Axolotl eggs coming! YAY, ADVICE APPRECIATED!

[kara]

Okeedokee, I will have 5 axie eggs tuesday or wednesday. I would like to set up containers tonight, have things ready.
Should I use new water, goldfish tank water or newt tank water? Which would be best? I was also recomended to house each egg seperately, until hatched and sturdy. (I think to avoid cannibalism) I have a foodsource read, just have to decide what a good first food will be.
All advice would be welcome! This is my first time raising eggs, and axies. I am so excited!
A list of DON'TS and DO'S would be nice to see as well.

 

[kara]

and what is the ideal temp for eggs?

 

[kapo]

Hi Kara, can understand your excitement. Check out the following link: www.axolotl.org/rearing.htm

We kept our eggs together using the parent tankwater for the first day, each day thereafter using dechlorinated water. But if you can keep them separate then it makes it easier when they hatch and when to start feeding them.

Cannibilism can start when livefood is running low, or when a limb is inadvertently mistaken for moving food and/or when there is a distinct size difference in larvae - the smaller ones can become the food!

If you want to hatch them sooner, keep the temperature higher under 24C; if you want to hatch them later while you're still sorting things out, live food etc... keep them about 16-18C/64F.

 

[kara]

Hi Kapo, thanks a lot for the link.

I do not have the parents, therefore no parental tank water. I do have T.Grans water, Pachytriton Labiatus water, and goldfish water.
Which would you reccomend?

also, did you use an airtone rearing your babies?

 

[kaysie]

Kara, I wouldn't recommend using any of that tank water. Dechlorinated water should be fine. I raised a handful of eggs on it.

I kept my larvae in small groups, 2-3, in tupperware bowls. This made observation fairly easy, as well as cleaning or feeding.

 

[kara]

Thanks Kaysie. Did you use an airstone? This is the last thing I am unsure of. 5 eggs, I think I will house them all seperately, just to be safe. (Such a small number of eggs, want to optimize larvae survival rate)

 

[kaysie]

I didn't use an airstone. The tubs were shallow. There was about an inch of water in the tubs, probably less.