How do you introduce Adult Axolotls to each other? Is this wise!?

Hi guys,

I hope you are all well, my fellow Caudatians!

I hope you can help me, I’ve been doing lots of Googling, research and asked all of the local shops i go into, but I was wondering what you all thought about this subject. You are a wise bunch!

What are the general feelings on how to introduce Adult Axolotls to each other?

I am asking this because of my axxie situation.

I started off my axxie adventure with 3 beautiful axxies. 1 Black Female (The golden shiny kind!), 1 Black male (of the purpley filament kind) and 1 Albino Male. I bought these from a shop and they had lived together their whole lives. They’re about 5 years old and seem extremely happy with each other. They actually sulk when I have separated the female in the past after she laid eggs! (I have raised several beautiful axxie babies that are all being sold as we speak – but that’s a longer different story!)

So, that’s my axolotl world…. Or was… before I had to do an emergency rescue on two little 9 month old axxies (They’re 1 year old now). The rescue is a long different story too, but the bottom line is, I have acquired two extra beautiful axxies. 1 x Black Male and 1 X Leucistic Female. (They were going to be left for dead, I HAD to rescue them!) They’re 12 months now and have been living separately to my original 3. (I have 5 adults in total!) That’s two massive tanks running in my house – plus all the little baby tubs! It can be chaotic but I have dedicated all of my non work time in looking after them all. J I kept them separate from my original 3 for around 3 months now, to make sure there was no diseases or anything wrong with the new ones and fortunately, there isn’t! They’re in great health, especially since I rescued them from a tank with two goldfish and a weather loach in it. (Yikes!) I plan on keeping two tanks running as i think putting all 5 together is a bad idea, not enough room.

Now, the Leucistic has now laid eggs for the first time, so, what I’d like to do (as I have run out of tanks!) is put my original Black female in the Leucistic’s tank and the new little Black Axxie with my other two males… ideally! So have all the girls in one tank and all the boys in the other. (3 x boys in a 4ft long tank and 2 x girls in a 3 ft long tank) The females are similar in size, the Leucistic is slightly smaller. The males are the same size, not the same age though.

Would this be a bad idea? Would they eat each other? I know if I put my male dragons together, it would end badly, im not sure if it’s the same for axxies, which is why I am asking you guys before I make ANY decision. Do I need to introduce them slowly and keep monitoring them?

I just want what is best for my axxies and I hope that you guys can help me with my incredibly complicated situation. Feel free to ask any questions if I haven’t been clear!

Thank you in advance J

I think you have a good plan.

The best way I've found to do introductions is to take everybody out, do a big water change, and rearrange everything in the tank. This makes it feel like a 'new' environment. Then reintroduce the new guy first, and add the others after half an hour or so. This should prevent any territoriality that might occur.

Kaysie said:

I think you have a good plan.

The best way I've found to do introductions is to take everybody out, do a big water change, and rearrange everything in the tank. This makes it feel like a 'new' environment. Then reintroduce the new guy first, and add the others after half an hour or so. This should prevent any territoriality that might occur.

Click to expand...

I did just this after having to fridge my female for just over a week following an injury which she has now happily recovered from.

Cleaned the tank, moved the "furniture" around a bit and them popped one quietly in either side of the tank. They soon found each other and she spent the best part of a day sat on his head as if to say "don't ever leave me again"!.

good result! i'm glad to see it worked out ok

Thank you very much for your advice. Sorry about the delay in resopnse. I've spent all of my spare time looking after the crazy creatures rather than posting, but I read your responses, took your advice.. and.. So far so good!!!

Its tough for my female as her filaments look like bloodworms to the other female, but the appear to be getting on really well. I think the female misses her boys though.

The male i put in with the other two, appears to be OK. He hid in the same corner for a couple of days, i thought the others may be bullying him, but hes come out of his corner now and is hanging in all places of the tank. They have lots of hiding places between them, they get fed every other day... i hope they'll be alright.. id hate to find an injury, but i guess i'll have to moniutor them.

My next problem is trying to keep their tanks cool through this massive heatwave that we're having in the UK! Nightmare!

Speak to you all soon!