Good morning everyone!

[Sabor]

Hi everyone
This is my first post so I'll tell you a little about myself.
I have 2 Beardies, a Crested Gecko, 2 Leopard geckos and a goldfish tank.
I have kept amphibs. in the past, just some Fbn, Fbt and a Pacman frog.
　
I had seen Axolotl in the past and have always been facinated by them but the other day I was at our local reptile and aquarium shop when I noticed they had 3 tiny axies in a seperated tank. A normal and 2 lecustics.

Well after sending my fiance a text with a picture of them attached I went home with one of the lecustic axies. The little guy was ordered by mistake the lady said and before they could get the tanks ready and get them seperated they had been biting each others legs off so my little guy only has one leg and 3 nubs. =( But I know they will grow back so no biggie.

He is just shy of being 2 inches long I would say. They said he appeared to be doing ok. Eating bloodworms regularly sometimes even from the fingers. The shop that I bought them from is the same shop I got most of my reptiles from. One of the best places in Middle Tennessee. They have never let me down and always have great animals, feeders, and advice. But just wondering about the care for such a small Axie.

Right now because he is so small and so less mobile he is in one of those plastic critter keepers on gravel in about 6 inches of water ( way more than enough to cover his body just in case anyone is worried) and it is about 2 gallons of spring water from local grocery store. I have a air stone in the back corner to aerate the tank and keep the temps down a bit. My room is air conditioned and with the airstone alone the water stays right around 70 degrees.

I have another tank setup it is a ten gallon tank with 5 gallons in it,
Substrate-sand
Some fake plants
Filter- normal aquarium filter for 10 gallons (with the "waterfall" being broken up on a large rock to minimize current)
It will have a screen top.
A mini-fake stump used for normal aquariums for a "hide"

The only reason he is in the 2 gallon tank now is cause he is so tiny, no legs so he is not too mobile and just so I can keep an eye on him for a bit and let the 10 gallon get its healthy bacteria get set-up.

Just wondering if there is anything different I should be doing or anything special i should put in his tank or just any advice anyone has for me.
　
Thanks -Bryce

 

[aeviette]

Take the gravel out now please! He will almost certainly eat it and it could get stuck in his stomach, which can be fatal. I'm not much good with gallons, what are the dimensions of the tank? You might need to get a bigger one when he grows I'm afraid. Good that he's eating bloodworm though, much easier! Good luck.

 

[smily sam]

welcome to the forum Bryce:happy: The 10gallon set-up sounds good, is the tank cycled? but im not to sure about the 2gallon he's in now.
Sam:happy:

 

[Sabor]

The reason why I have not taken out the gravel yet is because he has not eaten since I got him 2 days ago and he is only going to be staying there for another 2 days maybe. I am aware or the dangers of gravel and it was all I had and I know bare bottom tanks can be a bit of stress on them. I won't feed him in that tank.

The new tank is a ten gallon. I am just guessing seeing as I am at work at the moment but maybe around 10-15 inches long. And that is only temporary... I have a 20 gallon long (really have no clue on length. Maybe about 30 inches long) in storage that he will be in once I move into an apartment next month. The 10 gallon is not completely cycled yet but does have some gravel out of my fish tank in the bottom of the filter to hopefully kind of kickstart the cycling.

The temporary tank that he is in right now is actually about 7 inches by 4 inches I just said 2 gallons because that is how much water I put in there... but once again only until the 10 gallon has sat for 2 or 3 days.

 

[smily sam]

Do you have a source of amnomnia?

 

[Sabor]

I'm not sure if I follow you? I do not have a source of ammonia.. should I?

 

[aeviette]

Ah then the size is probably ok. I'd still take out the gravel, the slight stress of a bare bottom tank is nothing compared to the risk of having gravel. And surely if he hasn't eaten, he's more likely to give the gravel a go? Please please take it out. There are some awful horror story posts on here about gravel, and all it takes is one bit.
You can buy Filterstart or similar to get the cycle going, and maybe put a couple of flakes of fish food in to feed the bacteria.

 

[Sabor]

Ok well how important is it to have the tank cycled as soon as they are put in it.
I'm going to pick up some plants and other things at the store tonight so I will grab some fresh start.

He is already in non cycles water so it couldn't really hurt to put him in the new tank tonight could it?

 

[Sabor]

Ok so I got some safestart and put it in the bigger tank. Also took sponge out of my fish tank and put it in the new filter of the bigger tank. Oh and some fish flakes.

And im about to take the gravel out of the temporary tank next.