First tank-setup

[Jasmini]

I set up my first tank 3 weeks ago and sunday I'll probably get my first two axies!
There is a photo of the tankdecoration attached. I was wondering if my tank is big enough for two axolotls, as I hear many people say they have a huge tank... Mine is 100 x 40, because I heard before that this was large enough for 4 axolotls.
I was planning on getting some fire shrimps too (about 20 of them), but now I'm wondering if they will survive and if they won't stress the axolotls... I would really like some shrimps in my tank, but not if I have to buy new ones every week...

I have some plants in there which don't need alot of care, but still the anubias isn't doing so well... I use Flourish and Flourish excel for them and I was said that this would be enough (At this point I have some brown algae too, so I only have the light on for 7 to 8 hours).

The temperature is now 18°C, but I'm very worried that this will rise in summer... A chiller isn't really an option now, 'cause it's really expensive... I have an external Eheim 2213 classic filter, can you attach this on a chiller? And how well do ice-bottles help until I can get one?

Anyway, if you have any tips to make my tank more axolotl-friendly, I would be thankful :happy:

 

[Chirple]

I am not sure about those tank dimensions, do you have one of these sizes or is a different / custom type ? How many gallons of water does it hold ?

It looks very lovely and large enough, I'm just bad at judging size without an axolotl in the tank or something.

About the shrimp, I'm not sure about fire shrimp, however they sound like marine shrimp ? Since axolotls are freshwater, that wouldn't work out. However, you could do ghost shrimp or cherry shrimp. I have ghost shrimp in my tank - and I do 4 at a time, I know there are at least 2 still in there from quite some time ago, maybe three. They get good at hiding. They don't bother the axolotl, but it's really up to individual temperament how fast they get eaten. Ghost shrimp are good because they're difficult for the axolotl to see.

What kind of lights do you have on the tank ? About the algae, it seems to happen excessively to new tanks - mine has settled down a bit since it was being problematic (which I define as "growing all over my plants and trying to kill them").

 

[natjobe]

Fire shrimp are just small fresh water shrimp, I have cherry shrimp, tiger shrimp, blue shrimp, and amano shrimp in with my axies! They are all small enough to hide, but also if they get eaten there are no worries! There are lots of cool colored small shrimp to have with your axies! I would not recommended any large shrimp like rock/fan shrimp.

About the shrimp, I'm not sure about fire shrimp, however they sound like marine shrimp ? Since axolotls are freshwater, that wouldn't work out. However, you could do ghost shrimp or cherry shrimp. I have ghost shrimp in my tank - and I do 4 at a time, I know there are at least 2 still in there from quite some time ago, maybe three. They get good at hiding. They don't bother the axolotl, but it's really up to individual temperament how fast they get eaten. Ghost shrimp are good because they're difficult for the axolotl to see.

 

[Jasmini]

@Chirple; No, I couldn't find the exact dimensions of my aquarium in that tabel... My tank holds 180 liters of water (I don't know how many gallons that is). And I didn't mean the marine shrimp, I just translated it a bit literally I actually meant the cherry shrimp...
I think I have a 25W lamp, is that possible? Or is there more you need to know about what kind of lamp it is?

@natjobe: Okay, I'm glad that the shrimps won't bother the axolotls! But I would buy about 20 of them ('cause shrimps can stress-out if they're in a smaller group), isn't that to many?

And what about the chiller?

Anyway, thank you guys for responding!

 

[natjobe]

You don't have to worry about shrimp stressing out in to little of numbers. I have approx. 10-15 shrimp in my 55 gallon wild type axie tank, and about 8-12 in my 55 gallon leucustic tank, and then I have a 10 gallon set up for my feeder/whitecloud fish with about 5 shrimp in there. Start off with a higher amount of shrimp cause the first few days some shrimp will go missing. I think I started off with about 20-25 shrimp in my wilds tank and was down at least 5 in the first week, after that the shrimp learn to stay clear. I haven't lost a whitecloud or a shrimp in probably 3 months. I don't think you really can have to many shrimp !
* I also have a large piece of wood in my axie tanks for my shrimp to hide and sleep. Hiding places like dense plants, ornaments and wood are great for shrimp. You could even use a breeding mop for your shrimp to hide in.