Duckweed as a hiding place

[JoeyEnglish]

Hi all,

Quick question as I move my two axies gradually into the new 180ltr. Still playing around with the set up; adding sand, yuck; hate sand.

Duckweed; Yay or nay?

I have three filters in the big tank which I clean out every other day. I've a "clump" of it and popped it into the baby tank with Timmy (10cm) he (possible she) climbed into it and hid. He seemed to like it. My concern is that he could get stuck.

I grow it in my nature pond for our musk turtles mainly.

 

[AxolotlChris]

Three filters for one tank? I don't think that is necessary. You'd be better off with one decent canister filter which will manage that volume of water.

You shouldn't clean filters out every other day either.

Are you aware of the Nitrogen Cycle?

As far as I'm aware duckweed isn't that dense so it shouldn't be something an Axolotl can get stuck in.

Can you take some pictures?

 

[JoeyEnglish]

Sorry didn't explain my filters fully. One proper fluvel filter, 2 sponge filters - for the bubbles.

I'm just cleaning them out every other day while I set it up as I keep moving stuff around. No axies in there at the moment.

Thanks re the denseness, I think it took me by surprise seeing Timmy just sat in there looking at me. I'll leave it in the baby tank until the big ones set up. I'll take some photos of him hanging out in there next time I see it.

 

[AxolotlChris]

What is it your moving about?

If you want your tank to cycle then clearing the filters out will help prevent this.

Are you aware of the Nitrogen Cycle?

 

[AxolotlChris]

If you want bubbles then perhaps just purchase an air stone and a small pump?

Some Axolotls do not like air stones as the flow can be stressful, others like it. You could try it and if the Axolotl does not seem to be happy you can remove the air stone or break the flow of bubbles using an ornament or rock.

 

[LSuzuki]

I tried to get duckweed going in my adult axolotl tanks ... I started with a huge handful, but the amount kept dropping. I thought it was getting sucked into the filters somehow. But then I realized that it was showing up in the axolotl poop. I never saw them deliberately eating it, but they must have been getting mouthfuls when they wen't up for air.

Having said that, the person I got the duckweed from has it in her axolotl tanks and it propagates there just fine.

W.r.t. sponge filters - I rather like them in addition to other filters. They are a great back-up and can be used to start a new tank quickly.

 

[JoeyEnglish]

I think I will leave the duck weed in for a while, good to hear others use it. I've attached the tank set up with sand. I swapped the sponge filters to bubble stones and have two filters also, if the duckweed stops one then the other should help. They are low powered and at each end of the tank. As you can see Timmy is very young at the moment but loves the space compared to his baby tank. Pinky will be introduced soon.