Serena (left) is a Japanese Fire Belly; (Cynops pyrrhogaster) and Big Momma (right) is a related species to the Japanese Fire Belly newt, known as the Chinese Fire Belly or Chinese Dwarf newt; (Cynops orientalis)  The differences between the two species is quite apparent in this photo.
 

Darien and Dana. Although Darien doesn't seem to care, I am sure he would prefer Dana to get off his back! :)
 

The feeding frenzy is on as my Chinese fire belly newts; (Cynops orientalis) dig in!

Talk about cramped quarters eh? To the right is Big Momma sitting on top of poor Babe trying to have a nap in the stone arch.

This is the beginning of the mating technique for this species. The male will follow the female and will block her path, fanning his tail against his side towards her to get her attention. It is said this action releases pheromones to attract the female. If interested, the male will release a pile of sperm that the females takes up into her clocoa for internal fertilization. Serena though is quite stubborn and although Darien has tried she gives him the cold shoulder and thus has not produced offspring for me as of yet :( Maybe she will give in one of these days.
 

Small but cute! This is the larval stage of the Chinese Fire Belly newt; (Cynops orientalis). You can see the feathery gills at the sides of the head and the beginning of limbs at the front. This stage lasts up to 6 months in this species. During this time the larvae will grow and develop limbs. Eventually the gills are shed and a morphing period begins. During this transition period the newt will develop and form into the more familiar "adults".  At this point, they venture onto land where they stay completely terrestrial for up to 2 years time. Within 2 years this species is sexually mature and therefore technically adults.