Aeration

[miriam]

I have a baby axolotl--he literally hatched last week.

I've been keeping him in a jar and doing frequent water changes (as he gets older and as I have time in the next few weeks, I'll set up something more formal). I have an air pump with an airstone, but I need it for the brine shrimp I"m trying to hatch.

Does an axolotl need aeration of some sort at this age or is a bowl with frequent water changes O.K?

 

[brian]

If you put a bit of live hornwort in with him, I it may provide enough oxygen.

 

[kim]

The baby i have rasied has never had a air pump in the water.. all i've done is make sure i have replaced the water every 1-2days.. its will be fine.

I also found that the air pump was too strong from them and used to blow the about too much.

good luck

 

[andy]

I dont use air pumps at all and to be honest i don't change the water as often as most on this forum, say every 7-10 days or so. It's possible to fuss too much where this is concerned, they're hardier than you think and i only say this through experience. I've raised more axolotls than i can remember so it can't be bad
For future referance, you can take a branch of an airline and use it to feed several setups

 

[miriam]

thanks Andy, that's reassuring on both counts! I just got some dechlorination drops which should make water changes easier (rather than letting water sit out to evaporate off the chlorine).

I've seen branched setups before, but right now I'm in school and don't have access to a car or decent aquarium shop easily to get parts so I'm trying to keep things going inexpensively with what I have...