I'm looking to start a new tank and want TIPS

[cmint443]

Hey guys, I'm new on here and I'm hoping to get some tips on a new tank I'm dreaming up

So, i have an axolotl right now and i want to get her (recently found out the sex AFTER she was named Fred) a couple friends. I'm trying to find out my final tank setup after my two new guys are old enough to share a tank with her so i can figure out how much It'll cost me.

I've done some research and I was thinking a 20 gallon tank. large smooth rocks on the bottom (deep enough to hold some plants even if they get knocked around a little bit), plants obviously, some other miscellaneous things for them to hide behind, a canister filter, a hood with low powered lamp (nothing too bright, just enough so that i can grow some plants and it'll look good.) I have no specific canister filter in mind, but i know I'll need to obstruct the water flow from it so i don't have too much flow. and then I'll keep some feeder minnows, ghost shrimp or guppies with them for sport and food so they can hunt naturally (which I'm planning on breeding those myself in a separate tank) and keeping the water depth at 8 inches

So, thats my dream, I'm mainly looking for tips on size of the tank, water depth, the kind of filter, feeder fish/shrimp, water flow control and the lighting. But obviously will be happy for any TIPS. thank you so much

 

[iChris]

sounds good. but...

you'll need about 50L/10G per adult axie for your sanity and theirs. more water helps dilute the wastes they excrete and axies are very messy creatures. with this in mind floor space is more important than water depth as axies spend most of their time at the bottom of the tank.

younger axies can snap at each other so this too goes back to having adequate floor space for your lotls if you get some juvies. lots of visual barriers and hides are a must so they can't always see each other, because if they do, they'll go at each other thinking the other is dinner.

as for the substrate, thoroughly washed play sand seems to be the preference. it's easy to clean (waste stays on top) and it's what is most likely found in their natural habitat. river pebbles and the like trap waste and thus contribute to water quality issues.

axies feed by sucking in water and foodstuffs into their mouths. this includes the substrate sometimes. if you use gravel or pebbles that are smaller than your animal's head, they can swallow these too and this is harmful and can be fatal, it literally blocks them up. and as axies can reach upto 30cm fully grown, they have big mouths too so you must be certain any decor and substrate will not fit in it's mouth. sand if accidentally ingested, is passed with waste very easily.

if you decide to keep and breed feeder guppys and minnows, keep in mind that commercially sourced ones from pet stores often can carry disease. quarantine them before using them as a food source and keep in mind that feeder fish alone won't be a complete diet. supplement with live earthworms sourced from a pesticide free and chemical free garden and also with salmon/trout pellets. you can also get specially formulated axolotl pellets too.

axies don't like bright lights so use a dim lamp, or even a LED lamp. this limits your choice of plants though to low light ones though.

axies are cold water creatures and a stable temperature below 20 degrees (celsius) is desired.

if your tank is deeper than 8 inches, fill 'er up. there is no harm keeping axies in a deeper tank. as above, the more water volume, the better. just use a lid (screen lid or otherwise) as they have been known to occasionally jump from their tank.


when choosing a filter choose one with a flow rate that will turn over the volume of your tank about 4 times a hour. so if your tank holds 10 gallons, choose a filter with a flow rate of 40 gallons per hour, so (tank volume) X 4 will give you the flow rate you're looking for.

have you had any experience maintaining a aquarium before?

 

[Chirple]

20 gallons doesn't sound big enough for three adults. I'd go for a 40 breeder. I have one in my 20 and adding one more would be pushing my comfort zone for crowding. You CAN keep three in a 20, it might be more work with water changes, though, due to large waste-production to water ratio. However, I'd rather give my animals more room than that - room to get away from each other, especially. Axolols aren't the smartest and if put in tight spaces with each other, tend to mistake limbs and tails for food.

Also, I can only comfortably fit two dedicated hides in my 20 gallon without crowding. I'd want 4-6 hides for three. Also, be prepared for the possibility of conflict. Sometimes, for whatever reason, you get a group that doesn't work out - maybe someone just won't stop biting. Be prepared to separate or re-home.

I wouldn't keep a low water depth. No point, really - you're just making it harder on yourself. Three in a 20 with low water would be a disaster. Way too much waste in not enough water. Fill the tank up. Go for a 40 breeder. You'll have much less stress if you do it that way. More water = more to dilute the waste and easier to keep a stable tank. It won't hurt them or anything, they don't need shallow water unless they are sick and need to be balanced and kept close to the air for supplemental oxygen - in which case, they wouldn't be in the main tank anyway.

I've only ever used a sponge filter for my axolotl, so I can't comment on that.

Feeder fish and shrimp aren't a great diet. You really want quality pellets or earthworms or blackworms. Your axolotls can choke on feeder fish and they're not really worth much nutritionally.

I have ghost shrimp in my axolotl tank because I like them and they won't harm the axolotl. They're not a food source I count on being eaten. She catches fewer than one a week (my shrimp even breed in the tank) - and just looking at them you can tell they're not worth much for food. They're a treat and not the easiest for them to digest. Honestly, she doesn't catch them unless they steal one of her pellets - and she's just going after the pellet.

Also, you must quarantine feeder fish for a month. And even then, you can't be 100% sure that they're not harbouring something harmful or deadly to the axolotl. From a very safe source, these are best as just a treat, and that's supposing the axolotl catches them.

Earthworms and blackworms are great. They're a live feeder and wiggle around. As the blackworms wiggle away, she chases them down and she'll pounce on and shake the big pieces of earthworm. She'll hunt down pellets, too. They have a good sense of smell, but poor eyesight.

 

[cmint443]

hey, thank you, I'll plan on getting a larger tank, and I'll look into for food. I'll definitely give them a steady supply of pellets and such, while keeping live bait in there just for fun. the worms sound interesting and they sound like something I'd like to do

 

[cmint443]

and thank you Chris, like i said in my last post, I'll look into bigger tanks for them. also the light i did plan to be very low powered and my plant selection to be limited because of that. I hadn't thought of using sand but i like the idea and I'll look into it.

also Chris right now i have my one axolotl (Fred) in a ten gallon tank with large river rocks as my substrate and a couple hides. I've had ghost shrimp in the past and i just self clean, i don't have a filter. My brother also has a larger tank but it's filled with fish so some of the rules don't apply

thank you guys, I'm still looking on Tips for filters, but will again, be happy to see any more opinions, thanks again