Will my newts return to breed?

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Well if you want to make sure that young newts are predated effectively then Perch are the fish for the job - it is only natural - I dont think that any research has been undertaken into whether palmate newts will avoid ponds with fish - the research was using sticklebacks and crested newts and it seems the evidence suggested that cresties will avoid ponds with fish
Likewise your frog population will potentially decrease in number as they may also avoid predatory fish - I know it has been suggested that they will avoid crested newt ponds
So you will have to wait and see next spring
I know of a pond in Essex where a small population of rudd live with palmate newts - hundreds of them - I suspect that the larva of the newts are not as vulnerable to fish predation as the crested newt larva - 
Also be careful about admitting moving native fish around the UK - you cannot do this I believe without a license from EA - unless you bought them - if the fish came from a private fishing lake then this can be considered as 'theft' 
so it would be best to leave the fish in the pond - i.e. do not move them back to where they came from
Anyway I really like Perch they are great fish
what do you feed them on?

Jon

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herpetologic2 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Forum Coordinator Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1511	Post Options Post Reply Quote herpetologic2 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20 Sep 2006 at 3:16am
	Well if you want to make sure that young newts are predated effectively then Perch are the fish for the job - it is only natural - I dont think that any research has been undertaken into whether palmate newts will avoid ponds with fish - the research was using sticklebacks and crested newts and it seems the evidence suggested that cresties will avoid ponds with fish Likewise your frog population will potentially decrease in number as they may also avoid predatory fish - I know it has been suggested that they will avoid crested newt ponds So you will have to wait and see next spring I know of a pond in Essex where a small population of rudd live with palmate newts - hundreds of them - I suspect that the larva of the newts are not as vulnerable to fish predation as the crested newt larva - Also be careful about admitting moving native fish around the UK - you cannot do this I believe without a license from EA - unless you bought them - if the fish came from a private fishing lake then this can be considered as 'theft' so it would be best to leave the fish in the pond - i.e. do not move them back to where they came from Anyway I really like Perch they are great fish what do you feed them on? Jon
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Suzi Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Apr 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1025	Post Options Post Reply Quote Suzi Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 Sep 2006 at 6:10pm
	I guess it depends whether you like the fish or want a pond that is helping out frogs and newts. Perch and rudd are not having a hard time of it with places to live but garden ponds have become important as havens for frogs in particular as so many rural ponds have been lost.
	Suz

martin g Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 04 Jul 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 43	Post Options Post Reply Quote martin g Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 Sep 2006 at 5:49am
	Hi All I recently moved house, my new home came with a very well established garden pond, its is varying depth and is full of hide holes and vegetation. This spring I had plenty of frog spawn and plenty of Palmate newts visit to breed, huge dargonflies emerged and returned to lay also. But..my dear son (bless him) has introduced native fish to the pond, not a bad idea of a natural pond was my first thought. These inlclude Rudd and 'Perch' there are just 3 perch up to half a pound or so, they are kept bellies full but it leads me to my question. I read somewhere that the amphibians can 'sense' the presence of the predatory fish and may refuse to breed or even enter the pond now. Is this true? will my Phibs return? will the Perch have to go? Perch are really good to keep as they quickly become tame and seem quite intelligent (for a fish) and like to be fed by hand, so much more interesting than Koi, so I dont want rid of them, but its them or the amphibians, who were there first. Help?