New to Axolotls!

[KrisA]

Hello!

In the upcoming weeks I will be getting a baby axolotl and am currently planning tank set-up and getting everything that I will need regarding care. I would love to hear any tips you all have regarding any aspect of axolotl care!

I have attached a picture of what I have for a tank so far (it is 16 gallons). Any ideas? Critiques? I would like to get more plants.

I am also looking into feeding. It looks like earthworms are a good call regarding a staple to feed? Any opinions on different blocks that you can feed and where you get yours? I have also read that redworms are a good treat idea.

Thoughts on feeding jars? It sounds like a neat idea, especially with helping to keep the tank clean. If you use a jar/container for your axolotl, what size do you use?? I would like to start with one that I can keep once my axolotl is fully grown.

Thanks!

 

[RusieckiR]

It looks fine but make sure nothing can fall and the axolotl cant get into small spaces and get stuck. Depending on the size of it, earthworms need to be small for small axolotls or cut up and you can use pellets or bloodworms.

 

[KrisA]

Thanks for the feedback! I'll definitely look into the stability of the three rocks stacked up to make sure they are stable enough to leave like that.

 

[debadog]

回复: New to Axolotls!

Hey, congrats on your new pet.

Lovely little tank, some more plants is a nice idea but unless you want to keep them all in pots you'd need some sand or another substrate. Depending on how small your axie is fine sand is a perfectly good substrate and looks really nice in the tank.

Plants-wise you'll probably need to read around what species work well in low-light conditions, as obviously you shouldn't have the tank light on for hours a day. There are a number of species that can do well with just indirect natural light from a window, like amazon swords, bacopa, crypts, etc. You just need to read around and see what will work for you I have amazon swords and they're lovely tall plants and my axolotl loves hanging out on the leaves.

As for food - I started off with cubes of bloodworms and brine shrimp from my local fish store but I quickly switched to earth worms. Frozen cubes are fine but they're nutritionally poor and they get absolutely EVERYWHERE. One sweep of an axies tail and they were all over the tank, even though I was using a big food dish. I have heard that jars can help with this, but I'd still prefer earthworms personally, they're much cleaner and quicker to deal with. They can also eat earthworms their whole lives and be fit as a fiddle.

Maybe you should try and find him a slightly larger/darker hiding space? Or some more plants will probably do the trick. Again, no idea how big this new guy of yours is going to be. I like to make sure an axie has a little space of his own that he can escape to if he needs to, such as when you're changing the water etc. and that house seems a little too bright and exposed.

Last note - don't feel that you can't fill up your tank all the way. More water in the tank will a) keep it cleaner for longer (as waste is less concentrated) and b) allow you to grow tall plants which gives the axolotl multiple layers to hang out on. People say that axolotls don't use vertical space, and though they largely don't my guy loves swimming about around the surface and resting high on the top of my plants, so don't feel like yours needs shallow water!

Of course these are all just my opinions, everything you've done so far looks great Post pictures when you get him/her!

 

[KrisA]

Thanks so much for the feedback!!

I will definitely look into different substrates- since he his still tadpole-sized, I was worried about putting something on the bottom of the tank.

Thanks so much for the suggestions! I will look those up. The room does have fairly good natural light so I was hoping that that light would be enough for the plants and I would not have to use the tank light.

I have checked and my local pet store does have earth worms so that is likely what I will end up feeding him once he is big enough. I am told that the babies are currently eating daphnia because they are so small.

I will definitely look into adding more hiding places/adding darker spots to the tank. Since he will be small when I get him I was hoping this one would be a good starter one.

Oh yes! I for sure will fill it all the way up! We stopped it at that level because on that day our main priority was just getting the filter set up and getting the water high enough to make sure it ran.

Thanks again for all the tips

 

[BrooklynD]

Just thought I'd add - you are right about the sand and make sure not to put any in till they're 4 inches and even with that you would want to have a food dish to try and avoid them eating sand. The filter looks a bit powerful, but if you have the same filter as me it has an adjustable flow thing which is perfect and if you have been doing research, I'm sure you know they don't like water flow and was gonna turn it down. Also, the water level thing to me is not too bad, as they have to swim up for air and when they do ur little guy will have to swim all the way to the top several times so it's a little bit of a workout lol. And lastly I have that same suction cup leaf in my tank - it's meant for bettas but my axies love it and are always on it

 

[KrisA]

Yes! The filter does do that and it was on the highest setting for the picture but I will definitely have it on the lowest setting by the time I actually put my axolotl in there because it is quite strong.

That could be a good point... I will definitely be sure to observe him as he grows and make sure he's not getting too tired just trying to get to the top!

Yes! I have one in my betta tank too and this was just my backup but I thought he might like it as a place to sit Glad to know yours likes it!

 

[debadog]

回复: Re: New to Axolotls!

Apologies, I didn't realise you were getting a baby rather than a juvenile, as thats what most people start out with! In that case yes you definitely shouldn't have a substrate yet but its maybe something to think about in the future. The natural light from the window will be fine but only for plants with very low light requirements, and definitely not ones that require supplementary CO2 or fertilisers, which really narrows your options unfortunately! There are some that work though, and you're best to start with these from the get go so you aren't disappointed when they die.

As for the water height in my experience my axolotl loves swimming up to the top and hanging out on the highest plants in the tank, and there are more benefits from extra water than less of it...but of course its up to you and what you think is best! And maybe a lower height is better for babies in either case!

 

[KrisA]

Haha, thanks for the advice! Unfortunately, some of the first plants that I got did die and then I figured it out and did some research and my new ones are doing great!
I will keep you guys updated! Thanks