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Question: Temperature for axolotl

Niitro iLLusioN

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I have had an albino axolotl for about a month and a half now with no problems with temperature. Although it is now summer here in Australia and my aquarium is getting up to 22 degrees celcius and I was wondering if this is ok. I have a usb fan blowing on to the surface of the tank and that keeps it around 5 degrees cooler than normal. My axie is showing no signs of stress or disease and is eating normal.I feed him earthworms and pellets every 1-2 days. Is there anyway I can keep the tank cooler?

Additional info:
he is around 6 months old
He is in a 45 litre tank by himself
Ammonia levels are 0 and ph is 7.0
 

Skudo09

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Ideally it is best to keep them below 20C but in Aussie summer that can be hard. But definitely don't go above 24Celsius as this can be quite stresful for axies and increase issues with fungus. It is easier to keep the temperature down in larger tanks. What are nitrite and nitrate levels? Chillers are the ultimate thing to keep tanks cool but they are very expensive. Along with fans though you could try to insulate the tank. I have a car windowscreen cover (the aluminium type looking ones) around the outside of my tank. It would work better if it completely surrounded the tank but I like to still be able to view them so it is just around the back of the tank. It does help a little though. I read somewhere here too you could put wet towels around the tank to help cool the tank. But you might think of better ways to insulate the tank. Another idea someone here had (wish I could remember who so I could give credit to them) set up their axolotl in a tub which was placed inside one of those styrofoam box or an esky and then between the tub and the esky/foam box they had ice to keep the tub cool. This could be a great way to keep axolotls cool during the stinky hot Aussie summer days :)
 

Niitro iLLusioN

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Yeah it doesn't normally go above 24 degrees and 22 is normally what it has been sitting at for the past week or so. I don't have a nitrate or nitrite tester. I assume it is ok and I will have to buy a test kit soon. I may give the esky trick a go if the water gets to warm or if it gets extremely bad (you never know with Aussie weather) I may just fridge him. Thanks for the ideas though ;D
 

Skudo09

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Definitely get a testing kit for nitrite and nitrate. Otherwise you will not know if your tank is cycled. Nitrite is also toxic to axolotls and nitrate can be too if it is too high (above 40ppm). Get a liquid testing kit such as the API freshwater master kit. It contains testing for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and PH.

A cycled tank should show results of zero ammonia and nitrite and some nitrate present. But you want to keep the nitrate below 40ppm.

* I should also add that you will also not know if you are changing enough water to keep nitrate below 40ppm without regularly testing it.
 

Niitro iLLusioN

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I will defiantly be buying a test kit next time I go shopping then. I had my tank setup with goldfish for a few years but they died and I decided to clean the tank and get an axoltl. I had the tank setup for around 9 weeks prior to getting my axolotl and the ammonia is at 0 so it should be fine until I get a test kit. Thanks ;)
 

Skudo09

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As soon as you get the kit, test it. Nitrite is just as toxic and maybe even more so than ammonia. If you are not testing for these you won't know if you are exposing you axolotl to dangerous toxins in the water. How did you clean the tank? If you cleaned the filter with chlorinated tap water, you will have likely killed all the beneficial bacteria in the tank. Here is a link on aquarium cycling. It will be good to read up on this so you know why testing for nitrite and nitrate regularly are just as important as testing for ammonia.

Scales Tails Wings and Things, What is Aquarium Cycling? How to Cycle your Tank
 

Niitro iLLusioN

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Just bought the kit off eBay ;)I have had a very basic Idea of what the nitrogen cycle is. I didn't clean the sponges in the filter under tap water although I did clean the outside of the filter and the ornaments with tap water.
 
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