Question: Axolotl Regeneration

[imzunicorn]

Do salt baths help an axolotl regenerate limbs? Does it's diet and temperature help? Do axolotl tend to bite those that are in the process of regeneration? Once an axolotl has learned to bite others, doesn't it always have a tendency to bite?

I have one that has had the front hands bit off, but it's been quite a while since it's happened. I think it was near the end of March. I suspected that the other axolotl continued to bite him before he could grow his fingers back, so I finally just separated them. That was around a week and a half ago. They are growing back now. It seems like the thinner parts, like the skin that runs down it's back, and around the tail, and the fingers grow back the quickest, so I don't think it'll be more than a couple weeks. Just kinda wondering how I can speed it along and if I am able to keep them together anymore.

 

[LeFarge]

are they the same size?

what and how much are you feeding them?

some are just aggressive but most can co-habit with no problem. how big's your tank?

 

[imzunicorn]

They are the same size. i feed them an inch and half to two inches of earth worm everyday. Tank is a 20 long. They're about 5-6 inches long each.

The only reason this happened was because we were busy moving and I hadn't fed them for 2 or 3 days.

 

[LeFarge]

you can't speed up the healing, keep 'em separated till its healed. if your tank isn't very planted, it wouldn't be a bad idea - makes it easier for them to hide... tank is on the small side...

 

[Bdyoung]

A 20g long is plenty big enough for two adult axolotls

 

[LeFarge]

you don't measure length in gallons

 

[Coastal Groovin]

You can't speed regeneration. Salt baths and a drop in temp are good after the initial injury. Once it has healed over they are not needed. The axolotl takes care of the rest. If there is a big difference in size they should have been separated from the beginning. A 20 gallon long is perfect for 2 axolotls. It has enough floor space for them compared to 20 gallon high which only has the same floor space of a 15 gallon. If one is nippy try to feed him more often and feed when they are at opposite ends of the tank.

 

[imzunicorn]

Yeah, i started feeding them away from each other since one time the nipped one was in the way and the other snapped at him during feeding. There are plenty of plants and hiding places. Since I have river rocks, they actually find hiding places on their own too. It's just that the one that is bitten likes to swim around and not hide. Since they come to the surface to eat, I think that's why the other tends to bite him. So they'll be okay if I just feed the biter more often?

 

[Bdyoung]

you don't measure length in gallons

20 gallon long is plenty big enough they aren't very active animals, only when they're young sometimes and they'd be fine in that. Also 20 gallons is more than enough for filtration. People keep two in a 10g successfully, I would never recommend that small of one however, but 20g long is perfect for 2 full grown adult axolotls

 

[imzunicorn]

I don't think it's going to work out. Every time I put them back together for a even a minute, that one starts nipping. Not just that one, but a melanoid I have in another tank. She even stalks them like prey. I even just fed her and a minute later start going for the melanoid. Is it habit forming?

 

[LeFarge]

can you post pictures of them? it'd be useful.

some are just aggressive/territorial.

 

[Bdyoung]

How long we're they separated? I separated mine for a few months and they're fine now

 

[imzunicorn]

The two leucistics are still separated. They were only together for about a day tops, only to let someone look at them. The nipper was only with the melanoid for a day before I separated those too. Those two were together because I didn't have a place to put the nipper. Also, the nipper was never with melanoid before. They're all entirely separate now.

 

[Plc98]

one of mine got her front right foot bitten off the day after Easter, and her's is grown back, but still smaller than the other feet, so it will take a while. just make sure that the water is changed once every 24 hours to make sure that no bacteria or fungi get into the wound, otherwise, keep the ones that bite separated for a few months, because cannibalism is something that can be made a habit. eventually, if they are separated they will forget about being cannibalistic, but how much time depends on the axolotl.
hope this helps!

 

[Nano]

As soon as the wound heals there should be no infection on the growing foot! As for the fighting issue you may want to think about getting a tank spacer measured and cut