question about feeding young axolotl 3 months old, about 4.5 inches, currently being tubbed with 100% water changes, while tank cycles.

[Ange.a9855]

Hello, so I just got a baby copper Lucy last Wednesday. The breeder said they're just now starting cut up earth worms. So since ive had my axolotl, it seems to only like to eat every other day. Even though I offer it food twice a day. When they do eat, they eat pretty well, about one cut up earth worm. In general, my axolotl looks like they're at a good weight, poops okay, movement is good, no floating or any signs of stress. Has anyone else had this?is It normal? I'm only asking because I read everywhere that juveniles should eat twice a day. And I tend to worry and overthink lol

 

[ThePapken]

Hello, so I just got a baby copper Lucy last Wednesday. The breeder said they're just now starting cut up earth worms. So since ive had my axolotl, it seems to only like to eat every other day. Even though I offer it food twice a day. When they do eat, they eat pretty well, about one cut up earth worm. In general, my axolotl looks like they're at a good weight, poops okay, movement is good, no floating or any signs of stress. Has anyone else had this?is It normal? I'm only asking because I read everywhere that juveniles should eat twice a day. And I tend to worry and overthink lol

Did you ever figure it out because I’m having the same issue, except my 3 inch axolotl has eaten a SINGLE blood worm since I got him yesterday and won’t eat anything else

 

[Rschubie89]

Did you ever figure it out because I’m having the same issue, except my 3 inch axolotl has eaten a SINGLE blood worm since I got him yesterday and won’t eat anything else

My suggestion would be to see if you can get black worms, they like live food. Also what is the temperature of your water?

 

[ThePapken]

My suggestion would be to see if you can get black worms, they like live food. Also what is the temperature of your water?

Around 70 Fahrenheit

 

[Rschubie89]

Around 70 Fahrenheit

That’s too warm, they prefer high 50’s to low 60’s that is probably the issue, warm water stresses them out. which I always find ironic because they are from a lake in Mexico in the wild. Also make sure your water conditioner does not have aloe in it. Prime seems to work the best with lotl’s. Also if your tank isn’t cycled I would Tub, like just a cheap sterilite from dollar general works great. It also makes water changes much easier.

 

[ThePapken]

That’s too warm, they prefer high 50’s to low 60’s that is probably the issue, warm water stresses them out. which I always find ironic because they are from a lake in Mexico in the wild. Also make sure your water conditioner does not have aloe in it. Prime seems to work the best with lotl’s. Also if your tank isn’t cycled I would Tub, like just a cheap sterilite from dollar general works great. It also makes water changes much easier.

My tank is cycled and my conditioner is fine, I read that 70 was a tad high but acceptable, but I don’t really have a way to get the temp down other than frozen water bottles which I’ve heard bad things about, any other recommendations for that

 

[Rschubie89]

My tank is cycled and my conditioner is fine, I read that 70 was a tad high but acceptable, but I don’t really have a way to get the temp down other than frozen water bottles which I’ve heard bad things about, any other recommendations for that

So i am from WNY it may as well be Alaska right now lol, So when I do my water changes I use just cold water, which helps keep the temp down and in the summer I put ice packs in freezer ziplock bags to makes sure there was no leakage, some people use fans. Chillers are a bit pricey but people also do that. Also 16-18 Celsius (60-64 f) is definitely ideal. And just because someone has said that they will not kick the bucket at 70f does not mean they will thrive. And from personal experience once you start getting to 70-74 they start to get stressed. Also at those temps they are higher risk for fungus and bacterial infections. The other thing is make sure you have hides, and I wouldn’t use the tank lights. They don’t have eyelids, on top of the fact that they are prey creatures with no defense mechanisms. I would just work on decreasing stressors, and black worms, or chopped night crawlers. Blood worms have poor nutritional value. I hope this was helpful. Also strohl’s herp’s has care guides, so do many other breeders, strohl just happens to be like “the king” of axolotl husbandry.

 

[ThePapken]

So i am from WNY it may as well be Alaska right now lol, So when I do my water changes I use just cold water, which helps keep the temp down and in the summer I put ice packs in freezer ziplock bags to makes sure there was no leakage, some people use fans. Chillers are a bit pricey but people also do that. Also 16-18 Celsius (60-64 f) is definitely ideal. And just because someone has said that they will not kick the bucket at 70f does not mean they will thrive. And from personal experience once you start getting to 70-74 they start to get stressed. Also at those temps they are higher risk for fungus and bacterial infections. The other thing is make sure you have hides, and I wouldn’t use the tank lights. They don’t have eyelids, on top of the fact that they are prey creatures with no defense mechanisms. I would just work on decreasing stressors, and black worms, or chopped night crawlers. Blood worms have poor nutritional value. I hope this was helpful. Also strohl’s herp’s has care guides, so do many other breeders, strohl just happens to be like “the king” of axolotl husbandry.

Yes it was very helpful! He has hides and there is no tank light. I’m in the process of freezing bottles that I’ll put in ziplocs to hopefully help a little. My tank is unfortunately too large for fans to have much a meaningful impact without a bunch of them

 

[Danielle a]

Hello, so I just got a baby copper Lucy last Wednesday. The breeder said they're just now starting cut up earth worms. So since ive had my axolotl, it seems to only like to eat every other day. Even though I offer it food twice a day. When they do eat, they eat pretty well, about one cut up earth worm. In general, my axolotl looks like they're at a good weight, poops okay, movement is good, no floating or any signs of stress. Has anyone else had this?is It normal? I'm only asking because I read everywhere that juveniles should eat twice a day. And I tend to worry and overthink lol

My axie is 19weeks old and it eats 2 or 3x a day and eats 2bags of blood worms and 3bags of tubifex