Snail in axolotl tank? Need ammonia source.

I just re-vamped my axolotl tank today. The only stuff I had was old filter media which was floating in a bucket of old tank water for a few days. I need a source of ammonia to get my cycle kick started, so I thought about getting a large snail (one big enough that won't fit in their mouths)... Maybe a large apple snail? I'm not sure how snails and axolotls are together in the same tank, which is why I'm asking here. I could put a few live plants in there, but I'm concerned about "pest" snails, which are currently invading my planted tanks, which I wanted to avoid in this tank. I also have a bottled "bacteria supplement" I could toss in the tank... Ideas? Thanks

You could kick start your cycle any number of ways - get some cheap feeder fish (guppies) and stick them in the tank, your axie can snack on them later, use a few bloodworms (I used a frozen cube to start my guppy tank), or just dump some axie poop in there!

But it can be done with your axie in there - it just takes lots of water changes.

The bacteria starter is great - I use a pearl-type that you just stick a few pearls in the filter to 'seed' bacteria in there.

Snails either have to be nice and small with soft shells so that an axie can eat it, or large enough not to be seen as food. Trapdoor-type snails are generally not recommended. Any hitchikers that end up in my tank when I add plants don't last long, and I find empty shells a few days later. You could always quarantine a plant on it's own before putting it in the tank to ensure you don't have smail eggs.

What would you recommend as a water change schedule if I choose to add my axies? They've been in a tub together for days, and they're quite unhappy. I'd like to get them to their new home as soon as possible.

the water changes really depend on the water it's self. could be 10-15% everyday or every other day. I would(if you haven't) go buy an ammonia test kit and just check your water everyday. you should be able to stay on top of it and if it spikes, just change 50%. it's a lot of work but its a good substitute if you can't wait. hope this helps!
p.s I have four different tanks(not all axolotls) and I have never waited for my tank to cycle. I just stay on top of water changes in the beginning(;


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conradryaan said:

the water changes really depend on the water it's self. could be 10-15% everyday or every other day. I would(if you haven't) go buy an ammonia test kit and just check your water everyday. you should be able to stay on top of it and if it spikes, just change 50%. it's a lot of work but its a good substitute if you can't wait. hope this helps!
p.s I have four different tanks(not all axolotls) and I have never waited for my tank to cycle. I just stay on top of water changes in the beginning(;


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So I just change water so ammonia stays at 0ppm?

So, I'm thinking that I would do daily water changes to keep the ammonia at 0ppm, or at least close (you need a little bit of ammonia to cycle, right? Maybe .25ppm?) And let me get this correct, I want 0ppm NitrIte, but I do want NitrAte? If I remember correctly--a tank is cycled once ammonia spikes and drops back down to zero, NitrIte spikes and drops back down to zero, and I start getting a reading for NitrAte. Please correct me if I'm wrong
I've added a few plants in there, though it's not much. Adding feeder fish worry me about introducing disease into the tank, so I think I'm going to steer clear of that. I need to replace a part in my filter which I have to order online, so I only have my filter on for a little bit each day before it starts making a horrible noise. Will having my filter off hinder this process or the well being of my axolotls? Thanks.

live plants help a lot. so stressful water conditions start to happen if your ammonia is above .25, and if your nitrites are above .5, and if your nitrates are above 40mg. all of those things can be lowered by just simply changing some water. after your tank is cycled though you should hardly ever see any ammonia in it. unfortunately you should never have your filter off longer than a few minutes because with out water all the good bacteria in your biological filter will die and then the process just has to start over. if you are going to turn it off I would get some of the tank water in a small container and I would put both, the biological and the carbon filter into the water until you turn it back on that way you are allowing the bacteria to die. I have never heard of a tank cycling this way either but it might work just till you can get the new part in there. hope that helps!


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