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Question: Scared new owner!!

Goninja

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Aug 10, 2015
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Hey guys,
New here but hoping you can reassure me. I recently got two juveniles, they're only about 3-4 inches right now. I had a 20 gallon tank cycled and ready to go, but these kids did not do well with the sand substrate. So I placed them in separate 5 gallon holding tanks(already cycled) until I can fix their home. I've never had axolotls before so I have no idea what they should be doing. They both are pretty active, but can be mopey. They're also hanging out near their filters? Is this normal?

Today I did water tests and their ammonia spiked to .5ppm! I panicked and did 90% water changes. They're eating well, not too much poop. I just don't want them to be stressed or unhappy. What can I do to keep them content during this transition period between tanks? I'm really scared I'll hurt them.

Any help or advice or newbie tips would save me a lot of worries!
 

silk

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If you're getting ammonia readings it sounds like the cycle crashed. I would just suggest 60-80% water changes after testing it each day. Hanging around filters is a popular axolotl activity, not quite sure why they like it but they do.

It sounds like you're doing good, just spot clean food/poop as necessary, keep the tanks cool and just keep an eye out for any signs of stress (curled tail/gills, floating, refusing food, etc). Good luck! ;)
 

ChristineB

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It spiked in the main tank? If you removed the sand that would explain it. If it's .5ppm in their temporary tanks, there may just not be enough water volume. I temporarily housed 4-5" ribbed newts in 5-gallons earlier this year and my experience was that the tank seemed cycled (no ammonia) but that a tank that small can't keep up with newt output; levels would rise a bit each day. Chuck as many plants in there as you can, and change enough water daily to keep it at .25ppm or lower, and get your big tank ready ASAP. You may still have problems; most guidelines recommend 30 gallons for two axies. Lots of plants and poop-scooping might be enough. Take it from me, though, major daily water changes get old fast!
 

BabySinclair

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Couple questions. Were you still dropping in food or something to keep creating ammonia even tho the tank was cycled? This is why I ask...
When I first got my 5 non fur babies, I had placed them all in a fully cycled 40 gallon. In three days after adding my babies, I had a spike. It wasn't that my cycle crashed. It was that I had placed more of a bio load than what the already cycled tank could handle. My mistake was, that once the cycle was completed, I quit adding as much food. thus starving out my stock Pile of beneficial bacteria. There was still some, but not enough to handle the new bio load. Resulting in a ammonia and nitrite spike. To combat this, I did daily 30% water changes, and added seachems stability. It worked like a champ and was completely fixed in under two weeks.
I cycled my 55 gallon doing a partial fish less cycle. In the beginning I used ammonia, syphoned axolotl poop and stability, in two weeks I was able to put in a couple feeder fish. I didn't loose one and they are now happily living in my pond :). Keep in mind, you won't see a result from the stability for a day or two. So when you do daily water changes, be sure to add more stability with each water change.

As far as the two Lotties in a 5 gal aquarium. I honestly suggest doing 100% water changes until the larger tank is cycled. Ammonia burns the gill feathers, in bad cases, it will completely burn them off.

You may be better keeping your guys in Tupperware bins and doing daily 100% water changes until the bigger tank is cycled again. When you empty the bins, put that water in the big tank. Nothing like Axolotl poop to get the cycle going strong! Be sure to use conditioned water in the new bin. No one likes chorine in the eyes ;-)




_________________________________________________________
When asked: Why?
Because I couldn't stop at just one dammit!!!
 
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