Food options for my darlings

Helloooo

Okay so I've been feeding my darling axolotl on aqua master axolotl pellets, JBL novolotl axolotl pellets and red wrigglers. Just recently (Two weeks ago or so) my darlings decided they don't want the red wrigglers any more. Down right refused for days. So I gave in and went and got them some prawns (frozen and raw from super market) which they love!! I leave a few bits around the tank and it forces them to search it out to eat They also got treated some chicken which I think so far is their all-time favourite food.

But I want more live food options because it's stops them being tank potatoes and makes them hunt and be more active. It would also keep them entertained more. Other than worms I have nothing live. I've tried finding slators but can't for the life of me find any maybe coz of winter i don't know.

Anyway what do you guys suggest I try? It needs to be cheap to get a starter culture/farm going and then able to keep reproducing like worms. I'm kinda skint at the moment so emphasise the cheap part... Heh. FYI: My two are a golden albino and a leucistic, both between 19-21cm. Approx a year old almost. We are in NZ so if you could direct where I can source the live food from that would be great as well

I'm also trying to source a microworm culture because I have a new baby who is about 6-7cm and I want to feed him on the microworms. I'm assuming the microworms would be too small for my big fellas?

Anyway all suggestions welcome and thanks for help Have a great day/night/evening etc

PS- I don't have a spare tank to use as a quarantine tank so that cuts out feeder fish. I wanted to get minnows but never mind... And I would love to try cherry shrimp but know nothing about them so will have to read up on them... But is there anyone in NZ that has them and are willing to sell me some or can tell me where to find them? Thanks

hmm if you can't do feeder fish then I'm not sure what you could try. You would have to quarentine the cherries too if you found them, but at least they need less space than fish.

Maybe you could try quarentining the feeders in a largeish tub with lots of water changes?

Turns out you can't get like any type of live shrimp or prawns in nz other than what it native... Bummer! Okay so if I got feeder fish what would you recommend? And if some where lucky enough to survive would they breed? Because I'm wanting something that will continue to reproduce ... I'm thinking minnows or guppies which are easier to look after/breed? and which is more hardy? Thank you muchly

Well I have guppies, you'll have to get way more females than males because if your axie doesn't eat them quick enough the males will start dying off (we had 5 females and 3 males and now we only have 1 male)

They are livebearing and have between 5 and 50 babies each time. Incubation is about 28 days but they can get pregnant again soon after (and females can apparently get pregnant again even without a male in there! they like... hold the sperm and re-fertilize or something like that)

So far they have been really easy to look after, but the only ones that have been eaten are the babies. Although that's a good thing if you want them to keep breeding I guess? Warning though I've been called cruel by a guppy fan for making them live in the same cold water as my axie. They prefer 23 degrees and the tank is at 17

Quentari said:

Well I have guppies, you'll have to get way more females than males because if your axie doesn't eat them quick enough the males will start dying off (we had 5 females and 3 males and now we only have 1 male)

They are livebearing and have between 5 and 50 babies each time. Incubation is about 28 days but they can get pregnant again soon after (and females can apparently get pregnant again even without a male in there! they like... hold the sperm and re-fertilize or something like that)

So far they have been really easy to look after, but the only ones that have been eaten are the babies. Although that's a good thing if you want them to keep breeding I guess? Warning though I've been called cruel by a guppy fan for making them live in the same cold water as my axie. They prefer 23 degrees and the tank is at 17

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I have put guppies in with my guys too....I have only lost 2 adult females but the breeding is good and the babies have provided good hunting for the axies. Some little ones have survived and are a good size and my females are expecting a few more little ones too. Survival of the fittest and all that.

I also feed bloodworm and live earthworms..they love the latter. Will try lots of things to try to ensure a varied diet.

Update on the guppies: we're missing one so it looks like Pebble caught a female.

I have just ordered a load of earthworms for my guys....I don't have a big enough garden to go looking for some myself and I work full time so not enough hours in my day as it is. If the purchase is successful I will probs do this fairly frequently.

The plan is to share the worms with my guys at home and little Rosie in the office...she is yet to experience the joy of earthworms but both of mine have eaten them with relish.

I am also missing another guppy today...but it's what I got them for so...hey ho! I think Sal, although the more timid of the two, is more voracious a hunter than the female, Amanda, is happier to just go get the bloodworms.

Thanks for the replies!

I've decided I will get guppies I was discussing it with my boyfriend on Tuesday night and he thought it was a great idea to add guppies but that we should wait till I've secured a new job and move. Then it will be less animals to move with me haha. Hopefully I'll be able to secure a job and move within the month

I've been trying to feed my new juvie chopped up worms.. But I only have red wrigglers in my worm farm and I don't think he likes them... He won't even show any signs of interest in them at all!! He does love prawn though and the occasional pellet. I'm going to get him microworms hopefully today He is only a baby after all (about 6cm) so maybe he's still too young to be bothered with the red wigglers...

Oh just a question actually! I've just gotten three live plants (twisted vallisneria) will the guppies be okay with the plant? I mean like will they try destroy it? I have no knowldge on guppies at all.. Time to do my research! And what do they eat? Thanks

Possum63 said:

Thanks for the replies!

I've decided I will get guppies I was discussing it with my boyfriend on Tuesday night and he thought it was a great idea to add guppies but that we should wait till I've secured a new job and move. Then it will be less animals to move with me haha. Hopefully I'll be able to secure a job and move within the month

I've been trying to feed my new juvie chopped up worms.. But I only have red wrigglers in my worm farm and I don't think he likes them... He won't even show any signs of interest in them at all!! He does love prawn though and the occasional pellet. I'm going to get him microworms hopefully today He is only a baby after all (about 6cm) so maybe he's still too young to be bothered with the red wigglers...

Oh just a question actually! I've just gotten three live plants (twisted vallisneria) will the guppies be okay with the plant? I mean like will they try destroy it? I have no knowldge on guppies at all.. Time to do my research! And what do they eat? Thanks

Click to expand...

We were feeding mine plain old fish flakes but that turned out to be horrible on the bare bottomed tank. THey made it look so dirty so quickly. Now they mostly nibble at the duckweed I have in there (although I'm pretty sure my fiance is still feeding them daily behind my back)

Oh and they try to eat axie pellets. Which is hilarious. They chase it down as it's sinking but my axies always snap at them when they get too close