Daphnia ate axolotl

[cherryscented]

My axolotl's started hatching on friday, my biggest is probably about 13mm now. Some are slightly smaller, about 10mm. I'm currently feeding them live daphnia which they are happily eating. Yesterday I took a glance at them and they were all doing fine, when i went back to them bout 30mins later, one of the smaller ones tails was totally eaten off by the daphnia and has since died. The daphnia are all very small, so i can't understand it. Has anyone had this problem before?
Thanks

 

[Kaysie]

Daphnia are filter feeders. I don't think they're capable of biting off an axolotl's tail. It was probably one of it's siblings, rather than the daphnia.

 

[Jake]

I've seen Daphnia pulex congregate on axolotl and newt larvae corpses, but never on the live larvae. I think copepods might eat hatchling axolotls and newts, but I'm not sure.

 

[Jennewt]

I've seen Daphnia pulex congregate on axolotl and newt larvae corpses, but never on the live larvae. I think copepods might eat hatchling axolotls and newts, but I'm not sure.

I have the same two suspicions: either the larvae are dieing first, then the daphnia moving in on them, or else what you have aren't really daphnia. Where did you get the daphnia?

 

[cherryscented]

Daphnia are filter feeders. I don't think they're capable of biting off an axolotl's tail. It was probably one of it's siblings, rather than the daphnia.

It was in a container on its own because it was smaller than the others so i wanted to give it a better chance. The daphnia were all around it still eating it, while it was still alive. With Daphnia being filter feeders i cant understand it?

 

[cherryscented]

I have the same two suspicions: either the larvae are dieing first, then the daphnia moving in on them, or else what you have aren't really daphnia. Where did you get the daphnia?

I bought the daphnia from a aquatics centre, they are definatly dahpnia, however there are a few cyclops in there- i think these are Copepods-they have thin bodies with two black dots above their "heads"? Shall i try and remove them? It should be easy as their aren't many at all, but they are pretty speedy critters.
Thanks for your help:happy:

 

[cherryscented]

I've been feeding them daphnia from my pond instead, as there doesnt seem to be anything else in the water apart from a few mosquito larvae which i easily took out.
Had no more problems since! :happy: My axies are now growing very quickly! I'll post some pictures in the gallery section.:animal:

 

[oceanblue]

They'll probably soon reach a size where they will relish the mosquito larvae as well! Try leaving one or two in.

 

[philbaker76]

I've seen Daphnia pulex congregate on axolotl and newt larvae corpses, but never on the live larvae. I think copepods might eat hatchling axolotls and newts, but I'm not sure.

Interesting; I've been feeding my Axolotl hatchlings Copepods (introduced with daphnia) ~ saying that; I have lost quite a few this year - although I've put it down to the water conditions and bad luck. And haven't had any problems in the past.

Anyone else with experience of Axolotl hatchlings being eaten or killed by Copepods?

 

[Seizan]

I bought the daphnia from a aquatics centre, they are definatly dahpnia, however there are a few cyclops in there- i think these are Copepods-they have thin bodies with two black dots above their "heads"? Shall i try and remove them? It should be easy as their aren't many at all, but they are pretty speedy critters.
Thanks for your help:happy:

Could the thin bodied black dotted critters be triops? They are pretty nasty and vicious but it usually takes at least a week for them to get big enough to do damage