When do newly hatched axies start to eat?

[SarahandRich]

I have potentially 43 babies to hatch - 4 are out and now in individual cups (the waiting eggs are in the tank with filter etc). The babies are so small and nervous so I don't know if they will eat yet. Obviously they won't hand-feed, but a few drops of tiny bloodworm from the sachet doesn't seem to temp them as yet and I don't want to risk starvation!

Any suggestions - or should I just be patient? Are they still too young? Do they eat on 'day one'?

Thanx

 

[Bellabelloo]

Newly hatched larvae will have an 'egg sack' that'll tide them over a day or so. After that the best food is brine shrimp and small daphnia.

http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/microfoods.shtml

 

[philbaker76]

I'd get as much small daphnia as you can - sick it in the tank with the eggs in and leave it. Keep adding it as and when can.

Although some people don't agree with "wild daphnia" - I swear by it, and if you're lucky enough to have a pond - it's a constant source (more so over the summer). It's small, very hardy and will live with your hatchlings until eaten.

Also, the wild stuff darts around the bottom of the tank - where you hatchlings sit in wait. You can buy daphnia from your local aquatic shop - but it's slightly larger - Oh, and make sure it's fresh.

Blood worm is probably way too big at this stage. I keep all my hatchlings together for the first few weeks.

 

[SarahandRich]

Shops closed for daphnia...!!! aarfgghh

... we've moved all the eggs to one tank and the hatchlings to another with a filter in it.

As I moved some eggs, others came out - and now 8 are swimming around!

We went out in the car to four aquatic centres nearby, but as it's Easter Sunday they are all closed. Tomorrow too.... aaarrgghh! panic!

 

[Kaysie]

They usually won't eat for a few days after hatching.

What kind of filter do you have in the tank?

 

[SarahandRich]

Hi Kaysie - Thanx for all your help

The filter I have is a Resun Magic-Jet sponge and charcoal one, and I've set it up with the spray bar pointing above it and dissipated via some plastic water lilies

The babies (11 and counting by the hour...) are in together, along with the filter. Would it be a good idea if I switch it off whilst feeding? When I get some daphnia tomorrow, that is...

 

[Kaysie]

I wouldn't use a filter with newly hatched larvae.

A fair number of people here prefer to keep larvae in small tubs (like food storage tubs), in small groups. This will allow you to easily monitor food intake, general health, and will lessen the impacts of cannibalism. However, they're harder to clean (I just do 100% water changes every day or two by dumping out most of the water and adding fresh).

I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY suggest not trying to raise all of the larvae. It's time consuming (think constant feeding, water changes, monitoring), expensive (daphnia aren't cheap), and you'll find rehoming them to be exceedingly difficult. You will have to raise the larvae to an appropriate size for shipping, and then you will probably not be able to sell them for more than a nominal fee (I had to give mine away for free). If you can't rehome them, you'll have to find space to raise 40+ axolotls.

 

[SarahandRich]

All doing well...

Mother (that's me) and all 40 babies are doing well! Unfortunately three of my original 43 became casualties of attempting to move them out of the main tank and into smaller containers . However, all the other babies are happy, thriving and hunting/eating the daphnia that I FINALLY managed to source, over the Easter hols.

I had to break out some of the eggs in order to free the slower-to-hatch ones. They were much smaller than the naturally-hatching ones, so I had them in solitary for a while so I could keep an eye on them. They all went into the large tank with their multitude of siblings this morning.

I have also managed to find a REALLY GOOD aquarist that is only too happy to buy them from me once they are ready to go (that'll be a hard thing to do...) and I intend to keep only one as a pet. Deciding 'who' stays will also be hard

Now comes the wait to see what colours they are. I've seen pics of white axies in their eggs and none of mine look like that, they are all darkish - some green and some really almost black-looking. Will keep you updated. Thank you, everyone, for your help. I'm really enjoying this!!