Impulse Axolotl / Questions

Hi, Today i went to my local pet store to go buy some used equipment, I noticed a plastic tub in the corner of all the aquariums and I could not believe there were 3 axolotls in there!(I've been to this pet store atleast 20+ times in 2 weeks)

One was missing a leg and 2 were too big for the tank, their water was also dirty and the current the filter was giving off was too strong. I couldn't leave them in that state but I only had enough money on me to buy one. I got one of the larger ones sort of like an impulse buy . I had several empty tanks and a 20 gallon thats completely setup and running for about 2 weeks because im scheduled to get 3 juvies from axolotl canada this coming monday! I figured that I might as well pop him in that tank for a while before the juvies come in then I'll relocate him into my fully stocked up 20 gal!

Hes been in there for about 7 hours and he looks really happy! While i was hand feeding him some frozen bloodworms I noticed that he only had 5 gills. Is this normal? or does every axolotl have 6? theres no stumps or anything? other than that he looks really happy and swims everywhere when he sees me!

(He's a wild morph, 6 inches counting the tail)

Also, How much should I feed him if he's 6 inches in length ? a whole cube of bloodworms? and how often? He seems to be eager to eat more out of my hand and walks over it when its on the sand.

WilBor said:

Also, How much should I feed him if he's 6 inches in length ? a whole cube of bloodworms? and how often? He seems to be eager to eat more out of my hand and walks over it when its on the sand.

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At that size I would be feeding earthworms. Cut up night crawlers into chunks. He won't be getting much nutrition from bloodworms at his size.

Do I need specific worms? Or can I buy from a bait shop? And how many worms per day would he need?

WilBor said:

Do I need specific worms? Or can I buy from a bait shop? And how many worms per day would he need?

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Most worms will work fine. Night crawlers are probably what you'll find at a bait shop and they work great. Some people also use red wrigglers but they can give off a bad odor when they're cut up or mad so some axolotls don't like them. At 6 in you could do a whole worm every other day. You want the head to be the same width as the body so feed more or less depending on how he looks. ??


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Felixtacat said:

Most worms will work fine. Night crawlers are probably what you'll find at a bait shop and they work great. Some people also use red wrigglers but they can give off a bad odor when they're cut up or mad so some axolotls don't like them. At 6 in you could do a whole worm every other day. You want the head to be the same width as the body so feed more or less depending on how he looks. ??


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Click to expand...

And I mean a whole night crawler. Some other types of worms are smaller but I only have experience with night crawlers. Good luck


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I started a red wiggler colony for my axie but I'm just waiting for them to breed. I tried one with him though and he did eat it.

I use Canadian Night Crawlers - the reptile store near me gets them in for me. Big Als also sells them.

My axie is about 8" long and I do 2 night crawlers cut into chunks and I leave them in for two days. So, he's fed every other day and grazes on the chunks as he wants. If any chunks stop wiggling or start to look funny, I take them out so they don't dirty his water.

After 2 days, I toss anything he hasn't eaten and start again.