Feeding 'lotl fish.

[inkozana]

I would like to get some live, small fish to put into my tank WITH my axolotl. I want him to eat them, but I don't want them to eat him!
Also, I'm not sure if he will know to eat them, or if he will just leave them there.
How do I go about 'teaching' him to eat the fishies? And what sort of fish should I get? :wacko:

 

[Saspotato]

I would recommend guppies - they are nutritional and can live in the same temperatures and environment as an axolotl. You could breed them yourself (they breed like rabbits!) and feed your axolotl the babies? I would only use baby ones as like most fish, when they are larger they will most likely nip at your axolotl. You'd probably want 3-4 females and a male for breeding and they have about 30-40 babies after 30 days gestation.

Alternatively you could buy guppies from a pet shop but you will need to quarantine them for 30 days before feeding so would need a separate tank.

As far as teaching your axolotl to eat them, well I don't think you have to worry. My axolotl had never been given live food but ate 10 guppies in the first few days I tried them!

 

[inkozana]

Okay, thanks for the help. I have a spare tank that I was using for salt baths. I can keep the guppies in there.

*runs off to research guppies*

 

[philbaker76]

I'm thinking of setting up some feeder fish, got a tank ready - my local Aquatics recommended Endler Guppies or something like that. Should be getting some in a few weeks.

 

[Bellabelloo]

I have a tank of guppies for feeding my axolotl. I started with 5 females and 2 males and now have zillions ( well quite a lot!). I hadn't looked at them as any thing but food, but I have become quite attached to a few as they are a right mixture of colours. When they get to a reasonable size they get put in the tank and are gone in a day or so.