New to this and failing miserably.

I couldn't wait to get on this board and talk about my new pets but unfortunately my first post is a sad one.
I got 3 Axolotls on 3/21. As of last night I have 1
Despite doing my research I failed to cycle my tank properly and the poor little guys were subjected to very high ammonia levels and by the time I figured out they were in danger it was too late. (I fell for the "makes new tanks ready for fish in 24 hours" stuff in a bottle). Needless to say, it did not work, and I feel like a terrible person.
So that's the history, I just wanted to give a quick run-through of my "from now on plan" and make sure I'm not missing anything.
The gentleman that sold me the Axolotl's is being kind enough to let me try again. My plan is to get a new one immediately (so he/she is roughly the same size as the survivor) and keep them in small containers with daily water changes until the tank is cycled (and they are big enough to even find in my 29 gallon tank).
I am open to comments/suggestions on how to proceed (we can leave out the "you are a horrible person" comments, I feel bad enough!) Thanks!

Why not wait with getting new ones until your tank is fully cycled? Do lots of water changes and keep your other guy in a small container with fresh water and introduce him to the new, cycled tank in 3 weeks. I don't think that 3 weeks makes that much of a difference for size.

Don't get a new one right away, didn't we just learn this is a bad idea to jump the gun?

Cycling takes weeks, nothing will ever cycle your tank in 24 hours for you.

Here's an article on aquarium cycling:
Scales Tails Wings and Things, What is Aquarium Cycling? How to Cycle your Tank

Get your tank fully cycled BEFORE getting any more animals.

With your current animal, keep it in a tupperware container or something similar with daily 100% water changes with clean, dechlorinated water. Do you have a plan for keeping it cool? Axolotls need temperatures around 62-68 degrees Fahrenheit.

I thought it would make more sense to get another one now so that they would be the same size as the one I currently have. Even if the tank is cycled, they are a lot smaller than I thought they would be and I don't feel right having them in the tank anyways. And if I have one in a bin on the counter, what's the difference between that and having 2 in bins on the counter?
As for the temp, I have a thermometer in the tank, it's been holding steady at around 66F, and I put the the tank in the same room as the AC and purchased a tank fan. (I really did do research)
as far as jumping the gun, my mistake was thinking that adding water from an already cycled tank, as well as the bottled **** would cycle the tank right away... However, like I said, even if the tank was cycled, I didn't like having them in there, they were really small and it's a big tank... so even if I wait until the tank is cycled to get a new one, he's still going to be living in a bin on the counter....

You seem to be more hung up on what you want than the safety of the animals, and that's what concerns me. You rushed cycling the tank with the product because you wanted the animals now. You don't want to put them in a bigger tank because... you don't like having them in there (???) yet there's no harm in keeping a small lotl in a big tank. They'll love the room! And they grow so fast.

And you're rushing to get a second Axolotl despite the fact your tank isn't cycled and you're not even sure you can keep the current one alive.

You need to be thinking about what is best for the animals, first and foremost. Not about what you want.

Woah. Way to take that the wrong way.
What I meant to say is I don't think it is humane for them to be in the tank because I can't tell if they are eating, especially when the worms are on the bottom of the tank and they are hanging out somewhere on a plant. (half the time in a place I can't even find them... looking for 1-1.5'' see through critters in a 29 gallon tank is a challenge.) Of course I want them in the tank! Silly me for wanting to make sure they can eat too. Not to mention the fact that despite the sponge on the filter intake they are so small that one immediately got stuck to it when I put them in the tank. I was able to resolve the issue by putting a divider up so that they did not have access to the part of the tank with the filter intake but that's one more reason I don't think it is humane to keep them in the tank at this size.
As far as the cycling, I was going off misinformation. I read that using water from an already cycled tank would make it unnecessary, used the bottled stuff as a precaution, and swallowed my pride to come here and seek advise when it didn't work.

So... let me rephrase my original question. When housing axolotl juveniles in tupperware, as I have seen in several places online, is there anything else I need to do besides change the water once daily with spring water, keep the temperature below 68F, and feed them once daily?

P.S. I am over 30 years old, I have a bachelors degree in animal science, I am a certified veterinary technician, I am not the kind of person you are trying to make me out to be, I am simply an aquarium novice who is trying to gather more information.

k9srgr8 said:

So... let me rephrase my original question. When housing axolotl juveniles in tupperware, as I have seen in several places online, is there anything else I need to do besides change the water once daily with spring water, keep the temperature below 68F, and feed them once daily?

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My apologies then, but with the information given that is what it sounded like. lD To answer this - that's about it. Test the water daily and change it as needed.

If they are little and depending on how much you are feeding them you might want to feed them twice a day. I don't understand why keeping them in a bin isn't good for them. I was advised to keep my babies in a little container until they got bigger as well. On these forums. Isn't that what the breeders do? Correct me if I'm wrong please I don't want to do something wrong either.

And to the op I would suggest getting a master test kit and test your waters to make sure they are properly cycled. =)


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Thanks
One more question, am I incorrect in thinking that they need to be relatively the same size in order to be housed in the same tank?
To clarify, That is my concern in waiting to get more... if they grow and inch a month, and the tank is going to take at least a month to cycle, when it is fully cycled I will have a 2.5" axolotl at that point. I thought pairing him with a new baby that's 1-1.5" was ill-advised, which is what would happen if I wait until the tank is cycled to get another one. yes? no? I mean I could keep them separate in the tank but then they would have to stay separate until they are fully grown, correct? If I did that would they be okay? (happy I mean, I know I have read they can live alone but that seems cruel).

You are correct in that thinking; you shouldn't mix sizes. If one can even remotely fit the other into it's mouth, it will try to eat it. Axolotls are opportunistic feeders and will snap at anything that moves. They should be right around the same size to be kept together so they don't end up harming each other or outright being eaten by the bigger one.

Axolotls can be kept alone just fine, they're not social creatures in the slightest. it isn't cruel.

From what I understand you are correct in thinking they should be the same size. Axolotl will snap at anything that moves and I've heard horror stories of keeping together ones of different sizes BUT you could always use your divider to keep them separate until they are about the same size. Like I said before though someone correct me if I'm wrong. I'm still fairly new at this myself. =)


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I keep my larvae in plastic tubs that I rotate daily. I also clean the tubs with a 2:1 baking soda to salt ratio. I don't know how necessary this is since I rotate them, but I read that they do it at the University of Kentucky to prevent foot rot, so thats good enough for me. I wipe them out with a paper towel and refill with clean, aged water. I do this daily as I said. No airstone, or filter, just some plants and moss balls for hiding in. Besides the ammonia spiking, You may have just gotten a few not so healthy axolotls, also. Best of Luck! :yin-yang:

I read that putting the waste water from the bins they are in will provide an ammonia source so I was planning on doing that. I was considering putting one of my snails in the tank but I am hesitant as I don't want to introduce any diseases the snails may be harboring.

If you get a big enough bin and take care of them correctly in it then they will do fine in the bin. My tank just got totally redone and i'm waiting for it to finish cycling while my 3axos are in a big bin. They're fine. And I think it's a great idea..if you keep the 2 axos together. since yours are small you want them to stay used to other axos. Mine are 5"-7" and they will be in here 3 days, fine. As long as they're healthy and happy you're ok. Just keep them together in a big bin, not separate.

I'd wait on the snails, until the axolotls are bigger at least, for a few reasons. Some of them being vectors, and your axolotls are delicate at that size. Also, you don't need a snail shell causing impaction in your lotls, and making them suffer.

Yeah I have two bins I rotate daily. With new water and little of the old water. I wash out the old bin real good just with water I am afraid to use anything else. I also have an airstone on very low with some java fern for a hide.


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Also you could get a 10 gallon tank for now or even a 5 gallon one, but I think bins are easier to keep clean, and easier to deviate..and find your axo..ect.

I agree with Smokey. I had some little ones in a 10ga once and it was just more hassle than it was worth, with the water changes, feeding, etc.

k9srgr8 said:

I read that putting the waste water from the bins they are in will provide an ammonia source so I was planning on doing that. I was considering putting one of my snails in the tank but I am hesitant as I don't want to introduce any diseases the snails may be harboring.

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The water change water isn't going to be sufficient ammonia source for your tank to cycle. You'll need to pick up pure ammonia or 'feed' the tank with fish food (which will then decay and create ammonia).
the ammonia has to be dosed up to 4ppm daily to feed the cycle.