Nikita is laying eggs :S

danchristopher

danchristopher

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So Nikita has just started laying eggs..

At first we thought she had just put on a bit of weight, but she has been acting weird all day (swimming around a lot more than usual and going up for air quite frequently) and this evening we noticed her latching on to plants. When we had another look at the plants we realised that there were eggs attached. So far she has only laid about 10.

We introduced a new male into the tank yesterday and they were instantly quite fond of each other, but we had NO IDEA that this was even a possibility so soon. We've also noticed some strange blobs around the bottom of the tank which we assume are the male's sperm packets...

We have a smaller tank set up near by (this was her original home before we moved her into the 160L tank) and it has been cycling with a couple of plants in it.

Am I correct in thinking that sea monkeys are the best food to get for baby axolotls?

What are the chances of this happening again?

Any help information would be appreciated.

Ant
 
hi there, congrats! yep your right about sea monkeys or BBS (Baby Brine Shrimp) as they are more commonly called. Those or daphnia (mosquito larvae) are the best baby foods! :)

I'm not sure what the exact chances are of re-spawning, but as I hear it, it occurs quite often. :)
 
It probably will happen again, as long as they're in the same tank.

Daphnia is NOT mosquito larvae by the way- they're entirely different creatures.
Daphnia are water fleas.
But them and BBS are used in rearing young axolotls
 
You can't get daphnia here though :( Mosquito larvae are a good source of food however, and easy to produce... you just leave a bucket of water outside! However brine shrimp is the most reliable method. They need small, live food.

you can also go fishing through ponds for small critters, however being winter I haven't been able to find many. Get some Brine shrimp eggs from ebay and start up a hatchery as soon as the baby axolotls hatch. The hatchery will take 24 hours or more to produce the brine shrimp, and during that time the babies will still be absorbing their yolks so they will not be hungry anyway.

Here is a tutorial I made on how to make a brine shrimp hatchery,

http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-be...rine-shrimp-hatching-harvesting-tutorial.html

and the breeding and rearing page on the axolotl site are fantastic too.

Axolotls - Breeding Axolotls Successfully

Axolotls - Rearing from Egg to Adult

good luck!

The babies should be kept in several plastic containers with a low water level. feeding once to twice a day is necessary, and water changes every day are a must because the brine shrimp will die in the fresh water and make it go bad.


* baby axolotls are a LOT of work, And raising babies is not for everyone. You could possibly find homes for the eggs here if you are not ready to be a grandparent, or you could flush them (sad, but not as sad as not being ready for them when they are developed)

that being said, being an axolotl grandparent is heaps of fun and a great experience for those who want one :D


It will hapen again if the pair is together! It is recomended not to breed too often because it puts strain on the female, and eggs can be a handfull. You could seperate them for a few months, but i have found the easiest way is with a tank devider, so you only have to maintain the one tank :)


here are some pre made ones, but it wouldn't be to hard to DIY

http://www.aquariumproducts.com.au/ozone_processors.php


 
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most "instant" brine shrimp has been de-shelled and hatch in a few hours instead of a few days, but this one looks like they ARE hatched and suspended in a liquid. I'm not sure though. You could try it, you would just have to rinse them with water before you feed. Just keep in mind that once hatched they will only be good for a few days. That is the part that is confusing me :S

maybe start a new thread in the free for all section and ask about the product, see if anyone has used it or if they have further advice

*edit, i just found this topic on the same product in the brine shrimp and daphnia food section

http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-...rimp-etc/67770-instant-baby-brine-shrimp.html
 
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Jossie said:
It probably will happen again, as long as they're in the same tank.

Daphnia is NOT mosquito larvae by the way- they're entirely different creatures.
Daphnia are water fleas.
But them and BBS are used in rearing young axolotls
Click to expand...
Sorry, my bad..
 
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