Question: To fridge or not to fridge? Please answer quickly thanks!!!

Hey everyone,

I've just got my new axie! It's a wild one, called Spickle, and he's tiny compared to my other axie. About 2 and a half inches. I already love it to bits.
But my question is, the pet shop that i got it at didn't know much about axolotls and he's missing a leg, and i mean a whole leg up to his body and theres a bit of white sticking out.
Now i was wondering if i should put him in with my other axie or if i should fridge him so he can heal up.
I've tried to take a picture to show you all how his wound looks but it's very hard and you're not really able to see it in a picture.

Thank you for your help!

xMunchBunny

Hi
You will need to keep any new additions separate for 30 days anyway.
If the injury looks clean, no fungus (fluffy white stuff) then just keep him in a separate container with daily water changes.

Is he 2 and half inches or 2 and half smaller than your other? How big is your other one?

Mel

Hi mel,

The petshop in question is actually a specialist aquatics store and a a very reputable one who only deals with very reputable suppliers, the are UK bred stock only and the supplier quarantines all their livestock for 30 days before they enter the aquatics store. The water in question that the axie is in has been tested this morning and i know the stores tanks are kept immaculate, I have no concerns about him carrying a disease etc.

Our axolotl munchkin is about 9 inches, (he is one year old'ish, we have had him a year but un-sure how old he was when we got him/her) Munchkin is the lovely axie pictured in my partners (please sex) thread. Munchkin is very friendly however and has not picked on the small dwarf frog tank mate he has and not bothered his little shrimp friends either.

The would looks clean, no fungus no infection. I am looking at one of the following options.

Fridging him to aid the healing process,
Adding him to the main aquarium
Setting up our smaller 60L aquarium as a nursery tank for Spickle.

I'de prefer not having to set up a nursery but again if its needed i will do it, thats my responsibility as an owner =)

Should i be worried about munchkin seeing Spickle as a snack?

I would worry about aggression and proceed to set spickle up in a seperate aquarium due to the size difference.
Also please check out some of the posts on shrimp, as many members have kept shrimp and some have had their shrimp snacked on. Which is okay if you don't get too attached to the shrimp.
Please read this as well, Caudata Culture Articles - Species Mixing Disasters. Ultimately what you keep in your tank is up to you, but it is not advised to keep dwarf frogs with your axolotls, for various reasons. Please keep in mind that just because Munchkin hasn't tried to eat these guys, it doesn't mean he won't. He just hasn't eaten them yet. "Yet" being the operative word here.

That's what I'd recommend too. Rehab tank.
Fridging is good in many circumstances... but it slows their metabolism and thus can slow growth and regeneration.

Ok seperate tank it is, when will it be safe to put them both in one tank, as for the frog and shrimp neither me or my partner is too worried about them and if munchy eats them then thats just the food chain kicking in. the shrimp stays well out the way close to the surface in a thick plant so theres no chance of losing him, however the frog is always pushing its luck lol swimming near munchies mouth when he is eating !!