Question: Urgent feeding question

I have to leave unexpectedly for 8 days and I currently have ~180 week old hatchlings! I feel horrible asking my grandmother to culture BBS, but I do have frozen BBS. I'm wondering if I can switch them to the frozen BBS while I am gone for 8 days. I should have way fewer hatchlings by then, and they will be about 3 weeks old. What is the best way to switch them to frozen food at such a young age?

Hi, its really important for hatchlings as young as yours that they have clean fresh water everyday, and any food that is left in the tank is cleaned out before it causes any unwanted bacteria's/infections. So, if you have to go away it would be ideal if there is someone who can give them these basics. I have never tried frozen bbs, but i know that week old hatchlings will eat frozen bloodworm, finely sliced into smaller pieces, so maybe the same with the frozen bbs, either way it will still have to be removed daily. Good luck anyway, hope you manage to sort it out.

millerj76 said:

Hi, its really important for hatchlings as young as yours that they have clean fresh water everyday, and any food that is left in the tank is cleaned out before it causes any unwanted bacteria's/infections. So, if you have to go away it would be ideal if there is someone who can give them these basics. I have never tried frozen bbs, but i know that week old hatchlings will eat frozen bloodworm, finely sliced into smaller pieces, so maybe the same with the frozen bbs, either way it will still have to be removed daily. Good luck anyway, hope you manage to sort it out.

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Yes, I have had some experience raising axolotls before and their water is and will be changed daily I know they can eat frozen bbs, because I've had to feed them that during my first axolotl raising. I'm just not exactly sure how to switch them from live to dead food. I know some people wait 1-2 days without feeding before changing food so they will be hungry.

If they are fed bbs or frozen food for eight days without a water change they will very likely be dead, if you could reduce the number of larvae by rehoming some that would help, drastically increase the water volume of the tanks holding them and add as much daphnia as you can get your hands on with green water to feed them , if you have time to cycle a tank get one started preferably full of plants. The other option would be to train somebody up to culture your bbs and clean the tanks, if your gran isn't up to it, though to be honest relying on other people to do it is generally a waste of time unless they are already experienced.

If you are going to have someone else trying to feed them, I would recommend only having them care for a fraction of the larvae. For the others, give them a good cleaning and go ahead and leave them for 8 days unfed. The worst that will happen is that some of them will munch on their brothers, but this helps solve another problem, namely having too many of them. This may sound cruel, but it would be far crueler to have them all die in water fouled with frozen food, and there is a high chance of that.

Okay guys, seems to be a bit of miscommunication in this thread. The water will be changed while I am gone. I have raised axolotls before so I am for the most part informed on larvae care. I am rehoming as many as possible. I sent out 47 today and hopefully around the same amount tomorrow. Best case scenario I should only have the 14 that I am keeping to myself.

xxianxx said:

If they are fed bbs or frozen food for eight days without a water change they will very likely be dead, if you could reduce the number of larvae by rehoming some that would help, drastically increase the water volume of the tanks holding them and add as much daphnia as you can get your hands on with green water to feed them , if you have time to cycle a tank get one started preferably full of plants. The other option would be to train somebody up to culture your bbs and clean the tanks, if your gran isn't up to it, though to be honest relying on other people to do it is generally a waste of time unless they are already experienced.

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Yes, these are good options thank you and as pointed out above, water changes will definitely be made. Adding rep for the helpful response.

Jennewt said:

If you are going to have someone else trying to feed them, I would recommend only having them care for a fraction of the larvae. For the others, give them a good cleaning and go ahead and leave them for 8 days unfed. The worst that will happen is that some of them will munch on their brothers, but this helps solve another problem, namely having too many of them. This may sound cruel, but it would be far crueler to have them all die in water fouled with frozen food, and there is a high chance of that.

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Is 8 days without food possible for a 3 week old larvae? If so this will probably be my first course of action. I also could ask my grandma to do one feeding and then a water change halfway through to give them a better chance. My grandma is very good with animals and has always followed my instructions to the letter before. Great answers! Thanks and I eagerly await further responses!

I plan on stuffing my adults with twice daily feedings of bloodworms for the 3-4 days before my 8 day trip. They should be hardy enough to survive it. In other news, my adults have just had a divider placed in - a very unusual form of birth control!

Adults are no trouble at all. Mine could go easily for a few weeks without been fed.
Larvae however will not do to well.

8 days sounds a little bit too long for me.

Daphnia would survive in the water until eaten

So I would find the biggest tub possible fillwith water and daphnia and leave them to it.
Partial water changes would be helpful and a top up of daphnia if possible, providing you can get them in a shop near you.

Just re read and ian already said this

Mel