Too small feeder fish?

Saspotato · Oct 21, 2007

Hi

I recently put about 15 baby guppies in my tank for my axolotl, they are about 5mm small so really tiny. (My friend breed them and has kept fish a long time and never had any disease or other problems so they are from a safe source).

However, my axolotl doesn't seem to notice them as he does not respond to them moving around, are they too small for him as feeder fish? Usually he will snap at anything that moves in his tank (turkey baster, my fingers, plants that move a little, etc) and eats everything I've put in there for food so far... so I was just wondering are the guppies too small and should I wait for them to get bigger? Or perhaps he is just not interested...

Cheers,
Sas

russell · Oct 22, 2007

how big are your axys mate?
My fully grown ones managed to decimate nearly 15 newly laid baby guppies, they dont seam to eat the females that share the tank with them but the always eat the males! very odd??

Saspotato · Oct 22, 2007

He's about 15cm... I just thought it was unusual as he generally is very response towards anything that moves... or looks like it is intending to move

Maybe he doesn't know they are food yet... I didn't want to put ones that were too big in in case they nip at him. I will give it a few more days and see how it goes. My friend has some angelfish waiting to eat them if Maxolotl doesn't take to live food

Saspotato · Oct 26, 2007

Ok well after a few days, my guppy population has thinned somewhat (about 10 missing)

I have never seen my axolotl eat or chase them though... but I don't know where else they could be! Maxolotl must have realised they are food now.

catherinepet1 · Oct 26, 2007

axie feeding maybe at night

Hi i only feed my axies earth worms or blood worms
But we had a large crop of baby guppies of late
my son in his unknow wisdom
put about 30 in the axies tank
after 5 days all gone
they seem to love them
all animals live via a food chain so i dont think this is wrong
if we would of put baby guppies in a tank by them selfs ,
yes we would of had 30 adult guppies in no time
but we could not house them
so it comes to the old saying.
you have to be cruel to be kind
axies had a cheap meal
JUST GIVE THEM WHEN THEY ARE SMALL
OR YOU CAN HAVE BITTING GILL PROBLEMS
Regards
Catherinepet1/Catherine Selfridge.

Kaysie · Oct 26, 2007

While everything belongs to a 'food chain', fish are not a natural part of glacier-fed Mexican lake food webs. That is: axolotls wouldn't eat fish naturally.

Saspotato · Oct 27, 2007

I thought fish lived in all lakes? It says on wikipedia "The axolotl is carnivorous, consuming small prey such as worms, insects, and small fish in the wild".

Also, most of the recommended foods are not found in the wild so I think as long as you give your axolotl a healthy balanced diet, I do not see any issue with feeding them guppies

Kaysie · Oct 27, 2007

Wikipedia is NOT a good source for legitimate information. It's user-submitted. While it is sometimes accurate, it's not always.

Fish don't live in all lakes. A lot of glacier-fed legs are fishless. But I will agree: not all the recommended foods for axolotls are 'natural' axolotl food. As long as your guppies are disease-free, and you feed in moderation, they should be fine.

Saspotato · Oct 27, 2007

Actually, a lot of the wikipedia article about care and captivity is spot on when you compare it to axolotl.org. So I think the axolotl section is ok to take information from

I am curious as to where you got your information about the Mexican lakes being fishless kaysie as I thought that was one of the reasons they were going extinct - the introduction of incompatible fish species for fishing purposes (as well as the pollution). I have been trying to find out more information about axolotls in the wild but have had little luck so far, so any directions towards information on that would be appreciated. Cheers~

Kaysie · Oct 27, 2007

Maybe it was axolotl.org members that posted the info?

I said a fair number of glacier-fed lakes are fishless. However, I should have put the disclaimer that they were HISTORICALLY fishless. Fish have been introduced. Your best bet is to search primary literature for papers; I think there have been a few written on it. I don't think there's much 'website' information out there.

Saspotato · Oct 27, 2007

Yeah, I suspect it was someone involved or who had read axolotl.org, actually

There is a link to that site on the bottom of the wiki page too which is nice.

Ok cheers I will check it out on some journal sites from uni... Also ordering a book on them too

Cool creatures~~

catherinepet1 · Oct 27, 2007

good read

:tongue:
Sarah,
I have just got a book from my local libary,
Axolotls care and breeding in captivity
by peter w scott
page from book
the home of the axoloti is in the area southeast of mexico city,where it is indigenous to lakes xochimilco and lake chalco,which are both rich in all aquatic life.
In nature the adult axoloti feeds on a variety of small aquatic creatures including worms , insects , crustaceans and small regional fish.
So as the book states as long as we feed our axies a balanced deit with a bit of variety
it is pretty close to what they would eat in nature.
I would never give my axies fish from the petshop unless it was quuarantined for min of 30 days.
I have had tropical fish for a little over 20 years and have 3 quarantine tanks 1 for new fish 1 for new plants and extra one for any sick of suspect fish.If i get a glut of guppies in the future i will give them to hagrid and norman as they seemed to love them,30 eaten in 5 days was a top effort.
well if you can get hold of this book ,i am sure you will find it very intersting as i have done.
Now of to see if i can buy this book on line.
regards catherinepet1/catherine.

Saspotato · Oct 27, 2007

Hey Catherine, that is the book I am ordering of amazon!

Glad to know it is an interesting read.

Yeah, getting non-diseased guppies is important, I have a friend who breeds them for me. She's kept tropical fish for a long long time and never had any disease so it looks like a safe bed to get them. She's got another lot lined up for me next week. Maxololt will be pleased

catherinepet1 · Oct 27, 2007

Cool i look on there now and order book
Anything we axies lovers can find about is good
I just want my 2 friends to be happy,
And have the best life i can give them
regards/catherine

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