Gravel Confusion!

[brit]

Hi
I am so confused i was told that the gravel ii have is big enough not to be swallowed by my axie which is 4mths old but looking on here i am not too sure! Its about 1.5cm across is this ok??? i got rid of sand because i just don't feel its clean enough (sorry to all the sand fans out there).
Oh and hello everyone and thanks for all the useful info i have already found on here x

 

[daremo]

you can always have a bare bottom tank if unsure

1.5 cm sounds like something an axie can swallow, specially when he grows up

 

[morphyrichards]

If the gravel is smaller than your axie's head then there is a risk he might be able to swallow it. If it's smaller than his mouth then it's pretty much a dead cert.

 

[Shizeric]

1.5cm is too small, and needs to be removed. Why would you think sand isn't clean enough? The waste/excess food sits on top and is easily removed...but with gravel the waste/excess food falls in between the stones.

 

[morphyrichards]

Have a look at this thread for an alternative substrate: http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-beginner-newt-salamander-axolotl-help-topics/f48-axolotls-ambystoma-mexicanum/f59-tank-set-ups-filters-substrate/67384-tile-slate-bottoms.html

 

[mewsie]

1.5cm is too small, and needs to be removed. Why would you think sand isn't clean enough? The waste/excess food sits on top and is easily removed...but with gravel the waste/excess food falls in between the stones.

Amen to that! Changing to sand was a great move for me AND my lotls! Much easier to keep clean, and looks nicer, too IMO. When I removed the gravel I was actually shocked by how grubby it was after just a few weeks, despite me being very vigilant on cleaning.

Anyway, my two pooped out a fair few bits of gravel after changing over - if I needed more confirmation gravel was bad, that was it. Still miffed on the bad advice I was given by the shop, luckily I found this place.

I just have to hope that all the gravel my lotls ate has passed through ok, now.

 

[Jennewt]

If you have any doubts that your axies could swallow gravel that size, take a look at the x-ray photo here:
Caudata Culture Species Entry - Ambystoma mexicanum - Axolotl

 

[brit]

Right I will remove the gravel asap. My reason for not liking sand is that it will always compact down and bacteria would in my opinion breed like mad in such conditions, even with regular cleaning. I will probably go for slate as it is easy to get and easy to clean!
Thank you all so much for your quick replies, links and advice.
My axie is loving the new tank and is very active it was just the substrate i was a little confused about as so many so called 'experts' in the shops really don't seem to even know what an axolotl is!

 

[Kaysie]

Bacteria are normal and healthy in an aquarium. The key to sand is to not have a super-thick layer of it. keep it under an inch thick.

 

[morphyrichards]

I will probably go for slate as it is easy to get and easy to clean!

Cool! Please post a pic of your setup once it's done. I use sand and my axies love digging in it. I do like the idea of the slate floors however. :happy:

 

[brit]

I got rid of the gravel and now have a thin layer of sand and will see how we get on with that, 'he' seems happy though. My only problem now is I think in the 48hrs of having gravel in there that he has eaten a piece, if he has what do i do?

 

[Shizeric]

It depends on the size of the gravel. 1.5cm should pass naturally through the Axolotl. Why do you think it has eaten a piece?

 

[brit]

Its a leustic juvenile axie and its stomach is very swollen and looks greyish at the bottom, he is still active and eating though.