Tank set up questions

[Jenste]

My Axies have grown, now about 5-6 inches each, so we are moving them into a 29 gallon for the time being.

The equipment I am going to list is what they are currently being kept in, wondering if I should add / change anything while setting up the new tank

* Sand Substrate
* Live water wisteria (left floating so it disperses the tank light)
* Silk plants
* Ceramic Pots as "caves"


While they were young I did not have an aerator in the tank but wanted to set one up in the new tank....I have read conflicting advise though. Some say that aerators are beneficial and some advise not to use them... So before I change it all up on them, I wanted your advise.

 

[mewsie]

That all sounds good! Lots of hidey places

We have airstones set to a really low flow in both our tanks and the axolotls all love them, they sit with the bubbles tickling their bellies. I don't put the bubbler on all the time, it's usually just on when the LEDs are on in the evening.

They aren't essential, but if you see your axies coming up for air a lot then it's worth getting one, but make sure you pick up a little clamp to slow the flow right down or it'll probably freak them out!

 

[Jenste]

Thanks - some places I recently read said they were "essential" and others said they were harmful, So just wanted to check before adding one. I think the wisteria would benefit from it for the circulation. My other tanks with water flow have amazing wisteria growth, this tank with no surface agitation has awful growth...so its a theory

 

[mewsie]

I've never grown it, so could be!

As I say, just keep the flow very low, no point upsetting the lotls for the sake of a few plants

Miserable plants I can handle, Grumpylotls, on the other hand...

 

[Kaysie]

I'm all for air stones. I run a sponge filter instead of an airstone, but it has the same effect.