Our First Axolotl

Hi,
We are now the proud parents of a black Axolotl. We picked her up yesterday, and she has now been home for almost 24 hours. I am not sure she likes either us, or her new surrounds very much, and am desperately hoping someone can help.

Our tank (2foot) was established, as per the advice we received from the shop where we bought her. The ph is about 7.1, and the ammonia levels are pretty much zero. She has somewhere to hide, and she has a couple of plants in the tank also. We bought her home, and placed her in the tank, and she.... well, sat there - stiff. Her gills started to pump quite ferociously for a few minutes, and we figured she was stressed, so we simply left her be for a while and went to the shops. When we got home, she was hiding away from the world, and there she has basically stayed.

After being told she had to be fed twice a day every day, we were getting worried when she wouldn't come out to eat, and wouldn't take any food we showed her. So, not knowing what to do, we took out the hiding hole, and tried to feed her pellets. She ate three, and swallowed a few others before spitting them back out. Eventually we figured we were simply needlessly stressing her, and put the hiding hole back and left her. She hid.

This morning we tried to feed her again after taking out the hiding hole. We had been told that food like beef heart, chicken liver and prawns etc were best if it was to be fresh, so I tried to feed her a prawn. She took a bite and let it go, and hid behind a plant. She eventually ate one pellet, and then I put the hiding hole back and there she is now. Hiding.

I have always had dogs, and am really worried that she is not happy. I'm not so good with Axolotl thinking patterns. I understand it will take her a day or two to settle, but is it normal for them to just hide away from the world? She is so beautiful!

Can someone please tell us if this is normal? Is she ok? She is only little (about 11}}cm), and was the smallest in the tank with five others when we bought her. IS she lonely, or does she just not like us?

your tank set up sounds fine. did you let the water stand for 24hours before hand? but if not its to late now but it should be okay.

it is probably just getting used to its new surroundings. most axolotls are like that when first bought. plus they are more active at night.

beef heart is okay for them if fed not so often. pellets are fine. and earth worms. earth worms they like best. you only need to really feed it as much as itl eat once a day until its fully grown (at about 6 months - about 30cm) where then you feed it every 2-3 days.

let it keep its hidey place though so it has somewhere to feel secure.

You dont *need* to get it a friend but it wouldnt hurt if you did as long as there isnt a big difference in sizes.

Hi Lexi and Sarah,

And welcome,

Take a look at www.axloltl.org that will help you out, its got everything u need to know.

With regards to the hiding, yes they do do alot of it. They are nocturnal animals, so will be more active a night.

Just let her be, keep offering her food, but one thing, they dont need to be fed every day, mine are currently fed every 3-4days.

A good staple is either pellets or earthworms. Animal meat should only be fed as a treat, this is because we are lead to believe that they cannot digest some of the protiens in it, and alot of people find that they have floating problems feeding them solely on it.
And I can tell you now an earthworm will get most non eating axolotls eating agin, they love them!!

They like to hide, and the more corners and pots and holes you put in for it the better then it can find its fav hiding spot.

Axolotls are not social ainmals, and so dont require companions. But most people here seem to keep more than one, I have 3 myself..

Dont remove the hiding hole, keep it there, and just keep on with the offering of food, they can go for quite a while without needing food.

We love photos around here, so if you can, post a picture or a few of your new friend!

Good luck!

My two new ones (I am a first timer too) both hid for the first 24 hours, and now Amadeus - the larger one is exploring his surroundings and has even eaten from my hand, but the other one is still hiding. Perhaps he doesn't like not having a name, but I am going to let the kids at school name him.

Apologies for the delay...

We have had some technical difficulties...

Now to the update. Our little axolotl is now pretty active. She swims around a little when she sees us come into the room if she's hungry. She comes up to the surface, and waits for us to drop the pellets to her. Otherwise she stays on the bottom and just looks up, waiting for the pellets. Her temperature is still about 24 on average, but she seems to be doing ok...

She had a funky white film thing going on a little, but we treated her with an anti fungal thing, and she seems to be ok. I have to admit though, Sarah has been doing most of the hard work.

At least our little axotlotl has come out from her hiding spot, and has started to swim about.

Thank you for your advice! It can be rather intimidating trying to make an axolotl happy.

Axolotls can be quite shy when introduced to a new tank but its good that s/he is being more active.

Nice to see your getting used to each other.

Best of luck & welcome.

You know about the temperature so why not take look in set-ups or sick axies? We have recently had a few discussions on how to reduce it; cheaply and effectively. Same on fungus too, sadly a frequent topic of discussion.

Get registered, lets see more of you and post piccys of your tank and axie...we are nosy beggars...

with young axolotls i thought they had to be fed every day?

infact, kim, im pretty sure you have said previously you feed your young axlootl everyday. so why should her young axolotl (11cms) only be fed every 3-4 days?

On feeding check our the Quality of Life Sections there are lots of tips in there.

As for feeding schedules: Axies can't read. Axies aren't constants they vary (just like us). Therefore, feeding regimes will change as they need to. Young axies do quite well if fed everyday but older axies may not need to be fed so often. We also note that axies in warmer water may not eat as often or quite simply put appetites vary from axie to axie and dependant on prevaling conditions.

Just remember that what you do one week can be quite different from what you need to do the next.

When I first got my axie she did the same thing. She came out after a day but it took her a week to really get settled.