New Axolotl Tank

Hello, I am new to keeping Axolotl. Ive kept Chinese Firebelly Newts and Triturus Karelinii and have had my eye on axolotl's for a while. I have a 40 gallon tank that i want to use. On it there is a Eheim Canister filter that im going to install a flow control and spray bar. I read the website axolotl.org and have a pretty good idea on how to keep them but had a couple of questions.

1. The room i would keep them in is kept at 70* F during the summer and drops to 55-65 in the winter. Is that too hot during the summer?
2. I keep seeing tanks that are only partly full of water but i dont really know the reason for it. Is it okay to fill the tank all the way?
3. How many full grown Axolotl can be housed in a 40 gallon breeder tank?
4. I have a 30" fluorescent strip light on there so it is 6" shorter than the tank. I am thinking about keeping it on for 10-11 hours a day. Is that too much light?
5. Are live plants like java fern, java moss, elodea, anubias and some other low light aquatic plants fine to put in the tank?
6. Should i sand or round the edges on pieces of driftwood or rock?

Those are all the questions i can think of right now but chances are i will have more sooner or later. Just trying to get all the facts before i begin so that i can make as best a tank as possible for them.

70F is fine.

A full tank is fine if you have a lid to prevent them from jumping out. They do on occasion.

A 40 gallon breeder would easily house 4 adult axolotls.

You'll only need the light if you plan on growing plants. If you don't have live plants in the tank, you don't need the light at all.

All the plants you've listed are fine. Although you should note, axolotls LOVE to uproot plants. Most people plant them in pots and weigh them down with rocks.

If the edges are pointy or sharp, sanding them down would be appropriate.

I absolutely applaud you for doing research on these guys before just going and buying one. It will pay off in the end when you have everything situated BEFORE you get the animal.

Another question i had was about LED blue moon lights. I was thinking of adding in a couple so that i could see the Axolotl's when the light is off and i absolutely love the look of it.

As far as the plants, the java fern and anubias i was going to tie to driftwood and rocks with fishing line but wasn't quite sure if the axolotl would rip or eat the roots. The java moss i was going to attach to co-co fiber but didn't know if the axolotl would be able to rip that up since if properly pruned it doesn't get very long. As for the Elodea, i was going to let it float or weight it down with metal weights. I want to have a good 1.5 to 2" sand bed too so they hopefully couldn't dig up the metal weights, which have sharp edges.

As for the few holes in the back of the tank, i was going to use wood as a frame to hold netting taught to cover up any holes and making spaces just big enough for any tubing i have entering the tank. (I hook it all up before making this so it fits perfectly).

Thanks for the advise Kaysie, all other advise and suggestions are very welcomed and appreciated!

I have those blue led moon lights - the axys were unsure at first but they seem to come out from hiding now, just make sure you dont leave them on all night !!!

Hi Zapher.
I wouldn't use that much sand as it can trap some nasty gases from decaying stuff. I started of with maybe 1/2 inch of sand in my tank but the axolotl trundle up and down and it all moves out of the way to leave bare glass. I then used smallish terracotta pots and planted the plants into that..it works very well as you can lift the plant out to remove dead leaves/ prune etc. I put larger stones around the base to make it look a little nicer. Elodea I did plant , but the axolotl like to climb in it and most snapped off..it now floats freely with out any problems. I am currently in the process of setting up a larger tank, this one probably won't have sand in as its easier to maintain with out..though having said that if I can get my aquarium sealant in good time I'll stick the sand down with that.

The main problem i have with no substrate is simply that it is unattractive. Ive read that having bare glass makes it a lot easier to clean up and i would imagine so but i have also read that axolotl have trouble gripping bare glass. Not to mention the amount of surface area substrate adds for beneficial bacteria. So there, three against one, sand wins! :wink: But really, a big part of keeping an animal to me is creating as natural an environment as possible while making it pleasing to the eye. Personally i don't mind at all having to remove thin layers of sand and eventually replacing it. At a dollar per pound, estimated probably removing 5 pounds every 6+ months, i think i can afford it.

Though i have run into a problem. Im not sure whether i should get axolotl or a lion fish. Its a constant battle in my head!

Well here is what has worked for me for a long time.

Sand about 2cm deep, mabye deeper in some spots. Powerhead(low power, pointed to mix water around slightly with prefilter), and some plants.

Thats really all you need, other then some rocks and a bubble wand with a low power air pump to provide a bit of oxygen.

My guys love it

In the wild axolotls live in Glacier fed mountain streams. They naturally live on river rocks worn smooth by thousands of years of glacial movement.

There is little or no sand, no substrate has many advantages but does add little in an aesthetic sense