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Question: Cloudy tank water?

Lovely Axies

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Hello, I have just noticed that the water in my axolotl tank is slightly less clear than it was yesterday, is this because of the waste they excrete? Also, can having your hand in the tank more than twice a day affect the chemical balance and/or cause the water to cloud? Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions.;)
 

Jennewt

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Putting hands in the tank several times per day is very unlikely to affect the chemical balance or cause cloudiness. However, it's a bad idea for other reasons. There can be trace amounts of chemicals, soaps, etc. Always rinse (no soap) before putting hands in the tank.

Cloudiness is not necessarily cause for panic, but it can indicate that things need some changes. How long has this tank been set up? What is the size of the tank and how many axies? What are they being fed? What kind of substrate? Do you have access to any test kits, or a pet shop that will test the water for you?
 

Lovely Axies

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the tank has been up and running for three days with all the chlorine taken out. the tank is a 60x30x30cm tank with two axies in. My pet shop says it will be fine because they are only young (around 9-10months) they are fed the axolotl pellets and i am using gravel for substrate. It is large chunks of gravel though. also, a new issue arose this morning, my axie, Nim-a-nim, was floating at the top of the tank, i didn't know what to do so i took the lid off the tank and he swam straight ove to the filter where he has been sitting for the past 10 minutes. Do you know if he is sick? Should i get some of those oxygen stone things on the way home from school today? Thank you for your help so far, I hope I will be able to return the favour sometime.
 

dragonlady

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Anybody out here will tell you that is typically a bad practice to take axolotl advice from a pet shop. They are usually not very knowledgeable about axolotls.

For one, how big is your gravel? If it is smaller than your axie's head, then it's no good - read this: Caudata Culture Articles - Aquarium Substrates

What are you using for filtration? How big are your new additions? 60 cm is not big enough for 2 adults.

Feeding: the pellets are good, you will want to get them to eat live earthworms as a staple though.

Your tank has only begun to cycle. It will need at least 2-3 weeks to cycle fully. This is most likely the reason for the cloudiness. Caudata Culture Articles - Cycling

If you haven't already, you will need a complete set of test kits (pH, ammonia, nitrite/nitrate) and a decent thermometer.

Sounds like a lot, I know but this is a huge commitment on your part. We're all here to help you though. :D
 

Lovely Axies

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umm, the gravel is too big for them to swallow, i have a filter that is the right size for my tank, umm, the local pet shops don't have any testing kits so i am going to the pet shop in the town on the weekend. is it ok to have the axolotl in while it's cycling, because i don't have another tank? thank you for your help
 

dragonlady

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You can cycle with an axie in it but this is very dangerous without being able to test the water. Axies are very sensitive to ammonia and ammonia levels can spike during the cycle process. What are you using to treat the water for your tank?

Sorry, I should have been clearer in why I was asking these questions: These are all areas that can cause axolotls a great deal of stress and yours is sounding possibly stressed along with the water being cloudy.

It is normal for juvies to float for long periods of time, but as they get older, this could prove to be a sign of stress depending on how long they float and if they have difficulties going to the bottom. How big are your 2 axies?

I was concerned about the gravel because there are many posts out here where axolotls have attempted to swallow rocks the size of their heads and well, that usually doesn't end well.:(

I asked about the filtration because axolotls hate fast moving waters and can become very stressed. Also, some submersible filters can cause the temp of your tank to rise and that could be a problem. Can you check the temp?

Just trying to gain as much info as possible to get a good picture of what might be going on there. Thanks for your patience and hopefully we can help. :)
 

Lovely Axies

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the temp never gets above 22oC , my axies are, hold on, not sure, around 12-18cm, hard to measure. um, like i said, i wil try to get a testing kit asap. thank you for help. i have put a oxygen block thing in and it should balance the oxygen and Ph, is this going to help them breathe better? thanks again
 

Jennewt

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I have a different concern about the stones - if any of the food pellets fall down into the stone layer, they will rot, and this is likely to be what is causing your water to cloud up. This could be quite dangerous, as it's usually accompanied by a spike in the ammonia level in the water. You REALLY need to get the water tested ASAP.

Do you understand what is "new tank syndrome"? New tanks are dangerous because there hasn't been enough time for the beneficial bacteria to colonize and break down the ammonia etc. If the axolotl continues to float, you may want to move it to a separate tank or covered bucket until you get the water quality under control.

If there is no source of aeration of the water, yes, get an air pump and airstone.
 

Lovely Axies

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thank you, i hand feed them and pick up all dropped food, so I doubt that could be the cloudieness thing. They have stopped floating so much after i put an airstone in. I guess it could have been gas or just wanting to breathe the air? I am trying to get a testing kit tomorrow. Thanks for your advice
 

Martinice

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the tank has been up and running for three days with all the chlorine taken out. the tank is a 60x30x30cm tank with two axies in. My pet shop says it will be fine because they are only young (around 9-10months) they are fed the axolotl pellets and i am using gravel for substrate. It is large chunks of gravel though. also, a new issue arose this morning, my axie, Nim-a-nim, was floating at the top of the tank, i didn't know what to do so i took the lid off the tank and he swam straight ove to the filter where he has been sitting for the past 10 minutes. Do you know if he is sick? Should i get some of those oxygen stone things on the way home from school today? Thank you for your help so far, I hope I will be able to return the favour sometime.

You have an ammonia problem my axolotl was doing exactly that when my tank wasnt properly astablished and at that time i was battling with ammonia.
believe me it will save you so much time if you buy a bottle of live bacteria and squirt double the amount in there. (over dosing on live bacteria is not harmless as it is not a chemicle)
 
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