Axolotls in tall tanks? Other tankmates?

How high of a tank can I keep axolotls in?

While trying looking this up I found sites recommend 10 to 12 inches of water tanks, IF they mention tank water height at all (most just say volume size). I plan to have highly oxygenated water (live plants+ a drip sump) so would it be okay if I make the tank taller then 12 inches? (My current plants for the tank is to be 18 inches tall, pretty much filled to the top minus the inch or two of sand)

Another reason I want to have a taller tank (besides looks) is I want to have some tank mates with my axies, specifically White Cloud Mountain Minnow and some kind of shrimp (probably ghost shrimp). The mountain minnows like to chill at the top of the tank while axolotls stay towards the bottom giving the minnows a chance to not get eaten.

Basically are taller tanks okay and what are your experiences with White Cloud Mountain Minnow? Any other fish you recommend over them? What about shrimp? Which shrimp would you recommend?

I plan to have separate breeding tanks for both the minnows and the shrimp and I don't mind if they become snacks lol

Thanks in advance,
Hannah

Hi there Hannah.

I would suggest that you do not fill your tank, with just a small gap at the top because axolotls are known for jumping out of the water when startled, and you don't want it jumping out of the tank. You can also ensure this is not a problem by having a well fitting lid.
Caudata Culture Articles - Setups, Aquatic

As for having fish and shrimp in the tank, the general rule for mixing species is not to do it. It is not a good idea. Please see the link below.
Axolotls - Requirements & Water Conditions in Captivity
Caudata Culture Articles - Fish with Caudates

I have WCMM and amano shrimp in a temperate tank (I have 6 fish tanks as well as 2 axolotl tanks) and I enjoy watching them. I would never consider mixing them with my axolotls.

As far as nutritional values of axolotls foods are concerned, earthworms really are the best for larger axolotls.
Caudata Culture Articles - Nutritional Values

Sorry to be quite negative about your ideas for an axolotl set up, but please have a look at the links and other articles on the sites.
I have only been keeping axolotls for 3 months, so it may also be worth getting the advice of the more experienced keepers on this forum. :happy:

Best of luck with your set up and please keep us posted on your progress.

Hey Hannah,

I currently have my axie in a 20 gallon tall tank that is filled to the top and they get along just fine with my White Cloud Mountain Minnow's. I usually buy about 2 dozen at a time, and my axie loves chasing them around and catching them. I have to replenish them about twice a month, but I do believe it prevents my axie from getting bored.

As far as ghost shrimp are concerned, I have known them to be rather aggressive. But that's not to say it wont work. Just make sure the ghost shrimp are considerably smaller than your axie, and remove the shrimp from the tank if you witness any sort of aggression.

Hope this helps!

Hi BrianBoy and welcome to the forum. :happy:

Your post just goes to show that you never can tell what will and wont work with some set ups. You've obviously had a good experience with yours. I'm guessing that perhaps the minnows are too small to cause the axolotls any problems by nibbling on their gills.

As I mentioned, I am quite new to axolotl keeping, so was just going by information that I had found, rather than personal experience. :happy:

I have done quite a bit of research and the general rule of thumb is don't do tank mates with axies, but as I looked deeper I found a couple of exceptions that excited me.


The only reason I am considering the Mountain Minnows is how docile they are, to quote aquariadise.com

"White Cloud Mountain Minnow aggression Level and Social Characteristics: These fish are very docile when kept correctly, making them excellent for keeping with fancy guppies, bettas, and other long finned fishes. However, they truly thrive in a colder environment. They will not bother any bottom feeder, algae eater, invertebrate (unless they are shrimplets), or community fish. They can be eaten or bullied by larger more aggressive fish so they shouldn’t be readily mixed with South American cichlids, African cichlids, and large semi aggressive fish like Congo tetra"

Click to expand...

Based on that description it looks like they will not bother the axie at the bottom of the tank and they don't go after long finned fish they likely wont go for their gills. plus they actually thrive in cold water unlike fancy guppies (which is a close second for me)

As for shrimp I really don't know to much about the different species yet and the main reason I picked ghost shrimp is because I thought they looked cool. I plan to do more research and hopefully find a less aggressive one.

Thank you for your advice donna001! I also have no actual experience with Axololts!
And thank you Brianboy, its good to know that Mountain minnows can actually last more then a day in the tank XD

PS: the tank will indeed have a lid. No escaping axolotls for me.