Opinon on tank size and 3 axolotls.

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lordcycle

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Ok people please don't let your emotions get involved i just want a fact on if my idea is possible? Everyone i talk to about axolotls and tanks always debate on what size is right? I just want to know if it is possible to keep 3 adult axolotls in a 20 gallon high tank? dimensions are 24''L 13''W 16''H i plan on having alot of hiding places and frequent water changes. There's gonna be people that are going to say 20 gallon minumim for 1 and there's people that have 2 adult axolots in 10 gallon tanks.
 
I would say 10 gallons per axolotl, but it's really about floor space rather than volume. If it's a high tank it's not going to have a very big floor perimeter which is the problem.
 
Far too small. Figure that they average 9" x 3 of them = 27" of axolotl in a tank with 312 square inches of tank space. Works out to 104 sq. inches each. Would you want to spend the rest of your life in a bathroom?

Emotion has to get involved as it's their health & wellbeing in question. General rule of thumb is 10 gallons per axolotl, given it's a 10 gallon footprint. You could get a 40 breeder & put 5 in due to the larger footprint. Once again, would you want to spend the rest of your life in a bathroom? Bigger is better for many reasons. Less likely to have drastic water parameter fluctuations, makes for happier axolotl's....
 
Grete said:
Far too small. Figure that they average 9" x 3 of them = 27" of axolotl in a tank with 312 square inches of tank space. Works out to 104 sq. inches each. Would you want to spend the rest of your life in a bathroom?

Emotion has to get involved as it's their health & wellbeing in question. General rule of thumb is 10 gallons per axolotl, given it's a 10 gallon footprint. You could get a 40 breeder & put 5 in due to the larger footprint. Once again, would you want to spend the rest of your life in a bathroom? Bigger is better for many reasons. Less likely to have drastic water parameter fluctuations, makes for happier axolotl's....
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So would a 20 long work for 3?
 
If you did multiple waterchanges a week, and monitored the heck out of the water I would say it's possible. That being said, it's "possible" to keep 3 axolotls in a fish bowl. I can't imagine keeping 3 in a 20 being enjoyable.
Why even get three, if you're trying to push for a small amount of gallonage? Honestly I would only consider 1 axolotl for a twenty gallon. While a twenty long has more floorspace than a regular twenty it still seems rather small for even 2 axolotls. If you really want axolotls, and you can't get a bigger tank than a 20 gallon, why not just get 1 axolotl?
 
I kept two axolotls in a twenty high and quickly upgraded. I now have four axolotls in a 55 gallon (48 inches long) with two more going in in the next few months. But I created a second level in the tank, and it's heavily planted, creating about 3 levels at which my axolotls roam.

I think it could be viable if you watch the water well, and consider using lots of live plants, which mine love to hang on to, and devise a way to utilize the height of the tank. Just an opinion, considering that I have tried keeping a twenty high tank.
 
That is way too small, no way is that a good idea ! You'll be doing much more work than necessary to keep the water livable and giving the animals sub-par living conditions.

I have ONE in a 20 long because a 10 gallon seemed too cramped. I could see perhaps two in the 20 long, but it would be cramped like the one in a 10 gallon. I would want at least a 30 long for two.

Three in a 20 high ? No way. I don't like giving my animals unnecessarily unnatural and poor living conditions. They are not laboratory animals and if you're going to keep a creature in captivity, I feel it's your duty to do the best you can to give it a comfortable and need-fulfilling habitat.

Or just get some fish for the 20 high. They'll make better use of the space and there are plenty of awesome fish out there. :)
 
esn said:
I kept two axolotls in a twenty high and quickly upgraded. I now have four axolotls in a 55 gallon (48 inches long) with two more going in in the next few months. But I created a second level in the tank, and it's heavily planted, creating about 3 levels at which my axolotls roam.

I think it could be viable if you watch the water well, and consider using lots of live plants, which mine love to hang on to, and devise a way to utilize the height of the tank. Just an opinion, considering that I have tried keeping a twenty high tank.
Click to expand...

I'm curious how you achieved these 'levels' in your tank? My lotl tank is pretty high so it would be good to be able to utilise the higher space if I could........

As for the OP: I have a 20 gallon high community fish tank. I would never consider putting any more than two axolotls in it and if I did that it would only be until I could upgrade to something bigger. Quite simply, the floorspace isn't enough.
Not even worrying about water quality issues, feeding times could be a nightmare. I have four axolotls in a 4ft long x 2ft high x 1.6ft deep tank and I still occasionally have issues after feeding times when my axolotls wonder around and run into each other and think "MORE FOOD!!!!!!" and snap.
 
There are a lot of ways to do it. I opted not to do a more permanent way - creating a level by affixing a mat with aquarium sealant - and used pvc pipe instead to make a platform, then fixed a plastic mat over it. That way the level is removable, as it adds an extra 24 inches of space in the tank that the axolotls actually use. I was going to take it out if they didn't use it, but they hang out their quite frequently. You can make a second level out of pretty much anything. It just takes some creativity.

I really think it depends. I've never had a problem at feeding times, even with the "more aggressive" andersonis. I only state the ability of using the 20 high if the tank was conditioned for it by adding extra things. If axies can live in a tub, it's not that difficult to make a 20 high tank livable for them.

Again, the only reason I switched from my own 20 high is because my andersoni was more active. I got more axolotls after the switch. I think a lot of people on this site overestimate the foot space needed for axolotls. I see some people keeping only one or two in 40 breeders, and I just don't believe that's necessary. While of course I believe that it'd be nice for him to have a 48" tank to make life for him and his axolotls much easier, I think that with the right conditions and care one can certainly attempt this. With close monitoring, they can change it if anything seems to go wrong or they don't feel as happy with it. It's just an option, and his axolotls aren't going to just up and die from it.

How it plays out depends on how much thought he puts into setting up his tank, and making sure to monitor his axolotls.

P.S. My second level is actually made from irrigation pipe and sprinkler heads.

danchristopher said:
I'm curious how you achieved these 'levels' in your tank? My lotl tank is pretty high so it would be good to be able to utilise the higher space if I could........

As for the OP: I have a 20 gallon high community fish tank. I would never consider putting any more than two axolotls in it and if I did that it would only be until I could upgrade to something bigger. Quite simply, the floorspace isn't enough.
Not even worrying about water quality issues, feeding times could be a nightmare. I have four axolotls in a 4ft long x 2ft high x 1.6ft deep tank and I still occasionally have issues after feeding times when my axolotls wonder around and run into each other and think "MORE FOOD!!!!!!" and snap.
Click to expand...
 
esn said:
There are a lot of ways to do it. I opted not to do a more permanent way - creating a level by affixing a mat with aquarium sealant - and used pvc pipe instead to make a platform, then fixed a plastic mat over it. That way the level is removable, as it adds an extra 24 inches of space in the tank that the axolotls actually use. I was going to take it out if they didn't use it, but they hang out their quite frequently. You can make a second level out of pretty much anything. It just takes some creativity.

I really think it depends. I've never had a problem at feeding times, even with the "more aggressive" andersonis. I only state the ability of using the 20 high if the tank was conditioned for it by adding extra things. If axies can live in a tub, it's not that difficult to make a 20 high tank livable for them.

Again, the only reason I switched from my own 20 high is because my andersoni was more active. I got more axolotls after the switch. I think a lot of people on this site overestimate the foot space needed for axolotls. I see some people keeping only one or two in 40 breeders, and I just don't believe that's necessary. While of course I believe that it'd be nice for him to have a 48" tank to make life for him and his axolotls much easier, I think that with the right conditions and care one can certainly attempt this. With close monitoring, they can change it if anything seems to go wrong or they don't feel as happy with it. It's just an option, and his axolotls aren't going to just up and die from it.

How it plays out depends on how much thought he puts into setting up his tank, and making sure to monitor his axolotls.

P.S. My second level is actually made from irrigation pipe and sprinkler heads.
Click to expand...




I was reading what you were saying about adding a level and i ended up going out and buying a 29 gallon tank thats high and i bought a couple of shower soap dishes that have suction cups on the back and lined them up all against the upper part of the tank and made a nice level. I'm thinking about attaching javamoss to it and see if it will grow enough that it will hide the metal soap dishes.
 
wait these are metal soap dishes? That's probably not tank safe.
 
I'm going to hazard a guess at them being plastic, as all the ones I see in stores are. Seems to me to be a great idea, as long as they are plastic of ceramic. If it's a 29 gallon tank, then it might be high enough to add two levels, as long as they are positioned correctly. Young axolotls will certainly use them frequently, and my adults haven't stopped their love for being up high.
 
lordcycle said:
I'm thinking about attaching javamoss to it and see if it will grow enough that it will hide the metal soap dishes.
Click to expand...

Just wanted to clarify
 
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