Spotted Salamander Party in Pond

[TimsPond]

Please do post some pictures when you can. I have been luck to have some spotted salamanders visit our pond as well, but have wondered how many were actually making it out of the pond.

I, also, see an Eastern Spotted Newt in one of your pictures. I would love to have some newts in my pond as well.

ost pictures when you can. I have

 

[PondNYW]

Would these live in a pond during the winter in New York? Id like to get some

 

[GBBUDD]

salamanders do as they wish they can climb right out of plastic wall or just about anything

 

[Moni_Pond]

Last night….

That’s amazing!!!! Thanks for sharing photos!

 

[seandelevan]

Would these live in a pond during the winter in New York? Id like to get some

Spotted salamanders only come to ponds to breed. Mine stay underwater for a few days and then they spend the rest of the year underground rarely ever coming out. Once in a blue moon I might find a small one under a large rock near my pond…other than that that’s it. Eastern spotted newts on the other hand will show up and live in your pond. They showed up 6 months after I built my pond 7 years ago…

 

[seandelevan]

Please do post some pictures when you can. I have been luck to have some spotted salamanders visit our pond as well, but have wondered how many were actually making it out of the pond.

I, also, see an Eastern Spotted Newt in one of your pictures. I would love to have some newts in my pond as well.

ost pictures when you can. I haveView attachment 162066View attachment 162067

Sorry for now just replying. I was in the hospital for a few weeks shortly after posting. So I didn’t get any pictures. Shortly getting out of the hospital we had a warm and rainy night and I went out with an umbrella and it was an amphibian mating fest. American toads, eastern newts, and another wave of spotted salamanders all performing their mating rituals. Couldn’t get any pictures due to pouring rain and me holding an umbrella made it kinda tough.

As of now I can count at least 8 masses of spotted salamander eggs. Each year the number grows. 4 years ago it was one. And I too wondered how many made it. You probably won’t see them hatch and won’t see the larvae for awhile but around June and July If you go out at night with a flashlight you will find 2-3 inch sized larva in the shallow areas of the pond looking for food.

By the end of the summer is when they morph and leave. I’ve found a couple under rocks around this time and that’s the last time I see them until late winter when it starts all over again. Not sure how your pond is designed but if there is a natural way in and out then I would not worry about it. I have two ponds next to eachother connected by a “stream”. One is very wild and natural looking and the other is loaded with shubunkin goldfish. And if you read above the salamanders seem to prefer mating in the goldfish pond. Now I don’t have pristine ponds I do a little cleaning but I leave some leaves around the edges. The edges are also heavily rocked and wooded along with a bunch of pitcher plants, water celery, rushes, and forget me nots.

As for the eastern newts, they just showed up just like everything else did. I built this pond in Dec of 07 and by March 08 I already had some breeding in there. No idea how many are in there. Probably dozens if not more.

 

[PondNYW]

what do people think of totally draining and cleaning the pond in the spring? I have some newts, frogs, minnows etc. Pond is approx 10ft by 12ft

 

[j.w]

what do people think of totally draining and cleaning the pond in the spring? I have some newts, frogs, minnows etc. Pond is approx 10ft by 12ft

@PondNYW
Never have I ever drained my pond and never will as that can harm the life in it. You can use a filter or a bog to keep it good. Once in awhile you may need to add water due to evaporation. The short good algae on the sides and bottom of your pond are good, do not remove. You can use a long handled net to scoop out leaves and debris that build up.

 

[GBBUDD]

it will be a cyclone bomb for the inhabitants. some may survive some will not

 

[PondNYW]

Its done by pond guys. Pond is a year old (lots of algae all over) they tank whats in there and clean out pond and put everything back in. Apparently a lot of people do it but it did seem a bit invasive.

 

[GBBUDD]

New ponds need a couple years to balance out

 

[j.w]

Its done by pond guys. Pond is a year old (lots of algae all over) they tank whats in there and clean out pond and put everything back in. Apparently a lot of people do it but it did seem a bit invasive.

They want your money!

 

[GBBUDD]

A year old pond DOES NOT GET PRESSURE WASHED OR CLEANED. YOUR GOING IN REVERSE. Unless your pond build was done poorly you do not want to have the pond cleaned. It can take a year or two getting your pond and YOURSELF accustomed to the new pond. Hair algae at this point is my pond is new. There's. NO harmony as yet pressure wash it now and your going g back to day 1

 

[PondNYW]

From what I understand they drain the water and put it in a huge tank and recyle it back in. I guess I could not do it but the pond right now is overflooded with algae

 

[seandelevan]

what do people think of totally draining and cleaning the pond in the spring? I have some newts, frogs, minnows etc. Pond is approx 10ft by 12ft

I mean skip it this year and see what happens? If you like wildlife then I think you’ll like the results. I think most ponds(mine anyways) always start off a little swampy but once the aquatic plants emerge they’ll start sucking up the excess nutrients and eventually clean things up…at the same time you want some surface agitation via a waterfall or air stone. I try to get those running as soon as possible to prevent any surface scum to begin with.