Changing the set up

hi all.
my friend used to have axolotls and she told me that she used to have a turtle dock sort of thing and they loved it. would this be a good idea? and my axolotl spends all day every day in a chest i got her (looks like an old tresure chest). should she be moveing around more? i would like to encorage her to move because it's extreemly difficult to see her when i feed her. i have some fake plants but she still dosn't come out. what can i do?

Re: Changeing the set up

Do you have a light on in the tank? She could be hiding from that if you do?

Could try adding some live food so she has the chance to chase food?

Im not an expert but it could help

Re: Changeing the set up

Do you mean having the turtle dock over or under the water? I cant see how an axie would like a turtle dock out of the water, as they kinda prefer to be under it I could see how an axie would like being under a shaded dock, out of the light.

re hiding in the chest - they are not active at the best of times, so probably just happy sitting out of the light in its little cave

As casey points out, if you have alight on, or the tank is in a well lit spot, you might find your axie is simply hiding from the light, probably comes out an parties at night

Is your reason for wanting an active axie for you, or for them? Remember they are not active creatures, and yeah, it's nice to watch them when they are out an about, but if you wanted an aquarium with 24 / 7 aqua entertainment, you picked the wrong species

My guys have a timed light to keep the live plants alive, they hide in the caves while that is on 2 x 3 hr shifts. Come evening time, it is usually dim enough in the room they are in to come out an about a bit, and if all the lights are off, then they are out a lot. I still would be hard pressed to describe them as active

What can you do? If you only have fake plants, try removing light from the equation - darker room, no tank light, see how that goes - but dont expect a lot during the day IMHO

Bren

Re: Changeing the set up

Axolotls are http://dict.leo.org/ende?lp=ende&p=Ci4HO3kMAA&search=crepuscular&trestr=0x2004crepuscular animals and they become more active during the night. Over the day, especially when the aquarium light is on, they are hidden.

Tina

i don't have a tank light because she hid even more so i gave it to my sister who owns a turtle and needed the light. Schmeakals (the axolotle) had a friend named Pheonix who fell verry ill and stopped eating. he was extreemly active until he got sick. when i got Schmeakals, she was active too. after Pheonix died, he just hid in the box. i was just a bit concerned