Question: What type of axolotl have i got and is it storing her eggs?

Hey ppls , just a few questions , any help is appreciated , i was hoping someone could tell me the type of axolotl i have..

also she killed the male (that we brought the same time as we got her), hence , her name...KILLER ..about a fortnight after buying them in march , she started getting really aggressive and then we found him seriously injured later that night after coming home from tea, which caused him to die a few hours later...but since he died i've noticed she has gotten huge around her belly , and now she has a really feint blue line along the bottom of her belly... i have live plants in her tank but she still hasn't laid her eggs.. could she be sick instead of just storing her eggs ?
or shall i just invest in more variety's of aquarium plants?
she eats excessively and her appetite has increased dramatically over the last few weeks from 1 cube daily to 3.. i think shes eating too much but she tries to eat the gravel otherwise..
i have her pictures in a album titled killer
thanks

She may have already swallowed some gravel and could be impacted. Axolotls often accidentally swallow gravel. Sand is the best substrate to use and I'd advise losing the gravel ASAP

I cant see properly in the pictures but looks like an albino.

How big is your tank?
What is the tempreture of the water?
What are the levels of nitrite, nitrate and ammonia?

Hi,

the pictures are too small for me to see properly if it´s an albino or a leucistic - are his eyes black or red?
What size is the gravel? It looks like blue glass stones to me, maybe 1 cm in diameter. The gravel shouldn´t be bigger than 3 mm, otherwise it can lead to impaction, as Mandy wrote.

Adult axies don´t need fed daily. They should be fed only 1-2 times a week - or they become fat. What do you feed him? The best and nutritious diet for an axie is earthworms.

Please take a look on the axolotl.org site: Axolotls: The Fascinating Mexican Axolotl and the Tiger Salamander

Tina

I feed her bloodworm cubes , or raw steak like my pet shop advised me, her eyes are red but not like the ones in everyone elses photos ill try and take a better pic...as for the stones , i've been thinking i might change them since she keeps spitting them at the tank walls thanks heaps

hey mandy its about 2.2ft long by `1ft high and according to the pet shop i brought them off , i didnt need to check the water temp or levels , i just needed to keep the water clean as they are sensitive to the chemicals...or did he give me the wrong advice?
and thx for the sand idea ... will do asap

Hmmmm.... Maximum comfortable temperature for axolotls is 20*C + your tank needs to be properly cycled (plenty of threads about this, but here's a little guide - http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/cyclingEDK.shtml), as it will 1st have an ammonia spike (jump / increase), which SHOULD start to decrease as the nitrites increase, which SHOULD then in turn decrease as the nitrates increase - http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-be...filters-substrate/75951-water-perameters.html
The ammonia is the most harmful + should be kept down as low as possible (preferably at 0) + the nitrites are the next most harmful, again keep them as low as possible (preferably at 0). Nitrates are harmful if too high, but in a fully cycled tank, there will be some + that it natural. pH isn't as important, though axies do better in harder waters.

Axolotls are variably sensitive to the water conditions, but as a species, yes they are. Invest in a freshwater test kit (liquid versions are more accurate than the dip-stick / card versions) as soon as you can. If unsure whether your tank is cycled, you can do more frequent partial water changes to decrease the ammonia until you get your test kit, as they are rather expensive

Pet shop advice should always be taken with a grain of salt. while there are some very knowledgeable pet stores out there, there will always be the ones that have no idea what there talking about.so while its never a bad idea to hear what they have to say always do back up research. one day im going to open a pet store and im going to research every single creature i care for and have an in depth care sheet for each one. and every creature will be properly cared for. im tired of hearing story's where creatures have suffered because of irresponsible business practices of pet stores! they should know that their customers trust there opinions and advice and they need to honor that responsibility. im sure your little guy is in fantastic hands.

Hi,
If she has red eyes she is leaucistic, the enlarged abdomen I should imagine is gravel and I would advise you to remove it, it is better to have sand or a bare floor. The colder you can get your tank the better they like it as they originally come from glacier fed lakes, anywhere below 16 degrees is ideal.
I dont know how much research you have done but would suggest you either read posts from here or visit Axolotl.org to read up on all aspects.
this site contains lots of useful information but, I hasten to add not always the correct information.
I wish you luck and lots of fun reading up on and keeping your new friend

Hi there, a few corrections for "frances dansie's" post..

Red eyes = albino, black eyes = leucistic.
Ideal temperature is 14-18 degrees celsius. Lower than 6 deg, or higher than 24 deg is bad. But generally 16-21 is fairly good.

He/she is right about Axolotl.org though.. lots of GREAT info there!

LOL dont know why i put that I have leucistics!!! brain dead i do apologise, unless golden of course my goldens eyes are golden .