Are 100% water changes necessary if you have a bubbler?

[KirbyandYoshi]

So I just got into this crazy experience of caring for axlotol larvae. They hatched after 7 days. I have them in about an inch of water inside a 10 Gal tank. I have a small air stone in there that is providing oxygen without disrupting the water and causing a current. I read that every day it is necessary to do a 100% water change but is that necessary in my case? I take out a little water and put fresh water in there every night just to keep it from getting stagnant but I do not take out all the water. I am scared that too much change will stress the babies to death. Am I doing okay?

 

[Murk]

For such young larvae, yes, daily full water changes.

The bubbler is nice, but it does nothing against the ammonia in the water. Young larvae are very vulnerable to water quality and it's better if they can use their energy to grow.
Their tank also likely isn't cycled, so you need to take out the ammonia manually.

 

[KirbyandYoshi]

For such young larvae, yes, daily full water changes.

The bubbler is nice, but it does nothing against the ammonia in the water. Young larvae are very vulnerable to water quality and it's better if they can use their energy to grow.
Their tank also likely isn't cycled, so you need to take out the ammonia manually.

Any advice on how to take them out to fo the waterchange? I am so scared of hurting them or stressing them out

 

[Murk]

Yea you will stress them out, but they can handle that. Best to get it over with quickly, and then they can relax in fresh clean water for the rest of the day.

There are a lot of methods to get them out. It's easiest if you have two different tanks or tubs for them so you can pre-fill the second tank with clean water and put the axolotls in there. Then you can clean the first tank on your leisure.
If you only have the one tank, any small tub with clean water will do. You can put the axolotls in there temporarily while you clean the tank, and when the tank is clean and filled with fresh water, put them back in.

I've heard of people use very fine strainers; just pour the water through the strainer, catching all the larvae. You'd need to be careful with this once they start developing legs, but in general it will be fine.
I used a fine-mesh net myself to catch them.
Cups or little tupperware tubs can be used to catch them as well.

I guess if you have the time you could also do multiple 50% or 80% water changes each day, then you can leave them in the tank. It's more difficult to get the tank really clean then though, since most of the gunk will be at the bottom. Emptying out the full tank is easier.

 

[KirbyandYoshi]

Yea you will stress them out, but they can handle that. Best to get it over with quickly, and then they can relax in fresh clean water for the rest of the day.

There are a lot of methods to get them out. It's easiest if you have two different tanks or tubs for them so you can pre-fill the second tank with clean water and put the axolotls in there. Then you can clean the first tank on your leisure.
If you only have the one tank, any small tub with clean water will do. You can put the axolotls in there temporarily while you clean the tank, and when the tank is clean and filled with fresh water, put them back in.

I've heard of people use very fine strainers; just pour the water through the strainer, catching all the larvae. You'd need to be careful with this once they start developing legs, but in general it will be fine.
I used a fine-mesh net myself to catch them.
Cups or little tupperware tubs can be used to catch them as well.

I guess if you have the time you could also do multiple 50% or 80% water changes each day, then you can leave them in the tank. It's more difficult to get the tank really clean then though, since most of the gunk will be at the bottom. Emptying out the full tank is easier.

Thank you so much for your advice. Just did a 100% water change and I feel a bit better knowing that they are getting fresher water. I get so paranoid about doing something to hurt them but i guess that is any first time mother's problem lmao