Question: Beginners Axolotl question

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horsyqueen

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I have never had one before only newts and my mum said i may be able to get some but the tank cant be massive and i have to desgin it to a sytle she likes not like the other 3 tanks and no java moss. I know about the laws in the uk about feeding live vertibrate animals.

What in the smallest size of tank i can get for a small group of around 3?
How long do they live?
What do they eat as my mum could not feed them crickets, spiders or other large live food?
Do they eat dried or frozen blood worm?
Are they active?
Does each one have a persanality?
Would they bite if i put my hand in the tank?
Are they good for beginners at keeping anphibians?
Are they as easy to keep as tropical fish?
Do i need a heater?


Sorry for all the questions but i am quite new to them i have heard of them before though.
 
Re: Beginners Axolotal question

The answer to all these questions and more can be found in the awesome care sheets on this site located in the caudata.org sites at the top of this page.
 
Re: Beginners Axolotal question

Thanks
 
Re: Beginners Axolotal question

horsyqueen said:
I have never had one before only newts and my mum said i may be able to get some but the tank cant be massive and i have to desgin it to a sytle she likes not like the other 3 tanks and no java moss. I know about the laws in the uk about feeding live vertibrate animals.

What in the smallest size of tank i can get for a small group of around 3?
How long do they live?
What do they eat as my mum could not feed them crickets, spiders or other large live food?
Do they eat dried or frozen blood worm?
Are they active?
Does each one have a persanality?
Would they bite if i put my hand in the tank?
Are they good for beginners at keeping anphibians?
Are they as easy to keep as tropical fish?
Do i need a heater?


Sorry for all the questions but i am quite new to them i have heard of them before though.
Click to expand...
Right you are a biginer;).
The smallest ank size for 3 axies is 3ft but bigger is allways better.
Axolotls can live up to 20 years+.
Adult axolotls eat live earth worms, babies eat daphnia and juvaniles (which I recomend to a bigginer) eat small earth worms and blood worms.
Yes they do eat freeze dried blood worms but it shouldn't be used as staple when there adult, earth worms should.
Depending on the temperture say 10 degrees they wont be very active but at 20 they will be, they can be very active and then again not very.
Yes, each axolotl has a diferent personality for example my albino is very active and loves his earth worms where as my 2 wild types are slow and don't try as hard to eat earth worms.
Yes, they would bite your hand if you put it in the tank, but don't worry it dosn't hurt because axolotls only have gummy teeth for gripping worms.
Yes, they are a very good beginer amphibian because as long as you have a proper setup, diet ect they are really easy, since they don't need any fancy lighting or land area and they normally never metamorph.
Axolotls arn't tropical fish, there not even fish and no you can't keep tropical fish with them, but you may get away with a cloud minnow (I don't keep fish with my axies.)
The best temp range for an axolotl is between 16-18 degrees C bellow 10 and they start geting slugish and above 21 they start geting stressed and prone to desease.
Axolotls don't like bright light.
They also don't like fast moving water.
There where some of the basics.
Sorry for the wall of text.
If you have any more questions feel free to ask.
Sam:happy:
 
Re: Beginners Axolotal question

thanks. i know they are not fish. i do have some white cloud minnow but they are small maby when the Axolotals are babies.
 
Re: Beginners Axolotal question

Another great place to check + browse, is the sister site axolotl.org. Lovely informative + interesting pages, covering a range of axolotl care, without being too "deep" - there's a link up above, on the right side of the page, under "Caudata.org Sites".
It'll tell you about feeding, tank set-ups, temperatures, tank-mates, raising + health care e.t.c. with dos AND donts.
And, I think Sam read the tropical fish part of your question wrong - I've never have tropical fish + can't seem to keep a darn goldfish alive, but my axolotls are now coming up to 1.5years of age, so I would say they're probably easier - no heaters needed e.t.c.
I would recommend a liquid freshwater testing kit though, as while axolotls can cope with a range of pH + temperatures, they are very sensitive to ammonia + nitrites (or is that nitrates? I have to check EVERY time I want to do my testing!!!), so starting off with a cycled tank is really benefifcal + can help to prevent problems in the future. You need to keep on top of the daily poop-scooping for that reason too.
But, if you get everything right with the basics, then axolotls should be stupidly easy to keep + there are always wonderful people here at Caudata to help advise with even the littlest or silliest sounding queries - we've all been there at some point + we all appreciate that it's better to ask / learn than live in ignorance :D
 
Re: Beginners Axolotal question

By the way - as for activity, the younger they are, the more likely there are to spend time swimming around the tank; the older they are, the more likely there are to be content with sitting still + watching you / plodding around the bottom of the tank (which is why length is FAR more important than height for an axolotl tank), but there are always exceptions + some members here do have very active adults. Mine are like me + rather lazy ;)
 
Re: Beginners Axolotal question

thanks i do fine with my fish. i have a test kit, water conitioner, net,cleaning out items some spare caves loads of sticks and bog wood. in there area where i am it is hard water i am not sure how much but i know its just past nutral.
 
Re: Beginners Axolotal question

No heater needed, they prefer colder water to hot. In winter they are even fine with temps under 10 degrees (C)

Each defiantly has an individual personality

When you get your tank bigger is better and make sure to get a good filter that has an adjustable water flow (or a spray bar) and no matter what your told don't put gravel or small rocks in the tank... use sand or a bare floor. Oh and lots of hides. especially if your getting young ones as they tend to fight a little and hiding spots help them to have 'me time'.

Axolotls are great first amphibians, my own little sweet is my first axi and I am charmed by her.

As said above earthworms are the very best diet for your axolotls

Its also best not to keep fish with your axis as they do like to nip at the pretty feathery gills which can kill your axolotl, I say better safe than sorry. You'd either wind up with a bitten axi or no fish (cause your lotls will try to eat the fish)
 
Re: Beginners Axolotal question

i am going to the fish shop today. they sell axilotals too but i will refrane from getting them and get some more aquriums stuff i have a spare filter. i fill force my dad to take me to the dump to get a second hand aqurium with no cracks. my cat will love to look at at Axolotals but she will be too scared to go to close.
 
Re: Beginners Axolotal question

Axilototal - axolotal :D
Okay let's practice the name of the species before buying one ;)

A x o l o t l
A x o l o t l
A x o l o t l
A x o l o t l
A x o l o t l

:grin:
 
Re: Beginners Axolotal question

oh sorry
axolotl
axolotl
axolotl
axolotl
axolotl
axolotl
axolotl
axolotl
 
Re: Beginners Axolotal question

horsyqueen said:
oh sorry
axolotl
axolotl
axolotl
axolotl
axolotl
axolotl
axolotl
axolotl
Click to expand...

I love that you took the spellings in the (presumed) way they were meant - a lot of people can get moody on forums, since it's difficult to show emotion, but looks like the most important equipment - the feeder / carer - is already a great model ;)
 
Re: Beginners Axolotal question

I am not the best with spellings sort of wish i was. I wish things were spelt the way they sounded.
whats best to buy some of people here on the sales section or at a shop where i can see them?
i also like the feeling when you come back from a shop holding a bag with water in with a new pet and thinking of a name for it. i also like comming back with a box of GPs.
 
Re: Beginners Axolotal question

horsyqueen said:
I am not the best with spellings sort of wish i was. I wish things were spelt the way they sounded.
whats best to buy some of people here on the sales section or at a shop where i can see them?
i also like the feeling when you come back from a shop holding a bag with water in with a new pet and thinking of a name for it. i also like comming back with a box of GPs.
Click to expand...
I also like that feeling but genrally the best quality axolotls and there probably cheaper as well.
Sam:happy:
 
Re: Beginners Axolotal question

i dont mind if they have 3 legs
 
Re: Beginners Axolotal question

its not that because axolotls can grow back there legs its just if you want good quality for a low price then i recomend here then again I don't know what pet shop you are talking about it could be very good.
Sam:happy:
 
Re: Beginners Axolotal question

I would assume all breeders on here know proper axolotl care, and you won't have to worry about your axolotl having diseases as much if you bought from a breeder from this site. The problem with petstores is most don't know the proper care of axolotls, and therefore they are more likely to be stressed and more susceptible to disease. There's also the problem with petstores keeping their axoltols on gravel, and then you're axolotl will be pooping gravel for weeks until it gets out of his system.
 
Re: Beginners Axolotal question

its cheeper here but my mum is getting me a job at copner tropicals because i know alot about the animals there sometimes more then the people who work there.
 
Re: Beginners Axolotal question

horsyqueen said:
axolotl
axolotl
axolotl
axolotl
axolotl
axolotl
axolotl
axolotl
Click to expand...

Lol - my boyfriend would tell you that's all i ever say... "blah blah axolotl axolotl blah axolotl blah blah axolotl"

Heheh!
 
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