Question: Help with filter please! axolotl hates it

[stephaniejo]

Hi everyone

im new to owning axolotls and i just have a few questions

i have a 60l tank, cycled, ph is good and nitrites, nitrates and ammonia levels are all how they should be, sand on the bottom of the tank, a few plastic plants and 3 hides for my axi (tirant), but the problem is the filter....

i have a stingray 10, with the output directed at the glass but i think tirant hates it, his gills are turned forward (as ive never owned one i dont know exactly how they should be looking tbh, like they are standing up but the tips are slightly curled forward)

he is eating very well but just likes to hang around the middle of the tank

anyway i was wondering if you could please tell me if the filter i have is ok, and if its not, any suggestions on what filter would be better....
i was thinking maybe a fluval U1 or maybe interpet PF1

i would really appreciate any help you can give me, as im a first time owner and i want to get this right so he/she is happy

thanks very much

 

[Tephra]

I looked up the specifications of your filter; it's not too strong for a 60l tank. It should work just fine.

What I do however; instead of aiming the output of the filter at the wall, I simply place the filter as close as possible to the waterline and let the output go just under the surface of the water. The flow tends to calm down a bit more as it gets to the bottom where the axolotls are.

 

[auntiejude]

Can you post a pic of your axie? It would be easier to see if his gills are 'stressed' or not.
You can try different outlets for your filtertoo, my hubby made one out of a tube with holes drlled in it, almost like a flute, to help disperse the flow.

 

[stephaniejo]

Hi thanks for replying!!
Ive just been trying to take some pics of him and will upload them as sooh as my other hslf is off the computer. They are a bit blurry sorry as he has no light in his tank so i had to use a slow shutter speed and he kept moving but im just worried that he is stressed so maybe you will be able to help when i get piks up. I might just be worrying over nothing but its better to be safe than sorry

 

[snuggly time]

I broke my filter outlet and it's stuck on a strong current. I've tied a shower puff to the outlet and it's stopped the really fast flow. In fact it's stopped most of the water movement but I have sponge filter which has an air pump fixed to it so the bubbles create some water disturbance, but not much.

 

[Tephra]

Axolotls - Health & Diseases

Some pictures there of a stressed out axolotl - you could compare

 

[stephaniejo]

hes about 8cm at the moment so i dont know if his gills are just to big for him lol, what do you think

also the brown stuff is soil, i rushed to get a worm for him to get him out of his hide for a pic and got soil in there, just incase anyone thought it looked like poop

 

[PatchworkClocks]

It looks pretty normal to me. Usually you can tell if an axolotl is stressed because their gills will curl much more and they will turn a brighter shade of their normal color, in your axololt's case his gills would be bright red.

If you're still worried about the filter, you could do what the others have suggested. What I did with mine, though, is I set up a piece of driftwood so one end of it rests on the ceramic log hide I have. Then I put some plastic plants around the driftwood where the filter outflow comes down, and that seems to disperse the waterflow nicely. I know of some people that buy the plants with suction cups attached, and stick them under the flow that way.

 

[saadoyle]

Hi there, I am new as well. I was worried about the flow in my tank. Linda-Lou was getting moved around by it and so she wouldn't come out of her hides.

What I did:

I lowered the water table and put two terra cotta planters under the filter output. I then put a glass lock container on top. With a sponge on the intake to slow flow, I added another one on top of the filter media to slow further. In the glass lock, I added another sponge (secured by river rocks) for the output to fall on. So now, I have the filter on full blast, three extra points of filtration and zero current in the water. I also have supersaturated gases in my water, so the fan blowing on the falling water degasses as well. The water flows directly onto the sponge and cascades out over the glass lock. My water level is about half an inch lower than the glass lock. The set-up is perfect and Linda-Lou is always out of her hides now.

 

[SariYappa]

After a description like that, you really must supply pictues of 'Linda Lou's set up

 

[saadoyle]

Pics to come…as soon as hubby gets home to post them for me…haha. Yes, at the ripe old age of 33, technology has passed me by.

 

[saadoyle]

Here are some pics of my setup. I hope this works properly. I'm wingin' it here…sorry if they are tiny or something weird happens

 

[saadoyle]

Okay, one last try. Sorry guys! Here's the filter set up photos for people without x-ray vision. I took about an inch of water out of the tank to hopefully illustrate how well this stops the current.

 

[AshSeek]

His gills look beautiful, i think he is healthy, my axolotls do the same thing especially after being fed. i wouldn't worry about your filter, if your still a bit concerned tho you can but one of his hideaways underneath the flow to help disperse the output of the water.