Question: Adjusting temperatures

Hi,

I have found good sources on cooling a tank in very hot weather (not likely to happen here as I'm in Scotland), but I am curious, in the freak event that in very cold weather, central heating stopped working, etc and the axolotl's tank water started to cool too much, is there a way to safely (ahem) "heat" it back to its normal temperature.

Very unlikely scenario, but I'm writing a paper at college on axolotl care (and it got handed back to me because I only wrote about adjusting in hot weather), and I have been considering axolotl fatherhood for a few years so may as well try to know everything!

Hi Luke, you can by 'in tank' heaters relatively cheaply. Just plug them into the wall and they sit in the water. In the past when I have used one I have located it near my filter in take so that the warm water goes through the filter and gets spread through the tank a little more evenly. You can get ones with thermostats on them which is a must. When I say they a relatively cheap I mean in comparison to chillers. Now these are Australian prices but my heater for a previous tank cost me $45 aud and my current chiller for my Axies cost me $550aud. Have you mentioned in your paper that you 'fridge' Axies when they are sick and that temp is around 5-6 degrees? I keep mine at 11degrees and they are extremely happy. It's worth mentioning that you only mentioned cooling the water because that is the primary concern. This link is just to show you the type of heater I have previously used Age of Aquariums - Hydor THEO 25w . It's again Australian, but really just to look at. Although I can definitely understand the need for a heater in Scotland particularly if your up north. anyways I hope this helps a bit.

I think it's at 5degrees Celsius that it's too cold for them, anything above that is supposed to be okay?

Unless your tank freezes solid, I wouldn't worry about heating it at all. Axolotls usually survive their water being iced over.

My adult axoltols were in my shed over the winter, they were at 5c-10c for three months, they just slow down and dont eat as much.

Thank you, everyone, that's great. :happy: