeds May-August; females attach single eggs to the underside of stream rocks, which hatch into free-living larvae. Captive breeding is rarely reported.
Buy several; sexing is hard.
A cool tank at 15-20 C with plenty of caves.
A cool season followed by warm.
Females lay 30-60 single eggs on the underside of rocks.
Larvae need small live foods.
A fully aquatic newt of small, cool mountain streams in southeastern China and northern Vietnam, with a flattened paddle-like tail.
Described by French zoologist Henri Sauvage in 1876, the paddle-tail newt is a highly aquatic salamander of south China's hills. Its flattened, oar-like tail is an adaptation for swimming in moving water. It reached the pet trade as a wild-caught import and is known for being territorial.
First described by Henri É. Sauvage in 1876.
12 facts checked with sources
Amphibian (stream newt), not a fish. Trade warning: AmphibiaWeb says Pachytriton is a common pet-trade newt and that several traded phenotypes are of uncertain identity (one was assigned to P. granulosus, another considered closer to P. labiatus), so many animals sold as 'P. brevipes' are other Pachytriton species.
AmphibiaWeb: Pachytriton brevipesNew value.
Wikipedia: Spotted paddle-tail newtTotal length. AmphibiaWeb: >17 cm TL; Wikipedia 5.5-7.5 in (14-19 cm). Legacy 18 cm is within this.
AmphibiaWeb: Pachytriton brevipes · Wikipedia: Spotted paddle-tail newtCool, well-oxygenated water confirmed but no numeric range found.
Wikipedia: Spotted paddle-tail newtTerritorial in both sexes, so keeping singly (group of 1) is supported; groups need lots of space and cover.
AmphibiaWeb: Pachytriton brevipesLegacy 's' (semi-aggressive) agrees.
AmphibiaWeb: Pachytriton brevipes · Wikipedia: Spotted paddle-tail newtFully aquatic confirmed; swimming level not stated.
AmphibiaWeb: Pachytriton brevipesNew value. IUCN Least Concern; wild collection unregulated.
AmphibiaWeb: Pachytriton brevipesSources say spots, not a stripe.
AmphibiaWeb: Pachytriton brevipes · Wikipedia: Spotted paddle-tail newtWild breeding from AmphibiaWeb. 'Rare in captivity' consistent with Wikipedia saying breeding behaviour is unknown; no captive-breeding source found.
AmphibiaWeb: Pachytriton brevipes · Wikipedia: Spotted paddle-tail newtSourced count added.
AmphibiaWeb: Pachytriton brevipesPaddle tail is the genus's common name; tail shape itself not quoted.
AmphibiaWeb: Pachytriton brevipes