Question: Baby Axie water change????

[ChibiAxy]

I'm in possession of a single baby axolotl. As far as I know it's only a couple weeks old max. It's water is getting quite dirty but I don't know how it would handle a water change. Any advice?

 

[SludgeMunkey]

A turkey baster is now your best friend. Water prep and changes are described on many aquarium sites, and on our own Caudata Culture Database.

 

[ChibiAxy]

I'm coming up with several different methods. How would I use the turkey baster to help?

 

[binkiesbuns]

Turkey basters are amazing for removing poop and uneaten food, I honestly don't know what I'd do without one! What are you feeding him/her?

 

[MG72]

When they're that little I just used a plastic 10ml pippette to suck any waste up. You can get them for next to nothing on ebay.
Or I had a new pot of water ready, and very gently poured the old stuff through a tea strainer, caught the axies in the tea strainer and switched them into the new water. That worked really well.

 

[ChibiAxy]

Is there any risk of it going into shock?

 

[binkiesbuns]

Seeing youre only dealing with one axy baby here I think the least traumatic for both of you lol, is to transfer him or her over to a tub of dechlorinated water of the same temp by scooping them up with a deep spoon :happy: How often you should do this (for example daily with bbs which die quickly and pollute the water) depends on what you are feeding and the size of container your axy's in.

 

[ChibiAxy]

What's a good, safe temperature for the little one?

 

[binkiesbuns]

Normal room temp should be fine as long as it doesn't exceed 22 degrees or fall below 10. Mine is currently around 16 and I use a bucket of declhorinated water which I leave to sit overnight (to acculumate to room temperature), I then use it for the new tub for my little one and transfer straight over with the spoon method, he's never exhibited any signs of stress and never leaves water at anytime :happy: