My Axolotls have spawned - How do I raise the babies?

M155SPARKLE · Nov 22, 2010

Hi, My axolotls have spawned for the 2nd time, two days ago, totally unexpectedly. I had to move them to a new tank is their original home sprang a leak. The first time they bred in June all the babies died two weeks after hatching despite me change the water every day and giving them live food. How can I ensure they survive this time? Ive currently left the eggs in the tank with Mum and Dad but can move them to large plastic containers if needs be. I wont have another tank free for a few weeks though.

What is the best food for them? Iast time I fed them daphnia and microworms but ive no idea if this is the correct food. for them.

Any advice on how to raise the hatchlings would be gratefully received

Many thanks

mroli123 · Nov 22, 2010

I have some eggs which I am waiting to hatch, its my first time at attempting to raise eggs but I would put the eggs into a seperate container until they hatch, once they hatch I think brine shrimp are the best food to start them on and then move them up to daphnea

I think that once they start to grow you are meant to put them into different containers depending on their size, so all the bigger ones together, smaller ones together etc so they don't try to eat each other, aparently being eaten by your brother is quite stressful

This is my understanding, but it might be totally wrong!

melfly · Nov 22, 2010

Hi
Yeah Oli has given you good advice there.

It is known that first spawns usually dont have a high success rate, I have raised many babies over the last couple of years but when Fred 1st laid a few months back all but one of the larvae died.

It sounds like you were doing everything right. I prefer to raise using baby brine shrimp, if you do a search you should find loads of information on how to hatch the baby brine shrimp (bbs)

Good luck this time!

Mel

mroli123 · Nov 23, 2010

When I hatch the brine shrimp I have trouble seperating the live ones from the eggs (mine don't always seem to work!) I use a straw and put my finger of the end then take my finger off to suck up the ones from the bottom, still seem to get left with 50/50 of live and eggs?
I have also tried rinsing the water through kitchen towel but it wasn't too sucessfull, is there an easier way?

melfly · Nov 23, 2010

Hi Oli
When i used a bottle to hatch my bbs, I used to pour everything out into a seperate tub and wait for the live ones to move towards the light and suck them up with a pipette or turkey baster.
Then i squirt these ones into fresh water and wait again for them to move to the light again then out into baby tubs. (this rinses and splits them up from the shells too)

Might sound long winded but its the easiest way I found to do it.

Send me a PM if you need any further help.

Mel

JP100 · Nov 23, 2010

Hi
Using brine shrimp is ok but they can be very messy and cloud water making it a big job as the tank will need cleaning alot.I would try to get some daphnia(Ive been using these for the past 6 years to raise axolotls). I find these to be the best as they live in fresh water and any that are not eaten will stay alive and mutlipy. This year I have used mosquito larvae and found these easy to gat and are a pretty good food. I have outside troughs in which I culture both if these but a bucket or plastic tub will work fine.
Best of luck hope it works out for you.

mroli123 · Nov 24, 2010

I've just ordered some daphnia, if I leave them in a bucket or something and use as I need them will they re-generate or does it take a while for them to breed?

M155SPARKLE · Nov 29, 2010

Hi guys, many thanks for the advice, sorry Its took me a while to respond, ive been ill last week. I dont have a shrimp hatchery but could probably make one and i can get daphnia from my LFS so will give it a go. I moved the eggs from the tank to two large containers and they seem to be developing nicely. Once they hatch I was going to put some into another container, so have 3 containers on the go so to speak.

Going to see if I can find anywhere on the web that tells you how to make a DIY shrimp hatchery as I bought some eggs to try out.

Will keep you posted how I get on

Thanks for the great advice :happy:

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