Do I need a filter?

[demonss]

Hello all, I currently have 1 juvenile axolotl in a 20 gallon long with sand substrate and is fairly heavily planted. It has 12 stems of anacharis 2 java fern and 1 large amazon sword. I have read that an axolotls gills will shrink when they have too much oxygen in the water and since anacharis are oxygenating plants. I want to know if I the filter and plants are causing too much oxygen? I'm assuming the plants will help keep the tank clean or is that myth?

 

[Kaini]

You should have a filter in your tank because that is where the beneficial bacteria live. Removing it would crash your cycle. Too much oxygen is not a bad thing! The shrinking gills are only a problem with appearance, it doesn't harm the axolotl.

 

[auntiejude]

Plants help absorb nitrates, and help prevent algae blooms.
The filter is where the good bacteria that convert your ammonia to nitrate, removing it is harmful.
Gills are as much dependent on genetics, water quality and health as oxygen. You can't guarantee long fluffy gills by reducing oxygen levels - and that may affect the health of your axie anyway.
So:
Filter = essential
Plants = optional
Airstone = your choice

 

[sde]

A filter is very important. But it doesn't have to be a filter with a pump. Sponge filter promote bacteria growth and have no current.
I personally hate it when people don't have plants in their tank. Sorry, but it just really bugs me. Plants are good in several ways and are bad in very few ways. They help keep the water oxygenated, they help keep the water perimeters at a good level, they are loved by almost all amphibians too. Some plants in the tank add climbing areas for them and such. The bad part about plants is that they usually require some light. No, it is not a myth that plants keep the tank cleaner. They take out the bad stuff.

I think it is great that you have so many plants in your tank!

-Seth

 

[Elise]

The largest contributing factor to the appearance of your axolotls gills will be the quality of care you give your axolotl. As the gills are incredibly fragile, any injury, either by chemical, trauma, or infection, will often leave lasting and permanent changes to their appearance. Therefore, the care you need to provide is excellent water quality, an ideal and stable temperature, a healthy diet, and a safe environment.

The dissolved oxygen levels in your aquarium will only have a marginal effect on gill appearance when compared to husbandry and genetics.

Add as many plants as you like. In fact they would probably go a long way in helping to improve water quality.

 

[demonss]

Thanks for all of the replies. I am new to keeping axolotls so i was assuming it was like fish keeping (clean stable water and a good diet) was all i really need. I have seen alot of peoples pics of their axies with big fluffy gills and was worried when i noticed mine were shrinking.

 

[auntiejude]

If your axies gills are shrinking you may need to check your water quality and temperature.

 

[demonss]

my temp is 68f and i have no ammonia or nitrite and 10 ppm nitrate could it be stress? I just moved her to this tank I fully cycled it before adding her.

 

[Kaysie]

I'm going to play devil's advocate and say, no, you don't need a filter at all. If you've noticed your axolotls gills shrinking after adding a filter, it could indeed be stress. They don't do well with moving water.

If your tank is lightly stocked and heavily planted, there's really no need for a filter. Keep an eye on your water quality by testing regularly.

 

[auntiejude]

If you've noticed your axolotls gills shrinking after adding a filter, it could indeed be stress. They don't do well with moving water.

Good point Kaysie, I forgot about current.

 

[Cole Grover]

I'm going to play devil's advocate and say, no, you don't need a filter at all. If you've noticed your axolotls gills shrinking after adding a filter, it could indeed be stress. They don't do well with moving water.

If your tank is lightly stocked and heavily planted, there's really no need for a filter. Keep an eye on your water quality by testing regularly.

True, true. I'm with Kaysie - a filter is absolutely NOT required, but it takes some working knowledge of biochemistry and ecology. In aquarium circles, this is referred to as "low-tech" methodology. The beneficial, denitrifying bacteria that we all like and want will colonize any surface in your tank - not just those in the filter. Objects with more surface area (like pumice or LECA [light expanded clay aggregate]) house more bacteria. Filters often include these items, but not always. Also, for total denitrification, anaerobic zones are also necessary - generally in deep substrate and/or under large rocks, etc. Now, things get really complicated when you add plants to the mix - especially emergent plants (think hydroponics/hydroculture). Plants require nitrogenous compounds (like Axolotl waste) for growth, and use some forms better than others. That's probably a topic for antoher disucssion, but suffice to say that filters are not necessary. They can make things easier, yes, but are not necessary.

-Cole

 

[Kaini]

I would still warn the OP against removing the filter outright - it will most likely crash their cycle. Surely there's a way to switch to a filter-less system (if they would like to) without crashing the cycle?

OP could also baffle the filter if they're worried about the current alone.

 

[demonss]

I guess it would help if I mentioned that my filter is for a 20 gallon tank and i am using a soda bottle baffle im not too worried about the current as much as having too much oxygen if that makes any sense.

 

[Kaini]

If you have it baffled, I would say definitely leave it in. You can't really have /too much/ oxygen.