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Newbie question on axolotls and live food

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BioGirl

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Hi I am new to this but I really want to set up a tank with an axolotl and I have just been browsing the forums. I think it would be really cool to replicate a natural habitat and I was wondering if that would be possible and healthy for them. Say, have some live plants, add some daphnia and let the culture grow a bit, then add some guppies and the axolotl. the guppies would eat the daphnia and the axolotl could have its pick of both I suppose. I am assuming that I would still need to supplement food with a pellet type occassionally?
Thanks
BioGirl
 
carsona246

carsona246

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I wouldn't put guppies in the tank immediatly with your axoltol, as your probably going to get a juvenile. Guppies can be put with axolotls, but you need to watch for gill nipping, as it can be a problem. Live plants are always a good edition to a tank. You would still be feeding them earthworms/pellets as the staple diet, as guppies wouldn't make a super healthy staple, but you can keep guppies with your axie, just make sure they're not eating his gills.
 
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I was thinking of guppies myself but I always thought that they were tropical fish, is this not case? Might get myself some if not :)
 
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smily sam

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guppies are tropical and coldwater they are also bracish/marine but I woldn't keep guppies with axolotls any way if you intend on buying them to feed to your axies it is illegal in this country, plus guppies nip axie gills:(
 
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smily sam

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you could add cherry shrimp to your axie tank without the problem of gill niping, also it isnt illegal to feed them to axies because they are invertibrates, they also would be good in a natural themed tank:happy:;)
 
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can they survive in a coldwater tank as well then? Thought they were tropical too :)
 
zoezakella

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smily sam said:
guppies are tropical and coldwater they are also bracish/marine but I woldn't keep guppies with axolotls any way if you intend on buying them to feed to your axies it is illegal in this country, plus guppies nip axie gills:(
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a lot of people keep guppies/minnows etc as feeder fish at home and thats fine do be sure if u get any though that they are quarantined for at least 30 days and wait until your axie is big enough :happy:
 
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smily sam

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they are tropical but a few people I know keep them with (as far as I know) no problems like ted22. Any way I think think they would be a good addition to a natural themed tank:happy::wacko:
 
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smily sam

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zoezakella said:
a lot of people keep guppies/minnows etc as feeder fish at home and thats fine do be sure if u get any though that they are quarantined for at least 30 days and wait until your axie is big enough :happy:
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it is illegal to buy/sell feeder fish in this country. As far as I am aware it is only legal if you breed them yourself
 
zoezakella

zoezakella

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smily sam said:
it is illegal to buy/sell feeder fish in this country. As far as I am aware it is only legal if you breed them yourself
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You dont buy feeder fish thats not what I said but you would have to buy some guppies to get them to breed and then you use the fry etc for feeder food.
 
carsona246

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it's legal in the u.s to use feeder fish, but you should always quarentine feeder fish if you're not breeding them yourself. While guppies ideally should be in tropical brackish water, it's not necessary for them to breed. I've bred guppies in freshwater with no heater, and they did fine, and bred consistently.
 
zoezakella

zoezakella

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memojo1979 said:
I've been researching Cherry Shrimp too -

Cherry shrimp - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Technically counted as tropical, I think, but can live in cooler water ;)
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as per Mojo's note they can live in cooler water with no problem but if you want to breed them they do best in warmer waters :happy: Also any cherry shrimp you do add into an axie tank wont last long before they get munched!

I have set up a 10 gallon tank myself to start breeding cherry shrimp for the purpose of putting some in with my axies for food and for any survivers to act as clean up crew and look nice :D
 
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    with axolotls would I basically have to keep buying and buying new axolotls to prevent inbred breeding which costs a lot of money??
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    @Thorninmyside, I Lauren chen
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