Question: Axolotls in ponds

[Kerry1968]

Hello,

I have this idea, well more like a dream, of one day having an outdoor pond with axolotls in. A few questions if you don't mind........

I live in the UK and I believe as long as a pond is at least a foot and a half deep the axies should be alright all year round, is this right?

Once in the pond do they need to be fed regularly? Like earthworms for example? Or do they find their own food (obviously dependant on it being a mature pond with mini beasts in!)

If I had axies of both sexes in the pond would they have a 'mating season'? Or are they likely to produce eggs throughout the year? I wouldn't want to wear the females out!

What about native amphibians, I am thinking that an adult axie would have no problem with eating a British newt. Is it therefore not a good idea to keep axies outdoors? (Linking up to this, my grandad has a mature pond in the garden which has frogs, toads and newts visiting and I was thinking of putting a couple of my juvies in there, do you think that would be OK? Do you think they'd find enough food? By the way there's plenty of frog spawn there at the moment!)

Finally, would they need some kind of filtration? Does that also depend on the maturity of the pond?

This is mostly for my future reference because at the moment I live in a flat with a 2 foot by 10 foot balcony, so my own pond is out of the question right now!

Hope I haven't waffled on too much! I just wanted to clarify a few things before I plan my huge dream garden, with a huge pond for my axies! Perhaps one day hey?

 

[Greatwtehunter]

Hey Kerry, the first thing I would do is make sure it's legal to put them in the pond. Here in the US the states are pretty pick on what can and can't be stocked in ornamental ponds.

I live in the UK and I believe as long as a pond is at least a foot and a half deep the axies should be alright all year round, is this right?

This may be deep enough but I would go with 2ft deep just to be safe.

Once in the pond do they need to be fed regularly? Like earthworms for example? Or do they find their own food (obviously dependant on it being a mature pond with mini beasts in!)

They should be able to find their own food, i.e. bugs, tadpoles, and other what nots. However it won't hurt to throw in a few worms once a week or two.

If I had axies of both sexes in the pond would they have a 'mating season'? Or are they likely to produce eggs throughout the year? I wouldn't want to wear the females out!

The axolotls will more than likely cease breeding activity during your summer months.

What about native amphibians, I am thinking that an adult axie would have no problem with eating a British newt.

I am not sure about the toxicity of your native newts so depending on that, if an axolotl ate one it may prove to be fatal.

Finally, would they need some kind of filtration? Does that also depend on the maturity of the pond?

Filtration isn't really needed, there should be enough surface exchange for the axolotls to survive. You could always get one of those fountains to add to it to keep the water from going stagnant.

 

[b00f]

Hey Kerry, the first thing I would do is make sure it's legal to put them in the pond. Here in the US the states are pretty pick on what can and can't be stocked in ornamental ponds.



This may be deep enough but I would go with 2ft deep just to be safe.



They should be able to find their own food, i.e. bugs, tadpoles, and other what nots. However it won't hurt to throw in a few worms once a week or two.



The axolotls will more than likely cease breeding activity during your summer months.



I am not sure about the toxicity of your native newts so depending on that, if an axolotl ate one it may prove to be fatal.




Filtration isn't really needed, there should be enough surface exchange for the axolotls to survive. You could always get one of those fountains to add to it to keep the water from going stagnant.

a aquarium near my hosue has a small childrens pool, set up with a pond fountain for their axies

it gives a different perspective to the animal.

i think there are a couple people on here with axies in ponds, have a search

 

[John]

To the best of my knowledge, in the UK and Ireland you can keep axolotls on your property outside. However if they escape your property you are looking at a nasty prosecution.

 

[Bellabelloo]

I had thought about doing this too, especially when I had vast quantities of larvae. I ended up discounting it for a number of reasons.
I wouldn't get to see the axolotl as much as I would like. I too have frogs and newts in my pond...I am aware that the frogs can carry various infections ( there is one in particular but I can't think of its name at present) which can be transmitted to your axolotl. I also currently have goldfish, a solo ghost koi and solo orf that seem to happily reproduce..but I suspect they would all become food for the axolotl.
I am aware however of a few people in the uk that do keep their axolotl outside successfully..hopefully they may be able to advise on how successful this can be.

 

[michael]

I've had quite a few people tell me they have kept axolotls in ponds. I don't think a foot and a half deep would be deep enough. I'm not sure what your temperatures are but am guessing your pond will get to warm in the summer. Is their a possibility it will freeze to deep in the winter?
Normally in hot weather pond water will be cooler on the bottom than the top layer. With a shallow pond or one with lots of water circulation the water temperature will not be stratified. In extremely hot weather the foot and a half deep pond will be warm from top to bottom. I'm afraid that shallow of a pond will get to warm.

 

[b00f]

I've had quite a few people tell me they have kept axolotls in ponds. I don't think a foot and a half deep would be deep enough. I'm not sure what your temperatures are but am guessing your pond will get to warm in the summer. Is their a possibility it will freeze to deep in the winter?
Normally in hot weather pond water will be cooler on the bottom than the top layer. With a shallow pond or one with lots of water circulation the water temperature will not be stratified. In extremely hot weather the foot and a half deep pond will be warm from top to bottom. I'm afraid that shallow of a pond will get to warm.

englands summer isnt very fierce.... but yeah, 1.5 feet, maybe just maek it 2ft

 

[sparrowmayhem]

I have had axies in ponds for about 10 yars and never had a problem they repoduce very well and any eggs i miss are food for them i have white cloud minnows in the ponds as feeder fish the are hardy critters and can survive the winter her i has only lost 4 in the past due to cats but this has been solved buy netting over top of ponds provided that you have plenty of rocks etc for the axies to hide under the water temp should not be a problem as if it gets warm the temp under rock and hides is cooler

 

[b00f]

http://www.caudata.org/people/JM/pond.html

check that out.... i know its indoors, but the same ideas can be transposed outdoors

 

[Kerry1968]

Thank you for all the helpful advice and information. I will bear it in mind if/when I come to build my own pond.

 

[Tappers]

I think the minimum temperatures are unlikely to prove a problem but I would urge you to think of the impact on native amphibians and perhaps consider placing them in a raised pond that wild species cannot access. Not only are there issues of predation but possibly introduction of disease in both directions.

 

[Heather at HMSG]

http://www.caudata.org/people/JM/pond.html

Now THAT I aspire to! Thank you for that link. Now just where can I create one of these at school?!

I strongly agree with John's cautionary comments regarding ordinary outdoor ponds for axies.......some years ago, terrapins bought during the British 'Ninja' craze, were released in large numbers, & I understand that they are still a problem in the wild in some places. Although a species requiring warm water, they have survived British winters for a while! Like axies they will eat anything that moves & fits in their mouths......

Heather

 

[katis]

My Brother in Law has a pond in his back yard with large gold fish. One day they noticed what they thought was a lizard in the pond but turned out to be an axie. They never put it there and the previous owners never mentioned it. If the previous owners had put it there then the axie had been alive for at least 4 years through Melbourne Summers (and Winters) where i'm sure the temperature of the pond changed pretty dramatically. They never fed it anything and it must have survived on fish pellets (or possible even the fish - but they were quite big) or any worms or bugs that found their way into the pond.

So basically... yes, axies can survive in a pond (from what i've seen). I'd be careful about cats though. maybe cover the top.

I would love a pond set up like the one in the pics, its amazing!

 

[Darkmaverick]

Hi all,

This may be somewhat digressing or irrelevant but wouldn't you prefer to be able to view your axies much like how a tank provides? This is especially since a lot of people are attracted to axies by their wide array of colours.

Axies tend to remain at the bottom of the tank/pond and if they are melanoids or wildtypes, probably camouflaged so well in the environment that spotting them would be like finding big foot (and yes i believe they do exist). Worse still if there are a lot of aquatic plants in the pond, that would further obscure vision.

I feel that it would take away some of the joy of keeping axies, not being able to see them clearly or hand feed them as easily. And then there are other issues like keeping predators out, legalities, monitoring health and nutrition etc. I would feel vulnerable if i lose control of being able to monitor the axies well. Thats just me though, maybe im a budding control freak.

Cheers

 

[Heather at HMSG]

Ideally, the pond would have a glass front panel, so giving the advantage of both natural pond appearance, & visual access, if I were very rich....!

Heather