Axolotl tank

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TallTree01

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Hi guys, new here and no axolotls ( or tank ) yet but I figured I should ask before I buy. I've kept fish shrimp frogs and lizards but really want axies now lol.

So, I've wanted axolotls for ages and this year is probably the best chance I'm gonna get for a while.
The cabinet i have is 1m x 0.5 m so the tank will not have a foot bigger than that obviously.
I estimate it'll be around 90 cm ( 3 foot ) by 30-50cm ( 12-18 inches ) and maybe a foot tall.
How many axies could I keep in a tank around this size?
I have a compost which I could take earthworms from year round. If I wash them would they be ok?
What would be a good filter for a tank this size? I've read they don't like flow but being big animals they'd poo a lot. But then they live in the cold and probably have a slow metabolism... Ack I'm confusing myself! Some help here would be appreciated :eek:
I live in Victoria, Australia. It normaLy doesn't get too hot but will I need a chiller? ( really don't want to spend that kind of money though lol )

Thanks for the help :happy:
 
Forgot to ask, does one need to fishless ( axolotlless ) cycle an axie tank? How would that work in cold water?
 
You can do a fish less cycle at any temp then lower the temp before adding the axolotls. The temperature will effect the rate at which the good bacteria divide so a little warmer will speed up the cycle.


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A tank of that size maybe 3-4 axolotls.

Yes, earthworms from your compost are fine as long as you don't use chemicals or pesticides.

I like HOB filters, you need to get one that pushes the tank volume 4 times over in an hour. Axolotls poop a lot however it's always too heavy to be sucked in by a filter. A turkey baster is perfect to spot clean when you see it.

I'm not sure what your temps in Victoria are like in summer, however the temp must stay between 16-18 optimally. 20 celcius max. You can use clip on fans to keep temperature down. I manage to keep my tanks down in sydney without a chiller. Fans, ice bottle and a great mum who helps me rotate the ice bottles around when I'm not home. Ice bottles are a useful way, however you can't just plop it in and leave it for the day as the temperature will fluctuate too often and cause more stress.
 
Thanks for the answers guys! Really helps.
I've been reading that axolotls don't like much light. I know some people keep theirs in the dark but would it be ok for me to have like a white led strip for the day and a blue one for nocturnal viewing?
Are live plants ok with axies? I'm guessing they won't be eaten. Only tough ones of course like moss balls, anubias etcetera
I think that's all my questions although I'm sure I'll think of a few more in a couple minutes. :happy:
 
I use lights and my axolotls come out PROVIDED you have plenty of hides so they can escape the light and plants preferably floating types to block out the light.

Live plants are fine, axolotls love to dig up plants too so be prepared to replant them. They love climbing and hanging in them its adorable. Live plants are also great for water quality. Just be sure to quarantine your plants for a few days/week to ensure there's no nasties on them. You will probably see a population of small snails in your tank. They're relatively harmless.
 
Thanks Hayley. :)
Will axolotls try to eat snails? Is there a choking hazard for them?
Do all types of axolotls get along or do I need to get strictly one type? Eg all albino
 
Has anyone used CaribSea Instant Aquarium - Tahitian Moon sand before with axolotls?
I wouldn't want them to have impaction from eating it. :eek:
 
You can have all colors together, they're not racists. :p As for the question of how many axies you can put in an aquarium, this is the advice I got from a breeder where I got my axies: "The recommended minimum size is 80cm x 35cm for one or two axolotls, 100cm x 40cm for four animals, 120cm x 50cm for six and so on." You don't want too many axies in an aquarium too small because then they're more likely to bite each other (whether accidentally or on purpose) and the ecobalance in the tank is more fragile and toxic amounts of ammonia etc might appear very quickly.
 
TallTree01 said:
Thanks Hayley. :)
Will axolotls try to eat snails? Is there a choking hazard for them?
Do all types of axolotls get along or do I need to get strictly one type? Eg all albino
Click to expand...

Axolotls will eat snails in the wild, hitchhiker snails have soft shells and wont impact an axolotl (given it's not a juvenile). Large shells liek those apple snails with hard shells are not suitable tank mates.

Hahaha like mentioned above they aren't racist! They probably cant even tell what colour each other are :D

With the tahitian moon sand I've heard horror stories as they aren't round, kind of sharp.
 
. I thought I might be being stupid when I was worried about color cohabitation.

I'll definitely stick with plain old river sand I think. Don't want the axies getting damaged.

I'll probably keep 2-3 axies, one of each color or something.
Thanks to all of you. All I need now is time. I've found a bunch of stuff I want to get for their tank.
 
I wouldn't keep more than three adult axies in a tank of that size. On the lights question, if you have a GFP axie, their eyes are far more sensitive to light (especially LED lights I think - check that), as it lights up the insides of their eyeballs. Albinos also have more sensitive eyes than other axies.
You will need to consider cooling options if you live in Melbourne, unless you have very effective air-con you can pretty much leave running all summer. Our '40+ degrees every day for a week' heatwaves can be a real pain. Good tank insulation, a couple of fans, and floating plastic bottles filled with frozen dechlorinated water are some cheap options. Some Aussie lotl lovers even fridge their axies during heatwaves (or all summer!).
 
What's a GFP?
Yeah I'm guessing I'll have to wrestle with temperatures in the summer. :(
I think I'll go with the frozen ice bottle method. I hope it won't get to the point where I have to fridge them lol.
I'll give the axies lots of cover so they can have light if they want it or they can chill in the shade like I do. :p
I've chosen equipment I want. Here's a list:
https://www.aquariumproducts.com.au/catalogue_products.php?prodID=6141
https://www.aquariumproducts.com.au/catalogue_products.php?prodID=6257&catID=88
https://www.aquariumproducts.com.au/catalogue_products.php?prodID=2886&catID=4
And river sand along the bottom and some real and fake plants for cover. Probably some PVC pipes or something for cover too.
 
GFP = green fluorecent protein, meaning the axie will glow under light that is in the blue to ultraviolet range.
 
Sweetie said:
I wouldn't keep more than three adult axies in a tank of that size. On the lights question, if you have a GFP axie, their eyes are far more sensitive to light (especially LED lights I think - check that), as it lights up the insides of their eyeballs. Albinos also have more sensitive eyes than other axies.
You will need to consider cooling options if you live in Melbourne, unless you have very effective air-con you can pretty much leave running all summer. Our '40+ degrees every day for a week' heatwaves can be a real pain. Good tank insulation, a couple of fans, and floating plastic bottles filled with frozen dechlorinated water are some cheap options. Some Aussie lotl lovers even fridge their axies during heatwaves (or all summer!).
Click to expand...


Australia does not have GFP axolotls, or anything GFP.
 
Yeah I've never seen them for sale. Australia doesn't get any good stuff. Cept kangaroos and koalas and stuff. :p
 
TallTree01 said:
Yeah I've never seen them for sale. Australia doesn't get any good stuff. Cept kangaroos and koalas and stuff. :p
Click to expand...

Personally I think GFP is mean, and a stupid novelty to sell animals for cruelty. The UV blacklights used to make them glow are so bad for their skin and eyes. It's UV!

Yeahh our animals are 100X cooler than the rest of the world :lol:
 
I thought it was a natural gene not introduced . How do they get GFP into the axies?
 
Nope, it's a green fluorescent protein that's injected into them originally, and then is passed on through breeding. Check out other GFP animals such as pigs and rabbits. It's quite sad really.

Think about what UV does to our skin, does the same to axolotls. And they don't particularly like light and the GFP is in their EYE. how stressful would that be?
 
Oh! That's terrible! Who could even do that to such a funky little creature?
Definitely not gonna get GFPs. Don't wanna support that sorta stuff. :mad:
The things humans do to animals are despicable sometimes. :(
 
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