Thinking about getting an Axolotl but have questions?????

[rpalicia]

I am really interested in axolotl's and have a few questions. I really want to have an Eco/self cleaning aquarium. I want to incorporate Aquaponics filters, snails, moss ball, and red wriggler worms to clean the bottom. Will this be OK? They say that the moss ball stabilizes PH but will it harm the axolotl's. I love the idea of Aquaponics. If you don't know about it, it uses plants to clean the water. The fish poo goes into the filter where the plan is in a bed of porous gravel and out comes clean water.I found a Aquaponics filter at PetCo that is called Elive AquaDuo power filters (Elive | Premium Fish Food, Aquariums, LED Lighting & Aquatic Supplies). While I was researching Aquaponics I found some do it yourself jobs but the looked really unprofessional and I want to show off my tank. However, I came across a site that uses red wriggler worms along with their system. The red wriggler worms eat the poo and stuff on the bottom and keeps the tank clean. And the idea of snails I know might be a bit dicey but if I found one as big as a large river rock would it be OK to have one?
All this possibly maintains a biologically clean and healthy environment for the axolotl and other fish. I also found this living gravel on aquaristic.net it is called CoAqua active Substrat.
I know this is a lot but can you address everything that I talked about to see if it will be feasible for keeping an axolotl with all I want to do?
Thank you
Renee

 

[Kaini]

True aquaponics is highly difficult and generally requires a huge (like, takes up your back yard) setup. Your aquarium will never be truly 'self-cleaning' ... you have to clean it, period.

Moss balls barely contribute to water quality at all. They're just pretty XD

I don't know what exactly you linked to on that site, but the site itself is so full of misinformation and BS that I kinda wanna barf. Their betta 'aquariums' aren't even suitable for shrimp, let alone a betta. Never shove your fish into something that small. All of their products look to be under five gallons which is freaking ridiculous. Ugh disgusting.

So don't believe anything you read on that site. I wouldn't trust their 'aquaponics' setup as far as I could throw it from what I've seen so far.



In short, no I wouldn't try to keep an axolotl in an 'aquaponics' setup. Or at least not what you're thinking.

You need to be putting the needs of the Axolotl first. They need a true filter and a well maintained tank.

Axolotls also absolutely cannot be kept on gravel - they swallow anything smaller than their head and they can get impacted from it and die.

 

[Elliriyanna]

Axolotls produce too much waste to have a self maintaining ecosystem in a tank, Also since its a closed system Nitrates will build up. You will want to look up cycling your aquarium Also lotls dont do so well with live plants ... they are bulldozers lol.