Introducing Florence & Emily!

[piersuk]

Hi all! I've just found this forum for the first time, so I thought I would share with you a few pics of my little babies, Florence & Emily. I've had them for over a year now, since they were tiny larvae, and now they are fully grown.

Photo One: Emily In Her Pipe

Photo Two: Florence In The Corner

Photo Three: Florence Through The Weeds

Photo Four: Florence On The Log

I've read all the comments on here about a suitable aquarium substrate, and I've always kept mine on gravel with an undergravel filter. I was advised to do this by the guy that gave me the axolotls when they were tiny. Now I'm thinking I should change to sand?

Any comments would be appreciated.

(Message edited by piersuk on June 01, 2006)

 

[chris]

wow...she looks......healthy....a little to healthy....jk..she looks great...love the last pic....

 

[yvette]

hi there i just got my 2 axies (axal and angel) when i first got them i put gravel in but i changed my mind and im glad i did not only is it safer as they can not get ill if they suck up the sand plus when i had the gravel i was forever checking them to make sure they didnt eat the bits of gravel but it looks alot better in the tank also they seem alot happier since i changed to sand.
it is totally your choice tho but in my opinion sand is better

 

[joan]

Sand is also a lot easier to clean. Undergravel filters are notoriously messy.

Your axolotls look to be in fine health.

 

[kapo]

Emily looks like she's smiling! Lovely healthy looking axies

 

[piersuk]

Thanks for the comments!

Just wondering, how do you set up an aquarium with sand? I'm guessing you can't use it with an undergravel filter as it would all get sucked down into it. If you don't use that system, how do you clean it?

Thanks.

 

[joan]

With a siphon and a turkey baster.

UG filters tend to get all the poop sucked underneath the plates, and then it just sets there. Axie poop is heavier than fish poop, so it doesn't get sucked up by just an airstone.

With sand, you remove your axolotls and put them in a holding tank. Wash your sand thoroughly (using a bucket, or a pillowcase, or whatever works well for you), and dump it into the tank. The tank will be cloudy, but keep your filter running and wait for everything to settle. Within a day or two, it should be all clear, and is safe to put your axolotls back in.

 

[jennifer]

You're right, fine sand won't work with a UG filter. I clean my sand-bottom tanks with a siphon that has a gravel-washing attachment (a big fat part on the intake end). I wish I had a video to show, it's not easy to explain in words, but it works.

 

[chris]

thats what I use in my trachia granulosa's tank.......its a hole lot better than changing the hole tank substrate every week...