Question: New Axolotl owner, read plenty (now: diary of Fred's new owner)

[dazkeirle]

Re: New Axolotl owner, read plenty, just want to confirm a few things.

just about to go and purchase this:

API Master Test Kit | Pets at Home

I think this is what you recommended.

If the nitrate is high which you guys seem to be predicting, have you had any luck with replacement specific filter sponges like this? :

Nitrate Removal Filter Sponge by Fish 4 Life | Pets at Home

p.s. pets at home reference only, I wouldn't dream of buying from there in stead of my friendly local store, they're expensive too.

Cheers

 

[Mac Myers]

Re: New Axolotl owner, read plenty, just want to confirm a few things.

Mac...you sort of used it in the right context you got the jist of it, but I am afraid my American cousin it was not quiet right for the sentance

Rats. I'll keep trying. I find the UK slang (if that's what it is) to be clever and funny. Should have stuck with Rubbish.

 

[dazkeirle]

Re: New Axolotl owner, read plenty, just want to confirm a few things.

Hey fellas, every the one to impress the experts I've gone out and followed your advice to the T.

Water Quality

I have purchased and used the API testing kit and here are my results - followed by my understanding:

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PH - 7.2 - fine

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Ammonia - 0 - 0.25 ppm - not rediculous but needs to be reduced.

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Nitrite - 0 ppm - no problems

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Nitrate - 0 - 5 ppm - needs to be improved

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From these reading I take it I'll need to take some action. Would you recommend a daily 20% water change with dechlorinated water until ammonia is at 0 and nitrate a little higher?


Feeding

Say goodbye to cat biscuits, today the little fella got some fresh and frozen bloodworms.

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As I had a nice big bad of fresh I thought I'd give him a treat with the lot of them and amazingly I could see the difference in him the first few mouthfulls.

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He was hoovering them up like nobodies business, and amazingly for the first time it appeared as if his gills were fully outstretched, i didn't even know they were that long.

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Is this a sign he's happy?

Don't worry I'll remove any uneaten later or when I do the water change but at the moment I don't think there'll be many, he's hoovering them up well.

An additional photo (ran out of attachments):

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That's it, waiting on your feedback on water quality. Hope I'm doing everything right and that you don't mind my pictures (i like to keep a photo journal for newbies who come into this the same way as me.)

 

[tomkeogh]

Re: New Axolotl owner, read plenty, just want to confirm a few things.

Axolotl can not refuse live food...they love it! if you feed him some live for a few days he should take the frozen as well, did you look for earthworms? try a bait shop or google worms direct.

Those parameters are ok but it sounds like the cycle is starting as there are so little nitrates you have some ammonia which is the begining of a cycle, ammonia rises than begins to drop as nitrite rises which than drops as nitrate develops, hopefully I am wrong and your tank is nearly cycled, if you done a water change last night I would say leave it and see what readings are accordinally if it is higher than .25 change them.

Her gills probably sparked up because she has no stimulation, tank companion and has been eating dead food this may have been the first time she has hunted keep it up I am glad you are sorting stuff out, you will learn real quick I was the same as you in Febuary.

Also just to check did you rinse the bloodworm under tap as they live in saline solution...?

 

[dazkeirle]

Re: New Axolotl owner, read plenty, just want to confirm a few things.

No I didn't rinse them poured it straight in. Doh!

I did ask in the shop and they said that's what I should do.

I'll rinse them next time if that's what you recommend.

So as levels stand I should leave it be, and retest for ammonia and nitrate maybe tomorrow? If Ammonia has risen from 0.25 to 0.5 then do a 20% water change?

Do I need to test again for nitrites as we've established its at 0?

 

[tomkeogh]

Re: New Axolotl owner, read plenty, just want to confirm a few things.

Tommorow test for ammonia and nitrites, nitrate is less toxic and it is ok to have a reading of 20 or so right now you only need to worry about ammonia and nitrites.

I am not sure how bad it is that you poured all the salt water in I will let someone else comment on that one.

Here is a little example of a cycle although they differ somewhat ammonia spike will last a week or two nitrite spike a little longer than nitrate spike about a week, this is assuming the cycle is begining

 

[ted22]

Re: New Axolotl owner, read plenty, just want to confirm a few things.

Hey dude as i said it takes some experimenting but u'll soon figure it all out as axolotls behaviour seems to change when growing up one minute he might appreciate loads of plants to hide in the next he might just want space to swim just have a play and see what works you'll soon nail it!

As for air pump yes it is pretty noisy so i do have to turn it off at night as the tank is in my bedroom, but there may be some quieter models out there i just got the cheapest i could find, will help drop that temp tho! good to hear your getting a bit of a drop with just a fan as it looks like it could be a warm weekend!

as for food I really couldnt tell you the nutritional values of what im feeding i just make sure all the bugs are gutloaded with loads of healthy food stuffs and hope the majority of it gets into my axie! as far as i know i think its only calcium you might need to supplement as i dont think alot of bugs have much except for snails that have calcium in there shells. or theres those guppys that i suggested with bones high in calcium but if you are not feeding these you may need to sumplement it by gutloading some live food,

il have a look online for what else might need to be supplemented nutrition wise and get back to ya! if anyone else knows it would be helpful information so please post!

glad you got him off the junk food you got a beautiful axie there, im sure u'll manage to keep him happy and stress free, ur definately on the right track dont worry i made some similar begginner mistakes but you soon learn and your axie will love you for it, luckily with axies theres only a small learning curve and they are very easy to look after it you do it right!

p.s try placing a shot glass or small jar on its side in the tank and put the blood worms in there it will stop them going everywhere and minimise ingesting sand or gravel (i soon learnt this after the mess i made with my first frozen bloodworm cube!)

take it easy

>ed<

 

[dazkeirle]

Re: New Axolotl owner, read plenty, just want to confirm a few things.

ok thanks El Duque,

I'm sure the saline is fine, we're talking 100ml of water dissolved into 60000ml of fresh water.

Saline is 30 - 50 ppt of sodium and fresh water 0.5 ppt ish.

There's 600 times more fresh water in the tank than the saline i poured in so even at 50 ppt the difference it would make is approximately 0.08 ppt in 60 litres which really is negligible.

 

[dazkeirle]

Re: New Axolotl owner, read plenty, just want to confirm a few things.

hi, sorry to be impatient, bt should i be doing a water change with the reading i posted earlier.

I don't want to do unnecessary changes if i'm getting rid of the nitrates which break down the ammonia.

Although i know ammonia should be 0, and it's not but it's not really high either so any any expert opinion is welcomed.

 

[tomkeogh]

Re: New Axolotl owner, read plenty, just want to confirm a few things.

You are relying on bacteria to break down the ammonia these live on your ornaments plants sand and filter etc, when you do a water change you are just diluting the ammonia to allow the bacteria a chance to colonize and your axies a little more comfort as soon as there are enough of the bacteria they will be able to handle the load of ammonia inside the tank and convert it to nitrite, separate bacteria that converts nitrite to nitrate than begin to colonize and convert nitrite into nitrate. nitrate is less toxic than ammonia and nitrite and is kept in check by your weekly water change.

When I was cycling I did not water change until ammonia or nitrire were above .25 you said your reading was between 0-0.25 so I would leave it until the ammonia rises.

 

[dazkeirle]

Re: New Axolotl owner, read plenty, just want to confirm a few things.

bugger,

became worried as had received no reply so to be on the safe side just did a 12 litre water change.

Was worried about that ammonia so thought would be safer to do it than to wait and realise later that I should have.

I'll leave it until this afternoon for the water to settle and then do another full set of tests to see what the state of play is.

Cheers El Duque for your continued support here.

 

[tomkeogh]

Re: New Axolotl owner, read plenty, just want to confirm a few things.

Man, I am just trying to help you out I was in the exact same position, actually far behind you I had all brand new stuff so was starting from scratch, there is a member on these forums Melfly who ended up giving me her mobile number because I was bugging her on these forums so much! so I understand your confusion.

It is not a big deal that you changed it may be for the best it is just every time you dilute the ammonia you slow down the cycle a little no big deal, it is just when you get to like 1.0 you are talking possibly fatal.

Try and get into a routine it may take 6 weeks (hopefully not), I used to get in from work at 6 feed them while doing the water test than changing if needed

 

[dazkeirle]

Re: New Axolotl owner, read plenty, just want to confirm a few things.

Hi guys,

Did some more tests, 0.25 on ammonia, 0 on nitrite and 5 on nitrate.

Going to leave to get nitrates up.

Also fed him some 'rinsed' bloodworms from one of those frozen cubes, far less than in a bag ut he loved them all the same. How many cubes do you guys use?

Also,

I'm a little concerned that my axie has the dark and light discolourations on the top of his head when the rest of his body is so blemish free.

Are these spots of dark on the "cheeks" where his head meets his gills normal, and is it normal for there to be white uniform skin before the gills.

I was getting concerned it was some sort of infection of fungus but it's on both sides almost identical and I'm fairly sure fungus wouldn't work like that.

Remember I'm new and just adopted the little fella so unsure of his previous health.

here's the pics where you can see the discolouration:

 

[tomkeogh]

Re: New Axolotl owner, read plenty, just want to confirm a few things.

Every thing you described is normal dont worry a lot of leucistic axolotl (white skin black eyes) have them freckles and those white storks are....white storks!

You have to get over your obsession with nitrates, first ammonia will rise than nitrites will rise than nitrates will rise. so you will not get nitrate until nitrite reads. the nitrates you have are probably from your tap water. nitrates are not the bacteria that break down ammonia.

It is hard to say how many cubes to feed, did you thaw the cube in water before putting in tank? can you tell me again how large your axolotl is? you should try get on earthworms though they are best food

 

[dazkeirle]

Re: New Axolotl owner, read plenty, just want to confirm a few things.

ok thanks for the reassurance, I know they are supposed to be a bit frecky but was concerned about the white thicker looking skins just before his head merges into his gills.

I'm sure he's fine.

I'm sorry about my nitrate misunderstanding, I now realise they are all toxic, just nitrate not so much.

I'll do as you have suggested and allow bacteria to develop and only change water when ammonia rises.

Regarding cooling I just purchased one of these: AQUARIUM COOLING FANS UK SELLER 2 FAN MODEL on eBay (end time 14-Jun-10 23:34:15 BST)

went for the 2 fan version as thats what they recommend for <80 litre tanks, but being the man i am really wanted to go for the super 6 fan model. Although the sensible side of me kicked in as they state thats for like 250 litre tanks, and I'm sure the current would be too much on my 60 litre.

Hopefully that'll arrive this week and will make for a more permanent and aesthetic cooling system for the tank (than a bit fan on a chair over the top with the hood off).

I wonder how much noise 2 fans will generate?

 

[ted22]

Re: New Axolotl owner, read plenty, just want to confirm a few things.

Noise is a serious issue for you isnt it! Dunno too much about aquarium fans but because of their size id say theyd be pretty quiet compared to a big stand up oscillation fan or just a desktop fan. I was using computer fans and they are pretty much silent so you might be able to make a nice cheap aestheticly pleasing rig out of of an array off them, bear in mind that for optimum cooling it is good to have blowing air in and sucking air out kind of fan setup as it will improve air circulation, increasing evaporation which will decrease temp!

(pc fans will need hooking up to a transformer in order to work as they are DC and the mains is AC but im sure you will find instructions on how to do so online or just ask im sure i could help you even build one from scratch but probably easier and safer to buy something ready made that you can adapt as you'll be dealing with 240v at one end! a solution to this is using laptop cooling fans (the fold up jobbies for a couple of quid on ebay!) They are light weight (so easy to set up and arrange over the tank) silent and usb powered so can plug directly into a usb to mains charger or adaptor!

As i mentioned before getting an air pump and a couple of airstones will dramatically improve the temp drop as it will increases the surface area of the water and helps the whole process (and axies seem to love playing in the bubbles despite my fears about currents etc.!) so might be worth askign a few questions on the forum about quiet air pumps see what others use! I wouldnt recommend my one, an airteck 2k4 i have to turn it off at night as it keeps me awake but im sure others have recomendations!

 

[tomkeogh]

Re: New Axolotl owner, read plenty, just want to confirm a few things.

I have not used the cooling fans either. I would imagine they are the same as PC fans so pretty quiet, I know when I used a desktop fan as you do it made a couple of my guys really uneasy. I don't know how much money is an issue for you but there are chillers you van buy will make life much easier.

 

[dazkeirle]

Re: New Axolotl owner, read plenty, just want to confirm a few things.

I'm looking into the chillers,

My issue with those are they are quite high wattage and are mainly for much larger tanks than mine.

It's a pretty inefficience way of cooling. I'll test the fans out, and if they do the same job or even slightly better, than the desk fan then I'm set.

I may even get a thermostat to control the fans so they're not on permanently.

As for money, well it's like everything, I'll pay whatever it takes provided i get good value for money.

If i could get a water cooler that would take it down to 19 permanently, with low noise and with a relatively low wattage then the convenience of that would probably be worth me blowing £200 odd pounds on it. Any more and I think it's a bit steep for a 60l tank. I'm sure i can find a better way.

Fred is beginning to enjoy life, he really likes those bloodworms. Just giving him a snack of one cube a day and he really is getting some character.

He's started climbing and swimming up onto the log, looking for those delicious worms. Good boy he is.

 

[tomkeogh]

Re: New Axolotl owner, read plenty, just want to confirm a few things.

Oh, I thought you had a 55gal, an air stone would help a bit as well in a small tank.

How large is he again? why is the bloodworm on the surface are you just chucking the cube in the tank, you need to thaw it out first, I put mine down on the sand with a net

 

[dazkeirle]

Re: New Axolotl owner, read plenty, just want to confirm a few things.

eh? you make a lot of assumptions.

The bloodworms are thawed in an egg cup and then poured into the tank. The go all over the place, and Fred sniffs them out. He seams to enjoy it immensely, you surely cannot be telling me that's not correct?

I don't think i mentioned anything about the worms being on the surface of the water. Sure they land on the surface of the log, which Fred now appears to enjoy climbing.

He's about 7 inches long (including his tail).

I have a 60 litre tank, the one in the pictures.