Question: Plant food and keeping plants alive in an axolotl tank

Hi all,

I have recently tried bringing back live plants into my axolotl tank because it really does seem to help with keeping the ammonia in check. However most often the plants do eventually die and I'm at a loss of how to keep them alive. I have a typical tank light that apparently does help with plant growth, and I recently bought some liquid plant food. What I wanted to ask was the following:

1) Is the plant food safe for axolotls?

2) Any advice on how you keep your aquarium plants vibrant and healthy in your axolotl tank :happy:

Many thanks!

It's probably a lighting issue. Axolotls produce a lot of waste that should be enough to fertilize your plants. It could also be potentially too cold for tropical plants if you keep your tank chilled. Some people use half-strength fertilizer, if you really want to use it. I suggest you search the forum for "fertilizer" to get pros and cons and learn which minerals are of concern.

Oh, and as for question 2: I use ambient light (tank in front of a big window in "bright shade" without direct rays) and natural newt poop from my 3 ribbed newts. I also selected low-light plants that can handle cooler temps (my tank is 68 F, not super cold). I've had great luck with anubias, java moss, java fern, and bacopa and valisneria have not died back at all but grow super slow in my tank. I also have thriving water sprite, hornwort, Amazon sword and anacharis, though they all had some initial die-back while getting established. I have to swap out water lettuce from my pond because it doesn't quite get enough light to thrive; I use it as islands for the very rare occasions when my newts haul out of the water. I use a faux stone aquarium background as a substrate, and plants are potted in sand or free-floating. Good luck replanting!

Thanks Christine, I used to have a more ambient light position but the tank had to be moved to a darker corner, hence having to buy a tank light. As for planting them, I don't have sand in my tank so they have been placed in little pots weighed down by large rocks (bigger than an axolotls mouth of course )

I've kept anubias in my Axolotl tank for almost two years now I have their roots weighted down by smooth river stones. Like the ones you see in decorative bowls!

They do fine and even grow new shoots under LED lights or regular indirect sunlight.


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You could also try using floating plants such as water lettuce, frog bit, Duckweed etc, ( not sure what you have in SA but there must be a sort of similar plant!
They control nitrate levels in the same way and don't have to be planted, and seem to stay alive longer in my tank!

I've had problems with the floating plants because of the waterfall filter. They kept getting pushed under the water and died rather quickly