Debra from North Carolina and her Leucistic axolotls

[debramonteith]

These are my two leucistic axolotls. The are in a 28 gallon low boy that I resealed. I have a 50 gallon filter and two 10 gallon filters. There is a Anubis and parrot feather, a cave and snails. I have a jelly fish light that I turn on at night. They love watching it. There is also a stuffed axolotl they enjoy looking at. They are beautiful, amazing creatures that deserve every protection.

 

[linzg82]

That’s way too small of a tank for 2 axolotls. They should be in a minimum of 55 to 65. That’s just so little room. I hope at minimum their tank is fully cycled.

Snails should not be in an axolotl tank! They’re an impaction and slime coat damage risk. The only truly safe tank mate for an axolotl is cherry or ghost shrimp.

You won’t know your axolotl’s gender until they’re 12-18 months old so it’s possible that they end up the opposite genders. You’ll have no choice but to separate them if they are.

Axolotls are extremely, extremely inbred and the last thing you want to do is have siblings accidentally mating. It results in babies that have so many health issues and short lives.

I wish you the best but please consider making some adjustments to your setup. Axolotls are not social so it will not hurt them to be separated. They do not form bonds or relationships and there’s actually no benefit to cohabitation (other than us humans thinking it’s cute).

I’ve worked with axolotls for the last 9 years. I’ve had my boy and girl in their separate tanks for 4 years. My information and husbandry won’t be agreed with by everyone BUT it’s what is best, safest and proven by science. Ambystomas all lack the part of the brain to socialize. They clump/stack/crowd each other because they’re all competing for the most optimal part of the tank. It’s not a social interaction at all.

 

[debramonteith]

My setup was recommended by someone who rescues axolotls and has a background in science. Specifically applied biological sciences. They actually worked in a lab that dealt with fish. Yes, my tank is cycled and I do a partial water change everyday. I have three filters running in their tank. This is should always be done by anyone who has axolotls. I also have plants in the tank. Axolotls eat small snails. These are very small and I've never had an issue. I have a lowboy tank. It is 36 inches long and have plenty of room to walk. Three feet. I was more concerned about area to walk than swimming. I talked to an expert that actually gave me this site for information. I spent 6 months setting up their home. You can see how big this is. Long. I tried a larger cave and they prefer to be close together. This article speaks about how scientists are noticing axolotls are social creatures and have "friends".

Captive-bred axolotl thrives in restored wetlands in Mexico City - BBC News

Study provides hope for future of the axolotl amphibian, pushed to the brink of extinction in Mexico.

www.bbc.co.uk

I have had them over a year and they have been healthy and beautiful and are going to be two years old in a few months. They are very social. Both are female. They are always mirroring each other and you find them watching the jelly fish lamp together. They walk together even though there is plenty of room for them to go their separate ways. They have never bitten each other. They are very interactive and interested in what's going on around them. The love to watch Abadoo, my Quaker.
I'm attaching another picture of the whole tank and others of their behavior toward each other.
I appreciate your concern and will make sure they stay healthy and happy.

 

[debramonteith]

That’s way too small of a tank for 2 axolotls. They should be in a minimum of 55 to 65. That’s just so little room. I hope at minimum their tank is fully cycled.

Snails should not be in an axolotl tank! They’re an impaction and slime coat damage risk. The only truly safe tank mate for an axolotl is cherry or ghost shrimp.

You won’t know your axolotl’s gender until they’re 12-18 months old so it’s possible that they end up the opposite genders. You’ll have no choice but to separate them if they are.

Axolotls are extremely, extremely inbred and the last thing you want to do is have siblings accidentally mating. It results in babies that have so many health issues and short lives.

I wish you the best but please consider making some adjustments to your setup. Axolotls are not social so it will not hurt them to be separated. They do not form bonds or relationships and there’s actually no benefit to cohabitation (other than us humans thinking it’s cute).

I’ve worked with axolotls for the last 9 years. I’ve had my boy and girl in their separate tanks for 4 years. My information and husbandry won’t be agreed with by everyone BUT it’s what is best, safest and proven by science. Ambystomas all lack the part of the brain to socialize. They clump/stack/crowd each other because they’re all competing for the most optimal part of the tank. It’s not a social interaction at all.

I hope my post above will help.