What temperature for hatching?

[amy]

just got a bunch of eggs from my axies and the only place i have for a hatching tank is in a room with the temperature at an absolute minimum of 75 f because of the bettas i have to keep warm. it isnt much cooler than that anywhere else in the house at the moment, it finally being summer and all. is this an ok temp for the eggs to be at? i dont want to cook them particularly. thanks

 

[cynthia]

Amy - I have never kept eggs that warm but http://www.axolotl.org/rearing.htm says:
Our next concern is water temperature. Keeping the eggs at a warm temperature (to an absolute maximum of 25 °C /77 °F) will cause the eggs to hatch sooner (generally in less than 14 days), whilst a lower temperature (such as 18 °C / 64 °F) will result in them taking perhaps more than 20 days. Being able to manipulate the time taken to hatch can be very useful if you need a while to secure a food source for the newly hatched axolotls. By lowering the temperature you can give yourself an extra week or two in order to acquire some brineshrimp eggs, culture your Daphnia, or order some microworms from a dealer.

 

[jennifer]

If you put them in an open tub on the floor, they'll be the coolest that they can be, given the temperature of the room. You might want to consider tossing this batch of eggs and waiting until cooler weather. Another option, if you have a yard, would be to dig a hole in a shady place and set a tub into it. Soil outdoors stays cooler than one might expect. You'd have other hazards to contend with, though.

 

[rheann]

Hey, can the eggs be kept in the fridge at all if the temp is set to a low setting? I have no idea about this. I don't know what temps fridges are. Will this kill the eggs?

 

[jennifer]

Yes, eggs would be OK in the fridge. But if the room is too hot for eggs, it would probably be too hot for larvae too. Raising larvae in the fridge would not be easy!

 

[rheann]

Thanks Jennifer

I'm trying my best to prepare and learn all I can before I start even trying. My Axies are a long way from being ready

 

[amy]

well, the eggs are at 73 f now and have grown so quickly! i was expecting it to be quick but at this rate theyll be hatching in a few days! thanks for the help and ill keep you posted on their progress