Oxygen for Axo's

[billywhizz]

Hi,

I'm a first time owner of an axie named Steve, who is a legend. everything is fine but I've read filters and pumps stress axies so he hasnt got any in the tank, also i heard they dont like plants, so he as weed under his rocks producing the oxygen (even though he nibbles at them).

I keep hearing different advice everywhere so I thought I'd come here,

also would Oxygen tablets be bad for him?

thanks

 

[daremo]

axies love plants

you can use java moss, elodea, anubias... they're all perfect for them

what stress them is strong currents, but an air pump they don't mind (sometimes they even like to "stand" on the bubbles like an hydro massage!!) and filters are fine as long as you can keep the current to a minimum

 

[ted22]

Hello, Axies do love plants, they love destroying them! Also plants require light, which axies dont like. I ended up getting rid of all my plants I used to have because they all started dying from lack of light and kept getting uprooted by the axie, this is why people seem to use mostly plastic plants with axies but if you have the money to keep replacing plants why not they look great! (mosses and java fern are meant to be good with axies, low light and very tough!) RE: Filter you will require some sort of filtration an internal filter works fine you will just need to find one that is low wattage (watts = heat) stay under 5watts and you should be fine, you just need one with an adjustable flow or find something to diffuse it (fake plants etc) I swear by these eheim aquaball jobbies Charterhouse Aquatics: Eheim Aquaball Modular Internal Filters adjustable flow rate and directional output nozzle, venturi for airation very easy to take apart and clean and nice and cheap too!

Dont worry about the oxygen these little fellas breathe in the air too!

How big is the tank? Got any pics of your set up and the little axie dude? Post em up!

 

[morphyrichards]

axies love plants you can use java moss, elodea, anubias... they're all perfect for them

but if you have the money to keep replacing plants why not they look great!

Here's an idea, set up a water filled bowl or jar or something on a window ledge or somewhere fairly light and sunny in your house and add some of the plants Daremo has mentioned. You could even make it into a kind of decoration. After a few weeks those plants will almost be filling your bowl. Take some cuttings and add to your axie tank, by the time those cuttings have started dying from the low light your other plants will have grown enough to let you take more cuttings to replace them. Perpetual free plants (apart from buying them for the first time that is)

 

[daremo]

wow that's a great idea!!

I have anubias with my axies, I "plant" them in jars with sand and they have survived quite a long time, the axies stand on them but they are very strong and don't mind the lack of light (only that they barely grow)
also java moss is very strong, the axies stand on them, rip parts, used them as soft beds and they still grow and they are ok with low light
elodeas tend to die more but they are still doing great even when the axies used them to hang on the surface ...

I'll try the bowl with plants that you suggested, it sounds perfect to grow java moss (except that it may also grow algae with the sun... but worth the try!!)

 

[mickey1975]

Hi
putting in a filter will mean you will have to cycle your tank, its not just a case oof putting a filter in and your good to go.
cycling is a nightmare, there are alot of post on here telling you how to go about doing it.
I have a pump with an air stone in all my tanks even my baby tank.without one mine seem to swim up to the surface alot and i got worried that they wasn't getting enough air, now they have pumps they don't do it,

Something no one else has asked are you using pebbles or sand? course pebbles is a big no.no axies can fit pritty much everything in there mouths.

sand or a bare bottom tank is fine,

just remember to pick up any uneaten food and clean up any poop.

and your good to go

mike

 

[mickey1975]

And another thing i forgot to say was he will need an hide (cave, tunnel), somewhere for him to hide in get away from any tank mates of lights (one of mine does not like any light i've tied afew of them but gave up he don't really like my living room light on his tank,)

they say one hide per axie,

 

[ted22]

Hi
putting in a filter will mean you will have to cycle your tank, its not just a case oof putting a filter in and your good to go.
cycling is a nightmare, there are alot of post on here telling you how to go about doing it.
I have a pump with an air stone in all my tanks even my baby tank.without one mine seem to swim up to the surface alot and i got worried that they wasn't getting enough air, now they have pumps they don't do it,

Filter or no filter the tank will have to go through a cycle it just happens when there is water and waste, without a filter of some kind you are severely limiting the amount of beneficial bacteria that will grow as the sponges provide huge surface areas for them to multiply! Without a filter you would be looking at daily or every other day partial water changes, cycled or not. With a filter once cycled just once a week is all you will need.

 

[billywhizz]

Hi

Something no one else has asked are you using pebbles or sand? course pebbles is a big no.no axies can fit pritty much everything in there mouths.

sand or a bare bottom tank is fine,

mike

Hi Mike,

I'm in fact using slate pieces at the bottom of the tank as I read pebbles could make him choke, and he seems to like them with the rocks and plant pot I put down, I'd advise using this to everyone. I'll get some pics up soon

 

[billywhizz]

And another thing i forgot to say was he will need an hide (cave, tunnel), somewhere for him to hide in get away from any tank mates of lights (one of mine does not like any light i've tied afew of them but gave up he don't really like my living room light on his tank,)

they say one hide per axie,

Got one, he's got a big half plant pot to hide in

All that stuff i'm fine with, just the matter of oxygen because I dont want to hurt him.

Thanks though

Bill

 

[ted22]

Watch it with those slate pieces, axies feet and legs are very delicate and those slate pieces (if they are what I am thinking) would have some pretty sharp edges cant feel too nice on your axies belly, slate tiles or sand is what youd want!

 

[billywhizz]

I always gave his tanks a good clean and did partial water change, today though it got too messy with the bits of eaten weeds and dirt so he had a third of the water out while he sat in a pan with a worm lol

He's abit timid from being messed around a little bit now so i'm going to set up the pump and filter tomorrow, I also saw some ones idea of a goblet, tubler and stones to ease the flow so will attempt that.

Anyone else seen the idea i'm referring to?

 

[billywhizz]

Watch it with those slate pieces, axies feet and legs are very delicate and those slate pieces (if they are what I am thinking) would have some pretty sharp edges cant feel too nice on your axies belly, slate tiles or sand is what youd want!

Sorry yes it is smooth slate tiles

 

[ted22]

Sorry yes it is smooth slate tiles

Ah very good! Id be warey of that technique to diffuse filter flow as I would have thought my axie Gomez could/would smash a glass to pieces if it was in the tank, hes quite a brute! I use exoterra silk plants to diffuse the flow they have suction cups to attatch to the glass, just stick it infront of the filter and you are sorted, and it provides a nice shady area for your axie to chill! Heres what ive done with mine, it works like a dream.... (sorry bout the huge pic!)

My tank is full of these stick on silk plants the axies love climbing all over them!

Regarding oxygen, if you are really that concerned the best way to get oxygen into the tank is by causing disturbance on the water surface to enable more gas exchange you can do this by setting up your filter just below the surface to cause ripples on the surface or using an air pump and bubble stone or bubble wall the bubbles will break the waters surface causing disturbance allowing O2 to be exchanged.

Take it easy

Ed

 

[billywhizz]

funny just as you wrote that, I've put in a pump using the method with the glass to find Steve fitting in the glass haha,

Ok ill take your advice on the filter! might also get him more weed, its like £2 for 3 bunches and he loves tearing it up, saw him swimming round the tank with a piece in his mouth once. Also taking the advice of growing more at home

Thank you once again

 

[ted22]

funny just as you wrote that, I've put in a pump using the method with the glass to find Steve fitting in the glass haha,

Ok ill take your advice on the filter! might also get him more weed, its like £2 for 3 bunches and he loves tearing it up, saw him swimming round the tank with a piece in his mouth once. Also taking the advice of growing more at home

Thank you once again

No worries, just make sure to remove dead or dying plants as soon as possible as they cause havok with water parameters, they may suck up loads of nitrates when they are alive but when they die it all gets release again!

 

[billywhizz]

Ahh yeah i kept on top of that, the only bits are the bastard bit of leaves from his general tearing, is there any plants they dont like destroying? haha

 

[ted22]

Ahh yeah i kept on top of that, the only bits are the bastard bit of leaves from his general tearing, is there any plants they dont like destroying? haha

Haha I hear ya! yeah they will destroy anything, java fern and java moss are meant to be good as they handle the low light, low temp and abuse that axies give them, java fern has large tough leaves so they shouldnt be torn off in a hurry! I have a feeling they grow pretty slow compared to the pond weed but they should remain a permanent fixture so will grow nicely in time. Pretty much anything else apart from mosses would probably be out of the question, axies are just too boisterous when they get their groove on!
I find plastics and silk plants work best in the axie tank as they can pull em about, climb over them and dig em up as they please without those "bastard bits of leaves" falling off and making a mess lol!
I have also used air fern in the past (its in my guppy tank now to hide the fry when they are born) its very strange stuff looks like a real plant but is actually the skeletal remains of tiny creatures that link together to form plant like structures it comes in a variety of colours and doesnt decay or anything so wont effect the tank, very strange stuff check it out air fern - Google Search I got stuff that is sold for aquariums but im sure its all the same stuff! just wash it first if you end up gettin some!

Just checked your pic and its just regular pond weed that stuff does just as well floating about on the surface, maybe consider un-bunching them so they float about out of reach of your axies mouth and general swimming about shenanigans!

 

[billywhizz]

Just checked your pic and its just regular pond weed that stuff does just as well floating about on the surface, maybe consider un-bunching them so they float about out of reach of your axies mouth and general swimming about shenanigans!

Oh man he'll get them, he's been swimming up the top for the weeds after the second day i had him! haha