Why so long to hatch?

[Nattles88]

My axies laid eggs towards the end of may. its now the middle of july. So thats like 6 weeks?

I took them out of the tank and gave them to an axie breeder to take care of and I went there to check up on them the other day. Some of them were duds but the goods one are beautiful perfect little mini axies. It just seems to me odd that they still havent hatched! Is it because of the really cold weather? They are outside in a big water trough and we are having lots of frosts and cruddy cold weather so does a low water temp slow down the eggs? Thanks!

 

[Bellabelloo]

The colder temperatures will slow the development down a lot, once it warms up they should hatch.

 

[melfly]

Yes, the cold will slow them down.
I had a batch through the winter that took a while, whereas the ones this summer developed and hatched really, really, quick!

Mel

 

[Char]

Hi my Axies have laid eggs a week ago, they are starting to develop. How big are they when they hatch? And can i feed them pin head crickets, as i am having trouble getting live micro worms?

Thanks Char

 

[Jennewt]

When they hatch, they are about the same length as a pinhead cricket. So that won't work as food.

There are other food options:
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/microfoods.shtml

 

[Char]

Thanks, can i feed them 'Sea Monkeys' otherwise known as Brine Shrimp?

 

[Jacquie]

Thanks, can i feed them 'Sea Monkeys' otherwise known as Brine Shrimp?

Hi Char,

Axolotl larvae will not accept adult brine shrimp (sea monkeys) as these are too large. They will accept baby brine shrimp (BBS) however, which you can hatch yourself. Instructions on setting up a BBS hatchery (very easy to do) can be found in that article Jen posted, as well as some other food options for the larvae.

I strongly recommend you read that article, as well as this: http://www.axolotl.org/rearing.htm.

 

[Darkmaverick]

I always thought sea monkeys are kept in water with a certain degree of salinity. I am not sure if they do well in freshwater.

 

[axle]

deffenetely the cold temperature. i used a heater on my axie eggs and they developed amazingly fast, but i couldnt get my brine shrimp to work, so i took the heater out to delay their growth so i had time to sort food out.

IMO using a heater is good as seeing them develop so fast is amazing. plus its better to keep a stable temperature. I still had alot of duds tho but i put that down to the young age of my females.

They arent ready to be breeding yet i dont think, but i woke up today to find another spermatophore... and 2 agitated females...
*sighs* here we go again.

 

[Greatwtehunter]

I always thought sea monkeys are kept in water with a certain degree of salinity. I am not sure if they do well in freshwater.

They are in fact raised in salt water but you rinse them off first before feeding to the axolotls. The shrimp will stay alive in fresh water for around 4 hours.