Feeding methods

Hi all,

Our axolotl, the Tiniest, is doing MUCH better since her stone eating incident several months ago. She is growing all the time, and we are picking up a new bigger tank for her tomorrow. It's a 40 gal. breeder tank, and we're really looking forward to setting it up with tons of plants, hiding spots and "friends" -- read, swimming food.

Our question is regarding the non-living food. How do people feed their axolotls? Currently, we put her in a separate container to feed her. This is mainly to cut down on mess in the tank, but also we've run into a problem. She simply won't eat on her own. We got her as an embryo, and we started feeding her Daphnia and other small zooplankton using a pipette. Since then, she pretty much won't eat anything that isn't hanging off the pipette. She readily attacks an empty pipette, but she doesn't seem to use her senses to detect food in her container.

Suggestions? We've been feeding her a mix of blood worms and salmon pellets. If this is a bad diet, too, let us know. She'll be 1 yr. old in March, and she's about 7-8 inches long. Also, is it true that their bellies should be as wide as their heads? We don't want her to be fat.

Thanks!
Jessie, Anna and the Tiniest

PS -- once we get her tank all set up, we'll post some pics. Can someone recommend a good plant distributor? Our local aquarium shop closed.

Hi, i use to feed my little guy beef heart, brine shrimp and bloodworms (frozen obviously) and i would switch everyday so he wasnt getting the same food. I would use little tongs and whenever i picked up the tongs he would go crazy and he knew he was getting fed.

Anyway, Now my new little guy, when i bought him from the shop they told me he had a big appetite and could eat up to 6 worms a day. I've fed him 2 a day since ive had him and i tried him on beef heart about 5 mins ago , he just picked at it but wasnt interested at all.

So pretty much id just try and suggest changing the food and holding it infront of her face and hopefully she gets some what of an idea and is interested! I know it can be extremely frustrating when they dont want to it!

Good luck. Can't wait to see some pics of your set up!