Hoping to get first juvie

Hey everyone

I am considering getting my first axie from someone who has too many juvies and needs homes for them. I will only get one and they are currently about 2 inches long. I have a few questions.

1. Is it ok for me to start out with a plastic tank that measures 12 inches by 18 inches?
2. If i do use that tank, how long will i have until my axie is 6 or 7 inches long and needs a bigger tank?
3. If i do use that tank, do I need to get a filter even if i do 20% water changes every couple of days? I haven't been alble to find a filter suitable for a tank of that size.

Thanks!!!

Hi Sws,

That tank would be 1.5 foot by 1 foot. In my opinion it would be too small, at least for the long run. You can probably use that tank very temporarily but definitely not for a longterm/lifelong investment. Aim for something at least with a 2 feet dimension in either length or breath. It is the floor space that matters.

Obviously the bigger the tank, the safer it would be. Besides ensuring better welfare and space to add things like hiding places, a bigger tank will also have the capacity to 'buffer'/'dilute' excessive changes in water parameters and temperature. I would say get the largest possible tank you can afford. Try looking for 'preloved' tanks from aquarium shops or places like ebay, they sell for quite a reasonable price.

A filter is always advisable. I would recommend you get an external hanging waterfall type filter if you have a smaller tank or an external canister filter if you have a larger tank. As usual, keep the water currents minimal.

You may also like to consider investing in a water chemistry test kit. You really basically need tests for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and maybe pH for starters. You should base your frequency of water changes on weekly or bi weekly water parameters results. You want to aim for 0 ammonia, nitrites and <60 nitrates. Do remember to have your tank cycled before adding your axie inhabitants.

Cheers.

Thanks Rayson!!!

I ended up finding a good deal on a 15 gallon tank. It's about two feet long and a foot wide. Is it ok to put a soap stone in there? i have one that has never been used. I currently have a big fake plant in there as well as a bundle of live plants. (I can't remember what type, but the person at the aquarium store said they would be good with low temperatures and little light). The plants seem to be swaying around too much, do you have any suggestions for diverting the flow from my hanging filter?

Thanks!!!

maybe get a decoration, like a mound of large stones or, something, and put it directly under the filter output, that will help, or try and mount the filter so the water hits the glass first....

One more thing i forgot....

I have lots of big stones in my backyard that would look great in the tank, is it ok to put those in after i wash them off or will they release unwanted minerals??

Thanks!!!

I'm not sure what soapstone is, so I can't comment on that. Try googling "soapstone in aquarium" and see what you get. In general, any good HARD rocks from your yard would be OK. Avoid limestone and any rock that you can scratch or crumble with pliers. In addition to rinsing, boiling will help, both to sterilize them and also to release any additional trapped dirt in them.

just give them a good scrub, maybe a good soak... should be fine

good luck, and dont forget pics, we all like pics!!!

Thanks guys

I'm not sure if it's a soap stone actually i think it may be called a Tufa stone. It's cream colored and very pourous. Anyone know if it's ok??

THanks!!

sws22 said:

Thanks guys

I'm not sure if it's a soap stone actually i think it may be called a Tufa stone. It's cream colored and very pourous. Anyone know if it's ok??

THanks!!

Click to expand...

an air stone?

do you know what its function is?

stay away from anything with chemicals

Hi Sws,

Please do not use a soap stone (aka tufa stone). Tufa stone is a type of limestone which forms in close proximity to bodies of water with a high content of dissolved minerals, especially calcium carbonate. As such, these stones can actually be leeched out of minerals and alter the water composition in your tank, such as pH etc. This can make monitoring your water parameters difficult.

If you use a waterfall type filter, most of them have a 'switch' to turn the water flow to low or hi. Just choose the lowest option. You can do a aaron suggested and place huge ornaments such as rocks directly underneath the water flow. This will help diffuse the current. If you are keen on doing DIY handywork, you can create a small shelf ledge along the length of the top of your tank such that water flow from the filter can fill into the shelf and then trickle/overflow down more gently into the water.

Cheers

Thank you guys for all of the advice

Just a couple more things......I am not planning on putting any sand down in my tank, just some large flat rocks and bare spaces. Can i use a siphon gravel cleaner to clean up debris from the bottom even though i don't have gravel? Or does anyone know of a good alternative?

Also, what do you guys recommend I feed my axie when he moves in? He will be very small, 1-2 inches. Will freeze dried tubifex worms be ok to start?

thanks again!:happy::happy::happy:

Hello,
Large flat stones are fine in your tank as long as you clean underneath regularly as debris can get trapped underneath. A gravel syphon is fine for the bottom of your tank, a turkey baster is handy for little 'spot cleans' too.
Do you know what your axie is eating now? Freeze dried ANYTHING is not very nutritious and is quite likely your axolotl won't even eat it! With an axolotl that small I think the best is bloodworms or black worms. If you can get hold of live food, it's the most nutritious and the best for your axie, also the smaller axies don't feed by smell, but by movement I believe.

Good luck!

As a rule 18 inches of Tank space per adult axolotl. I use a tank that size for my new juvenile and bay additions to quarentine in before they move tho the bigger tanks it provides plenty of space in the short term