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Compatible Fish/Species with Axolotls?

omgitsmogo

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Just curious - is there a list of what kinds of fish/other species are compatible with axolotls? I am interested in maybe getting some small fish to live with my juvi but I know that it depends on their size so the axi doesnt eat them!

My axi is about 5 inches now

Things I've heard are compatible:
ghost shrimp
guppies

Thanks
 

tigmades

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Just curious - is there a list of what kinds of fish/other species are compatible with axolotls? I am interested in maybe getting some small fish to live with my juvi but I know that it depends on their size so the axi doesnt eat them!

My axi is about 5 inches now

Things I've heard are compatible:
ghost shrimp
guppies

Thanks

Axolotls will try out everything they can put in their mouths - so as the person stated above, if they're in the tank, they're seen as food and almost 100% going to be eaten.

Here's my "compatible living food" list:
shrimp.

And that is all.

Reason? Yes, some livebearers such as guppies can be kept successfully alongside axolotls while breeding and being eaten (usually at a faster pace being eaten than breeding), but they can nibble the gills of the axolotls and damage them. Within 5 minutes of putting my axolotls in the big aquarium (where the guppies cycling the tank resided) there was gill nibbling. I immediately took them out, and haven't put any back in since. Snails can damage axolotls in more ways than 1, so those, too, are out of the picture (for me at least!).

See here for more details and horror stories:
Caudata Culture Articles - Fish with Caudates
Caudata Culture Articles - Species Mixing Disasters
 

Canaveral

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What about large clams and large snails -ones that are too big to enhale? Wouldn't they be good for filtration?
 

Alkylhalide

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Just say no :) there is a article on axolotl.org that says "just say no" i did the same as above i put my axies in the tank i was cycling with guppies and they immediately went for the gills. So i took them out and now they are cycling a bigger tank :p as far as snails go, i read a few threads on the contreversie but id just stick with just say no to tankmates. Its better to be safe then sorry.
 

FX1C

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What about large clams and large snails -ones that are too big to enhale? Wouldn't they be good for filtration?

Have you ever seen how fast a large clam can snap shut? I certainly would not want to risk my axie peeking into a clam only to loose it's head :eek: or leg etc.

It can be the same with large snails - they often have a very sharp foot that closes when the snail retreats - this could easily trap a leg or cause injury.

Leaving a couple of guppies in the tank is ok - but they will be seen a food not friend.

I know you might think all that extra water in you tank is wasted - keep in mind axolotls are very messy & create a lot of waste which means the tank is easy to overload if you put too many fish in as well as the axolotl.





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xxianxx

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I have had no problems with endlers, guppies or white cloud minnows in my axolotl tanks, other than the fact that they disappear. Snails are also present in vast numbers in all of my tanks and they dont cause any problems either.
 

snuggly time

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This is from Caudata Culture Articles - Species Mixing Disasters which Ashley posted earlier.

"36. Axolotl + Apple snail
"Snails--Advice?"
March 14, 2004 - 03:24:

I recently acquired 4 axolotls. Ranging from 1 1/2" to 2 1/2". I also raise apple snails. Apple snails have an operculum or door to their shell that they retract inside when they pull in their foot. The operculum is made of the same material as the shell and therfore hard with sharp edges.

After settling the axolotls into their tank with a few apple snails, I left them alone for about 30 minutes, and when I returned, the largest axolotl (also my only leucistic) had its head inside one of the snails. This particular snail was around 3" in diameter. What probably happened was that when the axolotl investigated, the snail tried to close up into its shell.

Well I pulled the shell open enough to get the axolotl out and the operculum had cut its throat, of course killing my axolotl. If I had left it in the tank the snail probably would have eaten what it could and the other snails would have joined in. If you have a weak or injured fish, newt, etc. or something that simply cannot get away from a snail it could very well be eaten.

Please also add, that while snails may be slow, they are still very interesting and amazing creatures to keep. Also, that while larger apple snails pose a danger to soft bodied creatures (and this only because of the previously mentioned self-preservation ability) their are many other species of snail that do not have a "door". Therefore being safe for any, but slow, sick, or injured creatures.
http://www.caudata.org/forum/messages/7618/11821.html?1079283121"


After reading this I wouldn't dream of mixing my axolotl with large snails :uhoh:
 

firedreams

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Snails are also dangerous because Axolotls will inevitably eat them, and their hard shells can cause impaction.
 

FX1C

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I have had no problems with endlers, guppies or white cloud minnows in my axolotl tanks, other than the fact that they disappear. Snails are also present in vast numbers in all of my tanks and they dont cause any problems either.

What size are the snails in your tanks?

This post was referring to very large snails (bigger than mouth) not small pond snails..

I understand that you don't think of snails as public enemy number 1 - but what are you thoughts on keeping large mystery snails (large golden colour) with axolotls?



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xxianxx

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There are more species of snails available than just trapdoors. I have kept/bred/raised hundreds of axolotls in the last ten years, they have all been exposed to snails and the total fatalities due to snails is.... zero. Snails are heavily predated by my axolotls, to the extent that I actually have to add them to my adult A.mexicanum and A.andersoni tanks as they get wiped out faster than they can breed. You may wish to avoid the trapdoor snails and possibly the hard shelled malaysian trumpet snails due to a possible impaction risk but the rest are very unlikely to cause any problems. Axolotls would have come into contact with snails regularly in the wild and would have consumed them, dont believe all the hype about killer snails in your tank.
 

Chirple

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Small, soft snails are fine. I have some that hitchhiked with various live plants. They never grow larger than the 1cm across and most of them are smaller.

You will not be able to put anything in there that will not be eaten.

I buy feeder ghost shrimp sometimes - they can survive even months since they're hard for the axolotl to see - but they'll eventually be eaten.

I sometimes buy young feeder guppies - they might last a few weeks but are much more visible and they should not be considered permanent, either.

If the fish is bigger, the axolotl may still try to eat it and they might both be injured or die. The fish might eat the axolotl's gills. The axolotl might choke in the fish or part of the fish or vice versa. And fish that large generally need VERY large tanks on their own, anyway.

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xxianxx

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What size are the snails in your tanks?

This post was referring to very large snails (bigger than mouth) not small pond snails..

I understand that you don't think of snails as public enemy number 1 - but what are you thoughts on keeping large mystery snails (large golden colour) with axolotls?



<3 >o_o< <3

I have a number of species of snails in my tanks, the largest is the greater pond snail Google Image Result for http://www.arkive.org/media/B3/B32E1988-E1C1-4830-BD07-2DD5CDEA4651/Presentation.Large/Great-pond-snail.jpg
Caudata.org Newt and Salamander Forum - xxianxx's Album: noobs axolotls - Picture
Their shell can get over 2" long but they dont reach that size in adult axolotl tanks, they breed at a smaller size than that and get eaten. I quite often find large empty shells in the axolotl juvy tanks, I think they either die and get eaten or they get pulled out of their shells by the small axolotls but I have never seen this happen. If you check the species mixing disaster site you will see an axolotl choked by a large snail, it is the cause for much of the negative snail press on this site. Unfortunate though that may be I think it is a very uncommon thing to happen otherwise it would be reported more often.
 

pondweed

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The snail thing is interesting, I'd love to see if they ARE sucking them out of their shells! It might be quite a tricky manoeuvre!
 

Azhael

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I don´t think it has ever been documented for any caudate to suck the fleshy snail while leaving the shell behind.
When they eat snails, and many a caudate does, they swallow them whole. I´ve had entire populations of small pond snails (probably Physa) decimated by newts and there wasn´t even the slightest indication of a problem. The shells are defecated, usually partially digested.
Snails that have operculae, specially if relatively large, can be a problem, as can be fresh-water mussels.
 

omgitsmogo

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Thanks for all the responses guys. I HAVE done some research but was just curious if anyone was able to leave guppies or other fish in there for a prolonged period of time.
 

Bellabelloo

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I have a lone cloud minnow cohabiting with my three males. I had a group to sit in a cycling newt tank, when the newts moved in the cloud minnow were moved into the axolotl tank. A year later I have one survivor. I never expected him to still be here, and now when he goes I shall miss the little guy. I think his survival is down to the fact that he tends to move in the top part of the tank, their water is about 18" deep and there is quite a lot of plants for him to hide among... occasionally he is joined by one of the axolotl :eek:
 

Chirple

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I had a ghost shrimp that lasted over 6 months - I was sad when she disappeared in the chaos during a water change. I haven't seen her for a few weeks, might be hiding but I doubt it, she was quite large!

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