Hey,
I recently purchased my first axolotl and following what i later found to be some bad advice we've had a rough couple of weeks.
Firstly i was told to keep him at 24 degrees, the temperature he'd been at in the store.
I was also told to give him a nice gravel bed to dig about in.
On returning home to his preheated, and gravel lined tank he proceeded to immediately eat a belly full of small stones.
I removed all the gravel straight away replacing it with big smooth pebbles all larger than an inch and then set about researching online to see what i'd done wrong. On learning that the temperature was far to high i reduced it gradually before removing the heater all together.
the tank is now sitting at about 17 degrees and my axolotl has passed several of the stones but judging by the dark shapes visable through his sides there are still some left inside.
I'm feeding him brine shrimp, daphnia and bloodworms on rotation and he tucks in with gusto and he seems quite active.
I caught him floating once but he buzzed back down immediately and he's not done it again( although he's popped up for air once or twice)
However now he's changing colour, he's leucistic and was very pale pink/white when i got him but now he's developed black/grey freckles on his head and in a stripe down his back. The spots aren't raised and don't look sore, they just look like markings but since they're new i'm a bit worried.
I don't know his age but he's about 3.5 - 4 inches long.
I know we didn't get off to a brilliant start but i want to do everything i can to do it right for him and keep him happy and well so if anyone can offer any advice i'd be over the moon and thanks to anyone who had the patience to read that lengthy passage.
Sharnax
I recently purchased my first axolotl and following what i later found to be some bad advice we've had a rough couple of weeks.
Firstly i was told to keep him at 24 degrees, the temperature he'd been at in the store.
I was also told to give him a nice gravel bed to dig about in.
On returning home to his preheated, and gravel lined tank he proceeded to immediately eat a belly full of small stones.
I removed all the gravel straight away replacing it with big smooth pebbles all larger than an inch and then set about researching online to see what i'd done wrong. On learning that the temperature was far to high i reduced it gradually before removing the heater all together.
the tank is now sitting at about 17 degrees and my axolotl has passed several of the stones but judging by the dark shapes visable through his sides there are still some left inside.
I'm feeding him brine shrimp, daphnia and bloodworms on rotation and he tucks in with gusto and he seems quite active.
I caught him floating once but he buzzed back down immediately and he's not done it again( although he's popped up for air once or twice)
However now he's changing colour, he's leucistic and was very pale pink/white when i got him but now he's developed black/grey freckles on his head and in a stripe down his back. The spots aren't raised and don't look sore, they just look like markings but since they're new i'm a bit worried.
I don't know his age but he's about 3.5 - 4 inches long.
I know we didn't get off to a brilliant start but i want to do everything i can to do it right for him and keep him happy and well so if anyone can offer any advice i'd be over the moon and thanks to anyone who had the patience to read that lengthy passage.
Sharnax