Here we Go!

[Lua]

Just got about 2 dozen axie eggs through the post from another user. Due to the lack of axolotls in my area i had to buy them off ebay, poor blighters! but they seem to be in good condition, looking a little like kidney beans at the moment.
I am a complete novice to axie keeping, have had goldfish for years, so thought I'd branch out, axies are just so adorable However, I don't want blood on my hands, so I was wondering if anyone could help me out and give me a few tips on raising them? They're in a 10 G tank,+I'm planning to feed them on daphnia when they hatch out. Can anyone give me some tips on cycling? would it be okay just to start out with a clean, dechlorinated tank and do regular water changes? I've had a few disasters with goldfish in the past, and I figure eggs/ larvae will be particularly vulnerable to chemical changes.
Hopefully its the start of a long and happy term of axie keeping, if I can navigate the first stages!

 

[ZoeT94]

some tips:

- don't use gravel (use crazy sand or crazy sand, thoroughly rinsed)
- give them lots of hiding places!
- don't overcrowd a tank, they do like space
- Don't use a powerful filter unless you have something to ensure it doesn't create too much movement
- Regular water changes

And most of all, don't take them out of water... EVER! ...

Hope that helps!

 

[Lua]

yup I've built them up a little maze of pipes and things I won't be taking them out/ handling, I'm not one of those crazy types who tries to metamorphose them, they're not pokemon! Hope they don't all hatch out or I'll be overrun!

 

[Aaran]

For a start, you will need constant live food whilst they are so small, I wouldnt really bother with a filter or anything right now, just do daily water changes.

some will grow at different rates thus requiring splitting up into size order, start with a few tubs its just all round easier to manage, i wouldnt say you need hides until they are alot bigger, although i would go for a floating plant such as elodea to provide them with some cover.

Dont forget axolotls dont have eyelids so try to keep them out of direct light etc.

As they are so young dont get your hopes up too high that every one will survive. Chances
are that wont happen. Even with the best care sometimes nature just has its way.

Things to think about - Dechlorinator (lots of it)
Constant live food supply - Either think about a brine shrimp hatchery or buy alot of daphnia bags in. Even try setting up a weekly supply from your local store thats the only way to gaurentee, find more than one stockist too. Can never have too many!

Also think about your time, you have to check these guys daily. Clean them out make sure they are feeding, make sure they have new food. If you cant get to them one day make sure you have someone who can for you.

also stock in a few tubs might need it ;P and make sure you have space that you can use. Also if you have cats etc try to make it so they cant reach the axies.



im sure ive missed a few things but i didnt want to go too overboard, and if i sound abit rude it isnt intentional.

PS sorry for all the grammatical and spelling errors!

 

[Lua]

For a start, you will need constant live food whilst they are so small, I wouldnt really bother with a filter or anything right now, just do daily water changes.

some will grow at different rates thus requiring splitting up into size order, start with a few tubs its just all round easier to manage, i wouldnt say you need hides until they are alot bigger, although i would go for a floating plant such as elodea to provide them with some cover.

Dont forget axolotls dont have eyelids so try to keep them out of direct light etc.

As they are so young dont get your hopes up too high that every one will survive. Chances
are that wont happen. Even with the best care sometimes nature just has its way.

Things to think about - Dechlorinator (lots of it)
Constant live food supply - Either think about a brine shrimp hatchery or buy alot of daphnia bags in. Even try setting up a weekly supply from your local store thats the only way to gaurentee, find more than one stockist too. Can never have too many!

Also think about your time, you have to check these guys daily. Clean them out make sure they are feeding, make sure they have new food. If you cant get to them one day make sure you have someone who can for you.

also stock in a few tubs might need it ;P and make sure you have space that you can use. Also if you have cats etc try to make it so they cant reach the axies.



im sure ive missed a few things but i didnt want to go too overboard, and if i sound abit rude it isnt intentional.

PS sorry for all the grammatical and spelling errors!

You don't sound rude at all, its very sound advice! I had no idea they didn't have eyelids, i suppose thats why its so crucial to build them hides? it could be easy to overlook this while they are still babies though, so I'll bear that in mind and keep them somewhere with low lighting, thank you.
Got the elodea, and my floor is carpeted with tubs in case of emergency! It's a bit excessive, all 28 axies can probs have about a tub and a half each at the moment!
I'm hoping they make it, but if I lose a few to natural causes its okay with me, originally I was only hoping for about 4 or 5 axolotls at most.
But we'll see how it goes, I have quite a few tanks so can make the extra space if its needed.
Thanks for the advice,looking forward to a summer of axie rearing At the moment its just so fun watching them grow and move inside their eggs, I'll enjoy the fascination while it lasts, a few months from now I'll probs be a jaded, exhausted wreck with 28 little mouths to feed!

 

[Aaran]

i think its just a safety thing with the hides, its like if your in bed under the covers you feel safer than laying on top of it without.

Good luck, im sure you will love them to bits

 

[laalflaach]

I think a good place to start is a brine shrimp hatchery, as they are small enough for newborns to eat, you tend to get alot of adult daphnia in the bags which are too big for little mouths, and where I buy them from they cost a pound a bag, and as I have 22 larvae now, it would cost a fortune. Brine shrimp costs around a fiver for a pack of eggs on ebay, and if you do a google search for brine shrimp hatchery it will explain how to set it up using 2 litre pop bottles rock salt, an air pump plus a table lamp, check out my pic of my set up, brine shrimp ready in 24 hours every day.

I originally started off with 36 eggs but some didnt hatch, some hatchlings had bubble bellys and didnt recover and one died last week due to a fungal infection, but this is nature and natural selection, survival of the fittest, I originally only wanted 2 or 3 .

I have them separated into 3's or 4's in chinese takeaway tubs, this is because as soon as they grow their back legs they start nipping at each other, so plenty of food is a must. I feed twice a day, now they have back legs, they have frozen blood worm for one meal, and brine shrimp for the next. I change the water after feeding, I originally used bottle spring water, but have just weaned them onto dechlorinated tap water. It takes around an hour twice a day to feed and do the water change, so be prepared for early mornings before work.

I have been cycling my tank for 8 weeks now, with 2 goldfish to speed it up, but it is not ready yet, the readings are still too high, so allow yourself plenty of time to get it up and running.

I found that reading posts as far back as a year, and all the replies to everyones problems and questions really helped to put my mind at ease, I was prepared for most things, just not the worrying.

The best thing about this site is that no one minds answering questions, and no one is made to feel stupid by not knowing something. We are all here to help. Good luck!!