Question: Axolotl food

I have recently found a source for axolotl near my house. The shopkeeper informed me that axolotls take live food only. However a cursory review of posts here has indicated that axolotls are able to take pellets.

Hi g1g5,

Live food such as earthworms and blackworms are particularly nutritious for axies. They can be fed as staples. However commercial axie pellets also make excellent food and are suitable as a staple as well. Most axies will readily accept pellets and they can be fed on pellets for extended periods of time.

I assume your axies are adults. Larvae will be too small to feed on pellets and there are more appropriate live food types for them.

I have attached some links for you to have a read.

http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/foods.shtml

http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/worms.shtml

http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/microfoods.shtml

Cheers.

Your assistance is much appreciated, thank you.

My axolotl will be either 3in or 6in. Which should make them, I believe, respectively juveniles and young adults.

I am considering 4 juveniles or 2 young adults for a 12 gallon tank. Might I ask if this this a reasonable setup?

Hi g1g5,

As a general rule of thumb, most literature would recommend providing 10 gallons per adult axie. The tank dimensions are also particularly important especially the surface area. Being bottom 'crawlers', the surface area defines their movement region.

I would recommend you invest in the largest possible tank you can get. The bigger the surface area and volume, the better it is in terms of providing water chemistry and temperature stability. A filter will also significantly help.

Also bear in mind that hiding places, ornaments, rocks, pipes, sand substrate, plants and caves etc all take up space. You want to provide about 2 hiding places per axie yet still provide ample 'roaming' space.

If you intend to keep a small shoal of feeder fish, they also contribute to the bioload. It is best to avoid overstocking/crowding as that is a prelude to a myriad of problems from stress to transmissible diseases.

Cheers.

Tank area at bottom is 58cmx30cm. Dense plantation extends from the center posterior of the tank to cover an area of 40cm x 12cm. Some large anubias leaves can support weight of axolotl, and driftwood act as natural contour. Water depth of 26cm which, I believe, leads to an unideal depth to surface area ratio for bottom dwelling organism. Both axolotls are approx. 6in, is this setup too small/overplanted?

Mechanical and chemical filters are provided. Biologal filter is a modified porebed type plenum which has been sucessfully employed in maintaining aquatic reptiles.

I do not think I will be using live food. If you have succesfully used feeder fish I would greatly value your feedback.

g1g5 said:

Tank area at bottom is 58cmx30cm. Dense plantation extends from the center posterior of the tank to cover an area of 40cm x 12cm. Some large anubias leaves can support weight of axolotl, and driftwood act as natural contour. Water depth of 26cm which, I believe, leads to an unideal depth to surface area ratio for bottom dwelling organism. Both axolotls are approx. 6in, is this setup too small/overplanted?

Mechanical and chemical filters are provided. Biologal filter is a modified porebed type plenum which has been sucessfully employed in maintaining aquatic reptiles.

I do not think I will be using live food. If you have succesfully used feeder fish I would greatly value your feedback.

Click to expand...

No fish. Pellets are the best i feed mine 3 in the morning and 3 in the night.

Hi G1g5,

The filter and aquatic plants are fine. The plants themselves have a buffering capacity against ammonia, nitrite spikes, and also increase the surface area for the colonisation of beneficial bacteria. My aquarium setup is also very heavily planted.

I do think the tank is ultimately too small to comfortably house 2 adult axies or 4 juveniles. A single adult or 2 juveniles is still ok but more than that you would risk overstocking related problems.

I do use a small colony of feeder fish for my axies although they are more of a live 'snack'. Their staples are earthworms, blackworms and pellets mainly. Any live food will require minimum of 30 days quarantine. The types of feeder fish also matters. Cold water live bearers are ideal (guppies, rosy red minnows, platys).

Cheers.