Question: Axies often coming up for air

[FireStar]

Does it? So it does! That's me reading instructions for you!
I put the piece in a jar by the tank to fully defrost. Also adding a little bit of tank water cause I noticed that when you put it in water loss pieces fly off in a cloud which means extra cleaning. But yeah, feeding straight frozen food would be weird. I think most people defrost bloodworms before feeding, so I imagine the same would apply to the tucker. I could be wrong though.

I read that earthworm pieces should be as long as the axolotl head is wide.

One more question, when you feed them, do you just drop the food in or do you hand feed or other option?

 

[ariella]

Haha.. I use a pair of mini tongs that I bought specifically because the first time I fed them I used my hand and I swore so loudly my kids thought it was hilarious, they know when the food is coming 'cause they move over to the tongs when they see it coming, they do eat eventually, I just get worried that they aren't eating enough (I'm half Samoan hence I get worried about everyone and everything eating enough haha)
Also another question what do their poops look like?? Because sometimes there are long stringy things and sometimes there are small seed shaped looking things and I couldn't find a photo online!

 

[FireStar]

Haha, I feed mine by hand. First I showed my mum say was like 'OMG! I am never sticking my hand in there!' It's good to use feeding tongs or hands because it trained them to look up which is good so they don't suck up sand and stuff (why gravel is very bad) when they open there mouth and (this feels like a very long sentence) it ensure that the food goes into their mouth, not hiding some where degrading the water quality.

Umm... I've only seen the seedy shaped things as poo. Maybe the stringy stuff is just the poo decayed a bit? I would remove it anyway, same with all uneaten food, degrades the water quickly. I use a spoon to get the poo.

 

[FireStar]

I forgot to mention, a good indicator of a well fed axolotl is that the widest part of its tummy is as wide as it head. Good indicator ^^

Easy to tell from a bird's eye view.


What type/colour are yours?

 

[ariella]

Oh cool, yeah there isn't often the stringy things, but someone told me that was what their poop looked like but I didn't notice when all the little pebbles were in but now that half the tank bottom is plain I notice the seed shape things so I was confused a bit there! Can't find the memory card for camera, one of the kids probably did something with it argh. The bigger axie is a leucistic male and the smaller two are both female, one leucistic and one wild type I think but very dark and only blotchy on her tail
Just had a quick look, the females bodies are bot the same size as head but I think the males body looks slightly smaller, and he is the better eaters (female leucistic is the worst) so might try feeding him a bit more