Sorry, but lots of newbie questions

Sorry for all the newbie questions, but I'm just looking for some guidance. First a little background: after admiring axolotls for a while, I decided to get one after talking to some owners at a local herp show and doing some research online. For whatever reason, it wasn't until after I actually had our little axie that I found this forum. And for whatever reason, the topic of cycling the aquarium never came up when I talked to other owners about setting up the tank (though I take care of a blue tongue skink and a tarantula, I'm new to aquariums) nor did I see it mentioned in the sites I got most of my information from (Axolotls: The Fascinating Mexican Axolotl and the Tiger Salamander and Buy-Axolotls.com Water Dragon Axolotl Facts Ambystoma mexicanum For Sale). I've followed the other major set up principles -- 10 gallon tank, minimal current, water temp 68 degrees, but I hadn't cycled the tank water, so I'm a little worried. So, here go my questions:

1. Tank setup
Here is a pic of my set up (with the lights off -- they are only on for the purposes of this picture).


Here is a pic of the filter I have (Fluval U2). I put the sponge around the output to minimize the current, and it seems to have worked well. When I put floating fish food in, it takes nearly a minute for the food to get pulled over to the filter.


I have a question about aerating the tank. The filter has a Venti valve, and you can see in the picture that bubbles come out of the outflow. Is this enough to aerate the tank or do I need to get an air pump and a air stone?

In terms of cycling, I had (under the advice of another axie owner) let my tank water (from the tap) sit for two days then added some minnows. After reading on this forum about cycling, I added some water from an established fish tank and some "Top Fin bacteria supplement". The next day, the water is more cloudy. Is this is a bacteria bloom, and should it clear in a few days? Do I need to change some water?

I used a water testing dip stick this morning and got the following:
Nitrate 0-20
Nitrite 0
Total Hardness 300
Total Alkalinity 180
ph 8.0

Are these values ok? (Our tap water is hard water and from an aquifer.) Any other suggestions about my setup?

2. Other tank inhabitants

The buy-axolotls.com site says that axolotls are "social creatures", and he had suggested putting a couple minnows in the tank as company. When I put our axie in, later in the day, he ate one of the minnows. Well, of course now I've read in these forums about how these feeder fish can harbor disease. Great. Do I need to get rid of the other minnows? They seem to have helped to cycle the tank.

3. Is my axie stressed?

Here's a pic of our axie.



I've read about curled gils being a sign of stress. Is our axie stressed? Could it be stress from moving our axie to a new location or having to deal with the water conditions and/or the other tank inhabitants?

Thanks for taking the time to read this long post and answering my questions!!!

Hi and welcome,

I also have that filter and was never sure myself about how well the valve worked so i also have an airpump.
As for cycling you should be changing around 20% every couple of days until it is fully cycled. And i would recommend purchasing an ammonia tester as it is important to keep ammonia down and preferably the drip tests as they seem more accurate. Also you can use dechlorinator in your water and only leave it an hour to reach temp if you didnt like leaving it for so lomg for the chlorine to dissipate.
As for tank mates axolotls do not need to be kept with others and are happy to be alone. Its just hard to stick at one.
Your axie looks pretty fine to me it can take them a while to settle down.
Hope that as helped a bit.

Tu71586 welcome!!! Im a newbie here tooo. I just got my first 3 axoltls here today from a great person!! Just wanted to say welcome and There is lots of great advice here!! Sorry I dont have any advice as im still trying to get my tank set up as well.. I got today two leutistic axies and a wildtype.. 2 juvies and an adult.. im excited to see the responses here!!

Thanks a lot for the quick reply and for the welcome! I'll change the water and get an ammonia testing kit. I might go for the air pump too -- the filter produces a bunch of bubbles, but they all get caught in the sponge. emz, since you have the same filter, do you just set it on the "spray bar"-like setting and direct the output at a glass side or do you have some plants or decorations dampening the flow?

I have the same filter in my 20 gallon. I turn it down low, aim the spray bar at the glass, and have a couple of plants in front of it to lesson the flow. This seems to work well.

No problem, Like sam said i do the same just have it on low and aim it towards the wall.

the whole point of people telling you (incorrectly I might add) to add feeder fish to cycle the tank is to introduce a source of ammonia (their waste) which starts the life cycle of the filter bacteria you are going to be trying to build up over the next couple of months. (I said incorrectly because it is frowned upon buying live animals and intentionally putting them in an uncycled tank just to speed up the cycling for future inhabitants. These fish are exposed to high and uncontrolled amounts of ammonia for no reason and often die because of it. There is also the risk of disease entering your system.)

Already having an axolotl in the tank, they you already have an ammonia source. The fish were not necessary and could actually cause harm as they could introduce disease into the tank, are not appropriate as a food source, and can nip at the axolotl's gills. They should be removed immediately.

Since you already have an axolotl in the tank, you are in what is called a "Fish-in Cycle" (cycling a filter for a fish set up or axolotl set up is exactly the same). Do daily water changes, decholorinate with a fresh water conditioner and monitor your readings for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. Any readings of ammonia or nitrite can harm your axolotl.

To be honest, the best information you will find about cycling generally comes from a fish forum - Tropical Fish Forum has a great beginners section http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=fish%20forum%20beginners%20guide&source=web&cd=6&ved=0CE8QrAIoADAF&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fishforums.net%2Findex.php%3F%2Ftopic%2F277264-beginners-resource-center%2F&ei=4t2TT67eDIqd6AHr4vGuBA&usg=AFQjCNFY8SA9-iuoixXQjCwgZWFkdLnyfw



Take a read through about cycling. Start researching the Nitrogen Cycle in aquariums.


Also...you said you were adding fish food in to the tank....were you doing this to cycle the tank? Again, this is a way of adding ammonia when you don't have any fish or axolotls in the tank. The food decomposes in the tank and becomes a source of ammonia. You don't want to be doing this when you already have the axolotl in the tank.

I must have missed the fact you are using minnows. I assumed you were just cycling with your axie in the tank. Good job jenste noticed.

Thanks, Jeste, for the information! I'm surprised that tank cycling wasn't the number one topic mentioned to me by other owners and the two web sites I listed (or maybe I'm just dense and needed someone to spell it out for me). One question I have: I get why using fish to cycle your tank is frowned upon, but if you use your axis to axie to cycle your tank, does this exposing your axie to the same potentially high ammonia levels for the fish? Or, does changing the water daily mitigate this?

tu71586 said:

Thanks, Jeste, for the information! I'm surprised that tank cycling wasn't the number one topic mentioned to me by other owners and the two web sites I listed (or maybe I'm just dense and needed someone to spell it out for me). One question I have: I get why using fish to cycle your tank is frowned upon, but if you use your axis to axie to cycle your tank, does this exposing your axie to the same potentially high ammonia levels for the fish? Or, does changing the water daily mitigate this?

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The frowned upon part is buying the fish for the sole reason of exposing it to the unsafe water just for it to cycle your tank. You aren't buying the fish to give it a home, you are buying it to use it and most often they get discarded by being flushed - not fair for the fish.

And yes, your axolotl is getting exposed to ammonia but the water changes, if done faithfully evey day, will help dilute it until your filter is cycled.

The black gunk that will build on the filter media (insert to filter) that takes a few months to grow is the good bacteria you need in an aquarium to break down the animal waste. It takes a while to grow but is very easy to kill (turning off your filer, which some people do for hours a day and I can't understand why - kills your bacteria as there is no fresh, oxygenated water being brought to the colony. ). The bacteria will also die if you do water changes and do not treat your water with a tap water conditioner. Chlorine kills off filter media.

Also, do not follow the instructions of throwing away your filter media monthly. This is another gimmick to make you spend more money 1) on the filter media pads 2) on water treatments because your tank will never cycle 3) on medication to treat your ill animals 4) on replacement animals as some inevitably die 5) on new filters because some stores convince people that they have the wrong filter and the process starts all over.


So for now, do daily water changes (at least 30% or so, if you see any readings of ammonia after your water change then you should do another water change.)

Thanks, Jenste. You have been very helpful to me, especially the part about the frequency of filter media changes. I'd feel terrible about just flushing live fish down the toilet even if they are feeder fish. I agree, not fair for the fish. At least if they are eaten, they are part of a biologic cycle sustaining the life of other fish. I'm not sure what to do with the minnows in there now -- maybe the store will take them back?

The petstore should take them back from you. If not try posting them on craigslist/a give away site.