Behaviour

[NASHJP]

Hi, I'd be interested to read your comments on this...

I have 2 tanks, one contains 4 golden, the other 5 'wild', all raised from eggs this year. Until now their behaviour has been identical with all on view in various states of [non-] activity. But this past month all of the 'wilds' have been hiding away in the artificial caves mostly in 'twosomes' despite this meaning they are so crowded in the caves that they can barely move! The golds are still as they were out in the open enjoying the open areas and their company throughout the day. The 'wilds' come out to eat, defecate and then return to the caves.

The tanks are identical in all respects - size, water temperature and chemistry, live and artificial planting and number and situation of the 'caves' I could literally swap the golds with the wilds and they wouldn't know the difference. All are healthy and eating well [ live Dendrobaena worms, axolotl 'tablets ] although with the drop in room temperature [ to 58/62 degrees night/day ] as we move from autumn to winter here in England they are not so hungry.

I am just bemused by the difference between the types. Your comments appreciated

CHEERS

John

 

[layna]

All axies are different as are humans.
Generally the older the axie, the less it moves and as you say with the temp drop they will become even less active.
What do you mean by axolotl tablets?
Maybe one tank is ever so slightly warmer so the axies are a little more active. Other than that if there is no obvious signs of illness or deterioration then i wouldnt worry

 

[NASHJP]

Hi Layna, thanks for your reply and my apologies for the delay in getting back to you.

The tablets are in essence 'Salmon Diet Pellets' which are generally sold in the soft sinking form - the ones I'm using are actually smaller [4mm] and hard pressed sinking tablets. Unfortunately I can't remember the supplier name but I'm sure a search on eBay/Amazon will turn them up. Using these with the live worms appears to keep the axolotl happy!

Just as a follow-up to my original message - the wilds are still hiding - the golds have a new overnight practice - the 4 of them now huddle together [ if they weren't cold-blooded you'd think for warmth!] until daybreak when they start separating over a period of a few hours.

CHEERS!

 

[SilentBenjam]

Hi John,
If you read the axolotl.org website it mentions somewhere that wild types can grow more quickly and bigger and tend to be more violent, especially towards different colours, so i guess that suggests they do have different personality and being closer to the very few left in the wild you could assume they would act more like a wild version i.e. hiding from predators.

regards to the pellets, i would appreciate a link to your supplier, i did find some soft pellets in the UK somewhere a few years ago, but they seem to have disappeared, now all i can find when i search for salmon pellets is carp pellets

 

[NASHJP]

Hi,

Sorry for the delay in replying - last couple of days I've been asking questions about feeding etc. in the forum's other sections and in doing so have myself been trying to locate the source of the pellets [ tablets as I mistakenly called them! ] now that I'm running short.

I thought they were 'salmon' simply because my quick web looks turned up that name but reading deeper I agree most aren't - carp/trout. But as just inspired I checked a website from which I've bought tropical frogs and indeed they sell their own Axolotl Pellets.

Axolotl Pellets - Sinking food pellets for Axolotls

Now these are the ones I bought in several sizes and those I started mine on are the harder smallest ones which I still say are more tablet than pellet shaped! The larger ones are pellet shaped. Now they probably aren't salmon but they're smelly and my brood like them.

Hope that helps

John

 

[layna]

I use those exact same pellets i think theyre frog/ amphibian pellets.
As long as theyre sinking and are suitable for amphibians i think theyre ok but i dont know the exact ingredients.