Tips Needed

[heather]

Good news everyone!
None of my larvae have died in a long time, knock on wood!

but um, they are growing super slow, they're just about five months old, and still only about five cm long!! I dont think this is normal, they're like midget axolotls!

I've been feeding them once a day untill they're bellies get really big,

Should I feed twice a day?

I've been feeding them brine shrimp, water-flea paste, and salmon pellets,

What should they be getting to really boost their growth?

There are these two baby axolotls that are the same age as everyone but are only one cm long each!

What is wrong with those two?!

I'm really confused about the whole thing. I've never done this before so i dont know what to expect! ANY suggestions would be appreciated!!!

 

[elisheba]

blackworms. once they've got front legs you can feed blackworms- they don't foul the water the way non-live foods or brine shrimp will, so you can add a bunch and let them eat at will. you can multiply your "man power" that way- they can have as many meals as they please.

 

[anne-marie]

Five cm does seem pretty small for five months old. Do they have their back legs yet? I fed black worm to mine, cut up so they weren't too long. Depending on the mouth size, I also fed tiny bits of raw beef liver on the end of a toothpick. I know that this isn't a good staple food for them but it was all I had, and it worked. Also, if the temps are low I think that growth is muted. This is not to recommend raising the temps, but could it could be a factor. Do you know what the parent axolotls look like?

 

[cynthia]

Heather - I always fed my larvae 2 or 3 times a day.
They should be big enough to eat frozen bloodworms.

Are you sure they are 5 months old? It doesn't seem like it has been that long ago since they hatched, but I could be mistaken.

 

[heather]

Black worms are available in my area, not even on the neighboring islands, its awful hard to get ahold of things like that, and expensive too!

Their parents are my origional axolotls, still fine and welll by the way, they live in the room next door to their babies.

They are more like four months old cynthia and after a recent growth spurt in my larvae(double yay!)the range is more like five to eight centimeters. Oh and yes they all have back legs, have had them for a while.

 

[anne-marie]

See, all you need is patience. And food. And water changes. And lots of room. And heaps of time. Ooh, and money. Lots of money. Good luck.

 

[heather]

will have to try the frozen blood worms