Best food for axolotl?

[Kate1018]

I don’t have one yet. Setting up & cycling 20 G tank. Using playground sand for substrate.
Seeing foods all over the map. Appears hand feeding them various worms with tongs is the best choice? Saw these worms on Amazon & eBay, large quantities. No idea how long they keep. Where do you guys get worms? Are they refrigerated or otherwise kept at low temps for greater viability ?
Thanks!

 

[axolotl nerd]

I don’t have one yet. Setting up & cycling 20 G tank. Using playground sand for substrate.
Seeing foods all over the map. Appears hand feeding them various worms with tongs is the best choice? Saw these worms on Amazon & eBay, large quantities. No idea how long they keep. Where do you guys get worms? Are they refrigerated or otherwise kept at low temps for greater viability ?
Thanks!

i use night crawlers/earthworms. i buy them at pet stores or bait shops

 

[Kate1018]

Thanks, will call local places. Need to get past my Amazon & eBay obsessions.

 

[Kate1018]

i use night crawlers/earthworms. i buy them at pet stores or bait shops

Do you hand feed with tongs?

 

[axolotl nerd]

Do you hand feed with tongs?

i use my hands - i feel like when they bite the tongs might hurt them

 

[Kate1018]

Oh, I really like this idea! Will do! Thanks.

 

[WaterLily05]

Depending on what size axolotl you are hoping to get, I would get an earthworm culture (a lot of people use red wrigglers) started. I would locate some live blackworms locally if you will be getting a small one. I bought my axolotl at 3 inches from a reputable online seller, so needed black worms. You can find a local fish store and call to ask if they have any. There are earth worms for sale on Ebay, you can start your own culture! For the blackworms, I have a tupperware with a bit of sand and a small plant. I dump all the water out and refill it each day. Every few days to once a week I do a small flake of food.

My axolotl eats both out of my hand and out of large aquarium tweezers. You just want to make sure your hands are clean, no lotions, chemicals, or hand sanitizer! No soap residue from washing them either, as axolotls are very sensitive.

 

[Kate1018]

Thanks, that seems to be the consensus, BUT I have found a pair of one year olds I plan to buy tomorrow. They are eating frozen bloodworms. A local breeder who is sold out uses live worms & that bloodworms lack nutrition.

I have read trout/salmon soft pellets are good. Anyone use these?

 

[WaterLily05]

Thanks, that seems to be the consensus, BUT I have found a pair of one year olds I plan to buy tomorrow. They are eating frozen bloodworms. A local breeder who is sold out uses live worms & that bloodworms lack nutrition.

I have read trout/salmon soft pellets are good. Anyone use these?

I have also heard that salmon pellets are good, though I have never tried them myself. Most people agree that blood worms lack nutrition. Ultimately live food is better, whether its blackworms or earthworms, if you can find yourself a reputable, parasite free source to start your culture!

I hope the purchase goes well! When I was looking around for my first axolotl, a gorgeous one came up on craigslist but sold less than 2 weeks before they were made legal here!

 

[Kate1018]

I have also heard that salmon pellets are good, though I have never tried them myself. Most people agree that blood worms lack nutrition. Ultimately live food is better, whether its blackworms or earthworms, if you can find yourself a reputable, parasite free source to start your culture!

I hope the purchase goes well! When I was looking around for my first axolotl, a gorgeous one came up on craigslist but sold less than 2 weeks before they were made legal here!

The 2 hr trip to NY, per online directions, took 3 hours, 1 way. The tank, stand, filer with a diffuser are very nice. I don‘t care for the decor. Lots of plastic, sone of which does look cool under the black light.

The plastic jelly fish scare me! I have concerns about the fishing line like strings that suspend them in the water. I am not using them. The Craigslist guy who sold my cabinet big tank had some too. They are hanging over my shower faucet. LOL.

This 9 month old pair strikes me as small. One is 4” and the other 5”. They appear to be making a good transition to my home. They ate a few bloodworms last night. I will not abruptly change their diet. This morning I soaked cichlid shrimp pellets in water to soften as most vendors call the axie pellets “soft.”

Could their size indicate poor diet? Will they continue to grow?
One laid inviable eggs!

Do you chop the worms? I see Walmart sells live ones in the fishing dept.

 

[WaterLily05]

The plastic jelly fish scare me! I have concerns about the fishing line like strings that suspend them in the water. I am not using them. The Craigslist guy who sold my cabinet big tank had some too. They are hanging over my shower faucet. LOL.

The plastic jellyfish would definitely make me nervous with an axolotl! Sounds like a cool new way to use them!

This 9 month old pair strikes me as small. One is 4” and the other 5”. They appear to be making a good transition to my home. They ate a few bloodworms last night. I will not abruptly change their diet. This morning I soaked cichlid shrimp pellets in water to soften as most vendors call the axie pellets “soft.”

That does sound like they are on the smaller side . The breeder I purchased mine from typically has hers at 3 inches by 4 ish months. Mine is around 5 months and probably 4 inches now. When they are growing is the most important time for a good diet. It is possible they are slightly stunted. They may just be slow growing. I have never raised axolotls, so I am not sure, but transitioning them to a nutritious diet is one of the best things you can do for them!

Do you chop the worms? I see Walmart sells live ones in the fishing dept.

When they are small, people have them on blackworms and chopped earthworms, and as they grow they begin transitioning them to larger pieces of earthworm, until they are capable of a whole worm. I would start with chopped and see what size pieces yours can handle!

 

[WaterLily05]

One laid inviable eggs!

That is crazy! What did they look like?