Moving my hatchlings - advice?

[Nijinski]

Hi guys, I always lurk on here but have never posted before :/

I've got a first spawn from one of my axie pairs that have recently hatched, and their size differences are already really notable. I'm thinking I'll have to move them soon, and this may sound odd, but...how do I move them?!

I've never had axolotls before the stage where they can be manually handled before. Should I use a net with the hatchlings, or gently siphon them, or use a big spoon...I've been aokay through the shrimp cultures, hatching, and now this has me flummoxed. I really don't want to hurt them.

 

[seagull]

if they are still small enough to fit into a turkey baster, it's a great tool to gently transfer them

 

[layna]

You can also use either a very very fine net or a measuring spoon, just try not to transfer too much water

 

[Nijinski]

Thanks guys! I accidentally transferred one by baster earlier when cleaning the tank to no ill effects, so hopefully all bar the few with massive heads will fit.

So excited to see them change, I've got a bizarre range of colours from two wilds!

 

[auntiejude]

I used a tea strainer when they were very little.

 

[Kaysie]

I'm a big fan of brine shrimp nets for hatchlings.

 

[hzlotl]

I personally have used the turkey baster with success. However, with hudreds of eggs that can be a very tedious task. My method of choice is to simply transfer the eggs by hand, a handfull at a time. The eggs are hardy and very well protected by the thick layer of jelly.
I noticed my axies walking all over the eggs before I transfered them, and the eggs didn't seem damaged at all. And I fugured if they could stand that, they'd be fine with me gently trasnferring them by hand. It worked.:happy:

 

[Nijinski]

The tea strainer comment really tickled me for some reason, super cute!

I've got the best part of a hundred babbies to shuttle around, but tbh I'm just going to move the smallest ones out of harm's way and into another tank. That should be doable with a baster I think.

 

[Aschneider8]

I have the same question. I have a brine shrimp net, but I think it will catch too much waste and dead brine shrimp. I have lots of other nets, so as long as the babies do not fit through the holes will it damage them? I liked the tea strainer too is that a metal one like the metal mesh kind? I am worrieed that the heads on the bigger ones are too big for the baster now. Thanks.