Whats the Difference between keeping Axolotl and Goldfish?

Ridewithme38

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So i consider myself a fairly experienced aquarium keeper, i've had many different tanks over my life from saltwater reef's to Tropical to cool water and am currently maintaining a couple large goldfish tanks. So i understand how to cycle a tank, do water changes, deal with Nitrates and Ammonia spikes & Maintain temperatures....I've also done a few Sand substrate tanks, so i understand that anaerobic pockets can can develop and how to deal with that....

Everything i've read has seemed to indicate that keeping a Axolotl is a lot like keeping Goldfish, neither have eyelids, While goldfish are omnivorous they still enjoy bloodworms, same basic temperature requirements

But, what am i missing, what do i need to know about Axolotl that differentiates them from Goldfish?

  • Lower Current Filtration needed for Axolotl
  • Axolotl's are Carnivores
  • Axolotl's need 'hides'

ETA: I'm not suggesting i'm going to keep them together(My RedTop Oranda & BlackMoor would swollow an Axololt whole, not to mention my single Common), i have an empty 29 gallon i'd like to keep ONE axolotl in by itself
 
Being as you're already an aquatic hobbyist, you pretty much know what you're doing and answered most of the questions yourself!

Axolotls prefer cooler water, between 16-18 degrees celsius is perfect but anything under 20 degrees is fine. They really don't cope well in warmer water so if weather is likely to fluctuate, you need an officiant cooling method. Most people just use frozen ice bottles or fans. You really won't need any expensive coolers/heaters unless the weathers constantly hot and you can't be bothered with the hassle of doing ice bottles - which in cases like this you need A LOT of. I'd say 29 gal for the one is fine. They like lots of plants, hides and somewhere with dim lighting.
Food wise there is a variety of appropriate food items live and frozen; earthworms, blood worms, brine shrimp, daphnia, black worms, even trout/salmon pellets (soft).
Earthworms are said to be the best diet for axolotls and from experience I've found smaller foods become less interesting to axolotls (eg, brine shrimp) not to mention it fouls the water terribly and fast!

Furthermore, this site is fantastic for any further information, take a look a round if I've missed anything and you'll find every answer imaginable: Have a read through this: Caudata Culture Species Entry - Ambystoma mexicanum - Axolotl

Best of luck! :happy:
 
Also, no matter what the silly pet/fish shop says- NO GRAVEL!!!! It is impossible to stress too much how much of a risk gravel is to an axolotl, but sadly (many) people are idiots and think that it won't happen to them...
And welcome to the hobby :)
 
So i consider myself a fairly experienced aquarium keeper, i've had many different tanks over my life from saltwater reef's to Tropical to cool water and am currently maintaining a couple large goldfish tanks. So i understand how to cycle a tank, do water changes, deal with Nitrates and Ammonia spikes & Maintain temperatures....I've also done a few Sand substrate tanks, so i understand that anaerobic pockets can can develop and how to deal with that....

You are already know more than 25% of Axolotl owners then. There are only three things you will do different. You will keep your tank under 75 degrees. Under 70 would even be more ideal but this is true for goldfish too. The second thing is you are going to feed them garden worms and chopped night crawlers for food. There are other things to feed them such as sinking trout pellets but they are really best for bare bottom tanks. Where your axolotl won't ingest gravel and sand . The third thing is you don't need to feed them everyday. 4-5 times a week is perfect. You will continue to remove waste and do small water changes every week or every other. If you can keep fish alive for a year you can keep and Axolotl alive.
 
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Since you have goldfish tanks you could grow duckweed or frogbit in your axolotl tank to provide cover and dim the lights further. Then when you get excess duckweed (at least once a week) you can scoop it up and feed it to your goldfish. From what I've come to understand duckweed is high in protein and goldfish devour it.

It sounds like your pretty much know everything you need to know.

There is a debate as to whether "slime coat" stimulating water treatments are bad for axolotls or not. Many believe the slime coat water conditioners are very bad for axolotls, so to be on the safe side I use Amquel+ which does not contain any kind of slime coat.

Everything mentioned by the others is spot on, I would like to reemphasize NOT to ever use gravel or even river rocks. Axolotls have big vacuum mouths, and unless the rock is twice the size of your axolotls head, I wouldn't trust it. Axies are eating machines, and they will likely attempt to eat anything they can fit in their mouths at some point.

I put a few oak leaves in the water because it's thought to be beneficial, HOWEVER, too much tannic acid in the water is not good for your axie. Things like fresh wood, or wood from the forest floor would be way to high in tannins to put in your tank, but things like a handful of brown naturally fallen oak leaves, or some aged drift wood are usually safe. Just make sure you're keeping up on water changes.

Most people will recommend a 10% weekly water change (whether you have leaves & wood in your tank or not). I usually do a 25% water change weekly just because I have more organic matter in my axie tank than the average keeper.

Here's my tank. I haven't put any black paper on the back or sides yet, but I plan to in the near future. I feel like the axies would be even happier if I did.

2012-10-13%2012.16.10-1.jpg


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Cam, lovely tank - what is the big plant you have growing out of the top at the right hand side?
 
Cam, lovely tank - what is the big plant you have growing out of the top at the right hand side?

Thanks, and excellent question. It was an extra pond plant my father gave me. I'll have to ask him what it is.
 
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