Question: 10 gallon rule vs 1ft rule..

Aimzs Lotties

Aimzs Lotties

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So I'm getting a new axie set up that is 4x1.5x1.5ft, 65 gallons.

According to rule 1, the 10 gallon rule, I can happily house 6 axies in there,
but following rule 2, the 1ft per axie rule, I can only have 4 axies..

Which one is correct? Or should I split the difference and say 5 axies?
 
Both are correct it's just the application for the 1ft rule that's gotten a little screwie along the way. In your tank the 10 gallon rule would be more accurate.

Here's why
The 1ft rule was written based upon what used to be the stock standard for aquarium dimensions when one foot of tank length was a little under 12 US Gallons.
The stock standard for an aquarium was X inches Long 14 inches wide and 18 inches deep.
Making the standard 4ft aquarium 48x14x18 inches and 47 US Gallons so you get 4 axies by both the 1ft and 10 gallon rule.

Your tank is a little larger then the old standard making the 1ft rule a little useless and adding an extra 4 inches at the back for the whole 4 feet giving you and extra 20 US Gallons to play with. so I'd be more inclined to follow the 10 gallon rule simply because your tank doesn't meet the criteria the 1ft rule was written with.

All that said I would still not put 6 axies in there. I'd go with 4 as a very comfortable fit and 5 if you wanted 5 but I think 6 would be pushing it for space for them to all get around and away from each other.

Mere.
 
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Cool, yeah I thought the gallon rule would work better.

I have 3 axies atm and am trying to get one of each colour.. :D

Wish me luck! :D
 
Aimzs Lotties said:
Cool, yeah I thought the gallon rule would work better.

I have 3 axies atm and am trying to get one of each colour.. :D

Wish me luck! :D
Click to expand...
Yeah there's just too many variables to use the 1ft rule. 10 Gallons is 10 gallons after all ;)

:lol: you may need a few more of those tanks if you want one of every colour :lol:
You've got Wilds, Axanthic wilds, Melanoids, Leucistics (both melanoid and non), White albino, Axanthic Albinos, Melanoid albino, Leucictic Albino (I'm told), golden albinos, coppers, olives and then you get the more unusual genetic oddballs like the hyopmelanistic wilds and melanoids etc and the freaky but beautiful "silver leopard" and the pie balled beauties and the list just goes on and on an on. Those are just the ones I can think of :rofl:

I'd love one of every colour but I keep finding new ones :rolleyes: I'd REALLY love a pie ball they are so pretty!
Which colour were you still after for your collection? You'll have to make sure you post lots of pictures.
 
Plus, of course, you then get colours common in some parts of the world, but unheard of (or at least extremely rare) in other parts of the world ;)
Been there, thought that, realised I have no chance!
 
I have light brown wild type, melanoid and leucistic at the moment. Am after golden albino, copper and green wild type. Over the next few years though... I'm getting a bunch of eggs from yellowpebble next week and her male is copper so hopefully I'll get lucky! :D
 
Just a quick personal/actual experience- My tank is 200L (51? gallons) and my six axies have been in all together for a while (Not sure exact dates). So far, so good. Main suggestions- Good filtration, lots of hides and religious water changes. Oh, and lots of food ;).
Don't know what I'm going to do when Pablo and Lizzie get beyond 3cm(fingers crossed they survive to that stage!).... New tank!
 
Are they all adults? I always assumed you could fit maybe 1 or 2 more than the rule in some cases. Would love to see a pic of the big happy tank! :D
 
At 52 gallons, you definitely can't fit any more axolotls in that tank. 6 is already pushing it, and 7 or 8 would definitely set your water quality over the edge.
 
Aimzs Lotties, yup, in the big tank all 6 are adults- between 16 and 23cms. I'll have to take more photos soon, as I'm deliberating whether or not to shift my room around, and in the process redo the tank... (I also have two babies)
Kaysie, I wasn't going to. Give me a little credit :). As to water quality going over the edge (And here we go again...), Axolotl colony conditions are MUCH more cramped (To be noted considering how much of an authority they seem to be around here), and having had 3 living in a 20L tank (45cm long) for a few months to escape the Australian heat (hooray for the chiller FINALLY being here!), it CAN be done (hell, even John Claire says a 4ft tank should support 7 with the right water changes etc), as long as there are hides, enough food to avoid fights, frequent water changes and high filtration (biological etc. with the current kept down to zero). Personally, I'm not going up to seven in that tank (Rather I'll start renting bench space from my mum), and will instead be trying to miniaturize MereB's awesome tank (Talk about axie PARADISE!! I want to live there!!!) in a 2 or 3 footer depending on what I can find for when Pablo and Liz are larger than a 50 cent coin.
 
Well said Caitie. On Axolotl.org, which everyone on here is ALWAYS referring to everyone, it says a 4ft x 1ft (which is smaller than my new tank) can happily house 8 adult axies, when maintained properly..

If a site like that is suggesting it, or at least saying it is okay.. why wouldn't it be? In my new 6 square foot (4x1.5ft) tank. I plan on eventually having 6 adults. It fits with the 1 axie per square foot rule and the tank is HUGE, so I'm not really worried. I'll have live plants, and hides etc, and I hand feed them, so they don't have to fight over food etc.. Of course I will slowly introduce them so they can get used to each other. :)

All in all, if you know what your doing, and are diligent about it, 1 or 2 more axies than suggested should do fine in a tank. :)

Thanks.
 
:D I actually went and checked the FAQs over at axolotl.org, and the rule there is 1 axie per 5 gallons (Seriously, you doubt, go check.). On the other hand, if you've got the room, go biiig (And yes, I'm rearranging my room, so the 4 ft tank shall be knocked down and rebuilt with many many hides, and a second tank for Liz and Pablo to eventually go into...They're still back legless!)
 
Lol I love axies, especially baby axies.. Still waiting on my eggs from yellowpebble but I cannot wait to see them hatch and grow! So excited!
 
Oh yeah, I've LOVED having these ones, and I can't wait until I get to do it from the very beginning with my own axies! (I'm thinking that if it's gonna happen, it'll happen after the rebuild. Not to mention as a learning experience where I've been working it's been invaluable, and the three there are doing fantastically!).
 
I think that Axolotl.orgs suggestion is fine if you have the time to constantly be on top of cleaning and water changing, but I dont think many of us have enough time to spend sitting looking at our babies enough let alone all the caretaking that that setup would entail. If you look at his tank setup, its a bit clinical, sparce and a bit impersonal. Dont get me wrong, I think he knows what he is talking about, but when its been mentioned on websites and in books that in laboratorys, axies are kept in small containers that they cant even stretch out in, it doesnt mean that that is the correct way to keep them. I think that less is more, says the woman who has 22 babies in tubs, but plenty of room for each one. What am I gonna do with them all, I have a 3ft tank. ???
 
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