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Question: Starting a breeding line?

Hollystark

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I'm thinking about starting to seriously breed axolotls. I've sold eggs before, and raised nine to sub-adults which were all gorgeous and healthy. I need to figure out a better way to do a brine shrimp culture, but other than that the main thing I need before I start is a male.

I have a male, but he seems to have a hereditary eating or digestion issue. None of the babies I had from him seemed to have any sign of the problem, but I still think it's best that his lineage ends here lol.

I have two females: Turanga, the mother of all the eggs I've had and the babies I raised. GFP, Het for copper, wildtype. Windu I believe to also be a female based on the body shape, but can't tell for sure until they're breeding age-- NFP, Leucistic

Anybody have any advice for what I should look for in picking out a male/have any adult or near adult males for sale?
 

LSuzuki

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Well, you already know one important criteria - you want a male without defects.

Here is my personal philosophy - subject to change if people have convincing reasons...

Axolotls are probably extinct in the wild, and are highly unlikely to be reintroduced there. Hence, there survival as a species depends on the ability and willingness of people to keep them. This implies that they should be breed for hardiness in a wide range of tank conditions and for traits that make them appeal to people. Since you are an axolotl keeper, you should look for a male that is health and has personality traits or an appearance that you find appealing. I personally like the big, fluffy gills that some of them have. Once you know what you want in an axolotl, you can start checking around to figure out which breeders have axolotls like that. You can ask for pictures of the parents. You could get a batch of eggs, raise them, and keep the one(s) you like best or buy juveniles or possibly an adult from a breeder that they have decided not to keep (assuming it is for reasons other than it being substandard.)
 
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