My first three axos

2darescue · Jun 12, 2014

They're here and I'm in love lol. They're all right around five inches, two lovely dark wilds, and a sweet leuc. The leuc will eat from tongs or fingers. The wilds aren't certain that's safe. Funny how they take shipping differently. The leuc was happy calm, ready to explore. The larger wild had curled gills but quickly sank and found a spot to recover in. The little one was freaked, floating and panicky. I got her into the filter stream and gave her enough plants to stabilize her. She took a few hours to settle in. When I saw their actual sizes I moved them to a forty breeder. Rather than disturb the substrate I threw down a piece of plastic mesh I use for such things, to keep them from swallowing gravel. Lined it with enough stones to keep it down. All the plants in that tank are in jars or on driftwood. Its normally home to my juv tiger Oscar. For a third weird thing about my peewee. She'll climb up driftwood to get into the outflow from the filter. So much for her avoiding it. Guess axies are people too, everybody is different.

2darescue · Jun 13, 2014

Day four. All three juvies are in the forty gallon. The two wild ones are MUCH happier together. And the leuc will lie beside the larger wild so all is well. The smallest hadn't eaten as of yesterday, so I did force her to eat a mix of salmon pellets and brine shrimp. That perked her up within a few hours and she's eating on her own today. I've extensive feeding experience with a number of species, so I took the risk that I could figure out lotl feeding. Must have done okay, she didn't even pale out. Both wilds' gills have returned to normal and all three are beginning to explore for real. Looks like they're settling in fine. I can stop holding my breath now and work on my 110 for them.

auntiejude · Jun 13, 2014

Axies can go for a week or more without eating, there's really no need to force feed unless an axie is scary-skinny and hasn't eaten for over 2 weeks. And many refuse to eat when stressed, especially after shipping. Give it some time if it goes off it's food again, axies don't usually let themselves starve!

2darescue · Jun 13, 2014

Thanks Auntie Jude! I wouldn't have if she weren't already fairly thin and really immobile. I figured they were like most poi kilo therms and could go a long time but she seemed quite weak, very unlike the other two. So, it was probably jumping the gun some but she's a busy curious newt today so I feel better.

Did want to mention, plants in their tank wete quarantined and established in different tanks and then grown from cuttings. Any "feeders" I mention are fourth or fifth generation from my "tank starter livebearers" that I keep to cycle tanks with. I don't feed or add to any tank, new plants or livestock. Even my shrimp are simple glass shrimp, who do fine at axo temps, and are fourth and fifth Gen as well." Glass shrimp, unlike neocaridina, breed readily in a wide range of water quality and temperatures, are docile, even with neos, are usually fast enough to avoid over predation, and help w clean up. They tolerate full water changes and temp swings. They're the ultimate fussless shrimp. They breed fast and if you play with them long enough they sport into orange, green and blue still see through just tinted. I'm working on a very orange glass color now lol.

so my feeders, I bred, my plants. I cultivate, my driftwood and slate I gather, wash, or boil/bake myself.

Nothing I buy at a pet store goes into established tanks until its been quarantined or cleaned.

As to feeding the axo... She felt very off. I've fed everything from pinky mice, to hummingbirds, to things large and small, so I had reason for my confidence in doing so safely. I've seen a lot of sickly animals over the decades. I wasn't comfortable with her behaviors, weight, etc. I wouldn't suggest it to others. They are quite fragile. But I fabricated her a little plastic sling to sit in so I didn't risk squishing her or damaging her skin.

I have moldable low temp plastic here for just such things. Stuff is endlessly useful and non-toxic.

Skudo09 · Jun 13, 2014

Pinkies and hummingbirds are not appropriate food items for axolotls. Start up your own earthworm farm. Earthworms are very nutritious, are cheap and not messy . They make a great staple diet. I would avoid mammalian meat. I don't think I have ever heard of anyone offering a hummingbird to an axolotl but I would consider it an inappropriate food item. I would offer them a staple of earthworms and maybe as an occasional treat bloodworm, axolotl specific pellets, black worm. Other foods are available but earthworms are what I would recommend as a staple diet.

Just like any other animal or human, axolotls have different personalities.

Boomsloth · Jun 13, 2014

2darescue said:
Thanks Auntie Jude! I wouldn't have if she weren't already fairly thin and really immobile. I figured they were like most poi kilo therms and could go a long time but she seemed quite weak, very unlike the other two. So, it was probably jumping the gun some but she's a busy curious newt today so I feel better.

Did want to mention, plants in their tank wete quarantined and established in different tanks and then grown from cuttings. Any "feeders" I mention are fourth or fifth generation from my "tank starter livebearers" that I keep to cycle tanks with. I don't feed or add to any tank, new plants or livestock. Even my shrimp are simple glass shrimp, who do fine at axo temps, and are fourth and fifth Gen as well." Glass shrimp, unlike neocaridina, breed readily in a wide range of water quality and temperatures, are docile, even with neos, are usually fast enough to avoid over predation, and help w clean up. They tolerate full water changes and temp swings. They're the ultimate fussless shrimp. They breed fast and if you play with them long enough they sport into orange, green and blue still see through just tinted. I'm working on a very orange glass color now lol.

so my feeders, I bred, my plants. I cultivate, my driftwood and slate I gather, wash, or boil/bake myself.

Nothing I buy at a pet store goes into established tanks until its been quarantined or cleaned.

As to feeding the axo... She felt very off. I've fed everything from pinky mice, to hummingbirds, to things large and small, so I had reason for my confidence in doing so safely. I've seen a lot of sickly animals over the decades. I wasn't comfortable with her behaviors, weight, etc. I wouldn't suggest it to others. They are quite fragile. But I fabricated her a little plastic sling to sit in so I didn't risk squishing her or damaging her skin.

I have moldable low temp plastic here for just such things. Stuff is endlessly useful and non-toxic.

Where do you live where hummingbirds are so numerous/easily attainable to feed them to other animals??

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sweetie · Jun 14, 2014

Ha ha!! No. I think the OP actually meant s/he had fed - as in given food to - mice, hummingbirds etc. (And having done so, felt that gave some experience in feeding a wide variety of creatures.) S/he did not, I think, mean s/he had fed mice, birds and so on to axies! At least, that is how I read the post.

Skudo09 · Jun 14, 2014

Sweetie said:
Ha ha!! No. I think the OP actually meant s/he had fed - as in given food to - mice, hummingbirds etc. (And having done so, felt that gave some experience in feeding a wide variety of creatures.) S/he did not, I think, mean s/he had fed mice, birds and so on to axies! At least, that is how I read the post.

You know, reading the OP's post again I think you may be right haha!

To the OP, ignore my last post

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