Question: Set-Up and Tank Mates

[chosen2030]

Hello All, brand new to this site and to keep axolotls. So obviously I have questions and need your sage advice:

1) Has anyone ever kept axolotls in a vivarium/paludarium set-up? If you have, where can I see some pictures?!
2) Whether in a traditional aquatic tank or in a vivarium/paludarium, what fully aquatic, semi-aquatic and non-aquatic animals have you safely kept in their habitat (i.e. anoles/lizards, frogs/toads, slalmanders, snails, shrimp, fish, etc.)? Obviously, the larger the habitat, the more possibilities and the water/enclosure temp seems like the biggest challenge.

I do not want to stress out my new axolotl unnecessarily, so if the consensus is that keeping him/her in a traditional aquatic tank only with other axolotls is the best way to go, then thats what I will do.

Thanks!

 

[Jennewt]

I think your last sentence captures it well: most people do find that a traditional aquarium with only axolotls is the best bet. One of the reasons I wouldn't recommend a paludarium type of setup is that it would need to be quite a large tank in order to have an adequate water area. Lets say you have a 55 gallon tank, and it's half land, and the water goes halfway up the depth of the tank. That gives you less than 14 gallons of actual water, and that's just about right for ONE full-grown axolotl, possibly two if you were super-vigilant about water quality and water changes. Then there's the temperature issue, which you rightly noted.

Regarding suitable tankmates, there are only a few fish that are suitable, and even those should be quarantined before mixing. Small snails are OK. Here are some articles that might be helpful:
Caudata Culture Articles - Fish with Caudates
Caudata Culture Articles - Species Mixing Disasters

 

[Chirple]

Yeah, I really wouldn't plan on having a diverse tank. I have some ghost shrimp that get eaten fairly rarely and some guppies that I raise myself that are not introduced often (since they have to survive not being eaten by their parents and also grow to a sufficient size), but get eaten faster than the ghost shrimp.

If it can't be eaten safely, it will most likely bother / injure / kill the axolotl.

I wouldn't even try to do a divided tank - that's introducing too many variables and you'd be better off looking for an animals that would utilise both environments if that's what you wanted.

I can see an adult axolotl eating a small anole - or at least trying and choking to death on it. Frogs and toads will likely be eaten / choked on or if very large they might "just" lose a limb or you might have them kill each other.

If other salamanders aren't a similar size (including other axolotls) - they'll try to eat each other, or eat each other's limbs. You even get limb-eating between same-size axolotls.

For an axolotl, "floor space" is what is most important. It's better to have one in a 20 long then to cordon off a larger tank and have the same water area but in a less useable shape. Vertical space is not important and while it will act as a buffer for waste, the "floor space" is where their needs really lie.

It would be easier to just have separate tanks and set them next to each other.