Fly screen?

[Plonk]

Hi everyone. I live in Ipswich, Queensland. Its starting to get very hot here and I am wondering if it would be better to lay and fit fly screen over the top of the tank instead of putting the glass on top. Im thinking that this may make it cooler and allow air to flow through it better than the glass would.

 

[Kaysie]

That would work to increase ventilation. You may or may not be able to purchase screen lids already made for your tank, or you can make a frame for your fly screen and save some money.

 

[Jennewt]

Yes, a screen lid will keep the water a bit cooler. See:
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/cooling.shtml

 

[peterj]

It's pretty warm here in Brissy so you must be sweating it at Ipswich. I haven't got covers on my axie tank at all anymore - hopefully the breeze is helping to keep it cool. I use water sprite to provide a canopy that the lotls seem to like.

 

[Lisa]

Do you need a lid at all? I've not bothered and he hasn't jumped out yet (two months). Obviously it would stop things being dropped into the tank, but is there any other reason you need one?

 

[Jennewt]

If the water level is near the top of the tank, there is a risk of an axie jumping out. And as you noted, there is some chance of things falling in, depending on the location and household activities. Cats and stray projectiles come to mind! Aside from these, there's no reason to have a lid.

 

[Lisa]

Thanks Jen. Best do something about that then, as both cats and stray projectiles a possibility though our cat couldn't care less and the kids are pretty good about him. Would hate to find out the hard way the cat had had a change of hobby!

 

[Plonk]

I am now thinking of not putting a cover on at all. Is there a chance that if a fly gets in, that it can contaminate the water and make the axolotils sick or if they eat them?

 

[kapo]

Axolotls will eat flies (someone I know collects them, freezes them and then feeds them to their axies). It wouldn't be a problem as long as you don't use insecticide sprays in your house as that is more likely to harm the axie (a friend of mine lost a few of his axies as his mother sprayed the room they were in to kill the flies, when she was visiting).