Axies in British ponds...do or do not?

[Nijinski]

Hi guys,

Recently I bought a tank off a bloke who had an outdoor axolotl/koi pond. I'm moving house to a place with a garden soon and am planning on building a pond, but never considered putting any of my axos in it.

Google brings up really conflicting information (although it seems combining with koi isn't good, as I wondered at the time). The ones I'd consider ponding would be the ones in my existing indoor aquaponic set up, so they are used to swimming through roots, etc.

I live in Northern England, so it can get quite cold. The pond will be large and secured to protect any inhabitants. Would axolotls enjoy living in there, or is that crazytalk?

 

[Cacique]

I can't see why they wouldn't like it as long as the conditions were similar to your tank. Things that I would worry about would be giving them enough shade, making sure the temperature of the pond doesn't get too warm or too cold, and to make sure it's secured from predators that could get in from the top or through the bottom.

The most secure way I can think of is to do something like a concrete bottom for the pond so no burrowing critters that could hurt your axolotl can get in, or maybe one of those plastic pond tubs. Then just add in the substrate and plants, filtration (natural or mechanical), and I would add a thermometer to make sure you know where the temperature is at. To that I would add some type of top to keep anything like racoons or badgers possibly? Or any predator bird that might swoop in or something of the sort.

So...basically yeah. I think as long as the temp and water parameters are good and the pond is safe and secure I don't see why it would be a bad thing.

 

[Nijinski]

Fab! It will be concreted anyway, back half shaded with a trellis and some acers . Thermometer is a good idea - I'll try and have one end sunk deeply for insulation.

 

[auntiejude]

There are several people here who keep axies outdoors in ponds or tanks. As long as they are kept secure from predators and you use a small heater in the coldest months to prevent too much ice forming on the surface it shoudn't be a problem.

And no fish.

 

[Chinadog]

Hi guys,

Recently I bought a tank off a bloke who had an outdoor axolotl/koi pond. I'm moving house to a place with a garden soon and am planning on building a pond, but never considered putting any of my axos in it.

Axolotls and koi together? Doesn't really seem possible to me. Adult koi would tear an axolotl apart if they were hungry, I know mine would.
Axolotls do very well in outdoor ponds in the UK, the temperatures are perfect for them most of the year.