First time Axolotl owner, noob questions.

[VisayanLullaby]

Hey everyone, I'm new to this forum and to the Axolotl hobby in general. If you all don't mind, I would love some advise from expericned keepers about these fascinating creatures.

At the moment I'm setting up my tank, and doing loads of internet research before I rush into buying my first Axolotl. However, there is lots of things I would like to hear from people who have accutally delt with them.

First of all, my tank is running at the moment bare-bottom with powerfilter and an extra airstone. (I read that the water needs to be well aerated.) But, I also read that water movement upsets Axolotls. Although there isn't a lot of water movement in the mid-section and bottom, should I remove the airstone?

Second, I live in Texas and it's *very* hot out. As as result I'm having issues keeping my water temprature down. Is there anything I can do to lower the teprature pretty significantly?

Third, lighting. At the moment I have a standard fish-tank hood, with a non-florecent bulb. Will this be too much light?


I would greatly appreciate answers, and feedback. Also, I'm going to buy sand, plants, and hides soon; so don't frett that I didn't mention them earlier.

 

[Jennistophales]

As you will find in your research, axolotls don't like light as they don't have eyelids. So not only would the light be annoying for the axolotls, but the light will heat up your tank. I bet if you take the lid off completely and maybe leave it lid-less or replace it with a mesh lid, the temperature in the tank will drop a couple of degrees.

I keep my tank lid-less and have had no problems at all. Of course, the water level is low enough so that if one decided to become Free Willy and jump out of the water, they couldn't jump high enough to fall out of the tank.

 

[VisayanLullaby]

Alright, thank you! I'll try that now. And my only worry with a lidless, is my cat. But, I can just pick up a mesh reptile lid at the store. ^^

 

[scooty16]

Hi!

If you axolotl is showing the following, then the water flow is too much:

-Gills pushed forward
-Curled tail tip. (A wavey tail is normal)

If it is not struggling to swim against the current flow, eating, pooping and behaving normally then your water flow is fine for it :happy:

As for the heat issue, ice bottles are used frequently on this forum, as are computer fans, normal desk fans, and clip on fans. I have also put ice blocks around my tank. Removing the lid does make the tank cooler. One thing I find that helps is keeping the curtains closed if the sun is blaring through my window. I don't know if it is the same for you, but as soon as evening comes here on a hot day, I open my windows wide, draw my curtains and I get a nice breeze come in and cool my room down. I know that many people favour the clip on fan as it has been successful in bringing the temp down a couple of degrees. I find the ice bottles successful too.

I also agree with Jennistophales comment, the light will only make the tank hotter, and as you may be aware, the light is very sensitive to axies due to their lack of eyelids!

I hope I helped :happy:

P.S You have any piccys of your axie?

 

[carsona246]

I'm not sure where in Texas you are, but i visited my parents in Dallas for a week and brought the axies, the dry air makes fans pretty effective, just get a mesh screen and a fan and you'll be fine temp wise. If you haven't done any research on the cycling process you should start. Not sure how experienced you are with fish tanks, but you need an ammonia source.

I used a regular aquarium light on my grow out ten gallon, but I also had a ton of plants to give them cover. A little light will not be harmful as long as they have plenty of places to hide and the light is not too strong

 

[VisayanLullaby]

Thank you for the reply. I think I may give the fans, and or frozen water bottles a go. I'm kinda worried about temp fluxes though, do the frozen bottles keep the water cool all day? And are they safe to use when the Axy is in the tank? And would the noise of fans stress them?

^^ I have yet to buy my first Axolotl, my local store is getting a shipment in sometime next week though, so fingers crossed I can fix the tep problem and pick one up!

 

[VisayanLullaby]

Thank you Carson, I think I'll be giving fans a shot. Would any clip-on fan do?

 

[fishcakey]

I keep the air on full blast. I think my room gets down to like 75 degrees... It works though.

 

[carsona246]

Thank you Carson, I think I'll be giving fans a shot. Would any clip-on fan do?

I use a 9 inch clip on fan now, in my ten gallon grow out tank I had a 6 inch clip on fan on a ten gallon and the temp was just fine. As long as theres ac in your house you are most likely just fine with a mesh screen and a clip on fan

 

[blackdog]

Airstone - They seem to like airstones, some sit in the bubbles, some swallow the bubbles, some ignore the bubbles - all up though an airstone wont effect them so go for it.

An aside on airstones - I always thought they "injected" the water with air / oxygen. What i found out was that in fact that is not how airstones work, in fact they simply break the water surface tension and allow better natural gas exchange between the air and water.

So, air stones are not the only way to increase oxyegen / carbon levels in the water. Plants breaking the surface, water trickling are just two, you could google for more.

Tank temperature - We get "Texas temps" here in australia too Frankly, the best solution i can offer is a chiller. yes, they cost what seems a lot, but they are sooooooo good, total peace of mind and constant temps.

How long would it take you to save for a chiller if you went without 2 x cups of latte a week?

Lighting - i like live plants, so i need a light. I put a light on a timer and experimented with how long it needed to be on as a bare minimum to keep the plants healthy. In my case i have the light on for 2 x 3 hr shifts per day, and its enough my plants grow well and not so much that i get algae.

I have two nice big hides for the axie to get away from the light when they want to.

Interestingly, in the past few months a couple of things happened. i have riccia moss and java moss in my tanks. It's growing so well that it got a bit wild, the riccia has formed a carpet on the suface, and the is a massive balle of java moss floating around. this has seemingly diffused the light and i have found my axies spending more time outside the hides even with the light on, often nestled under the java moss

Bren

 

[scooty16]

When I use frozen bottles I put them in the morning (after a good ol' British cuppa ) and they seem to keep my tank at a stable temp. The frozen bottles won't hurt the axies, when I first got my water bottles to freeze, I just gave them a warm wash with plain water on the outside. But the places we both live vary significantly in temp. Its not so hot here in drizzly England!

The noise of the fan won't affect your axie, as they are more sensitive to vibrations and smell. As Carson said, that dry air would make the fans quite effective, plus then you know the fans are cooling your tank continuously and keeping it at a steady rate. :happy:

 

[VisayanLullaby]

Thanks guys, I tried a big floor fan on the tank last night just to see what would happen, and the temp dropped into a more suitable range in a pretty short time-span. Do you leave the fan running 24-7?

 

[iChris]

I have a cooling fan running on my axie tank all the time and as it's winter here the tank sits at about 16 degrees (Celsius)

 

[Boo Penguin]

Chiller is defiantly the way to go if its really how where you are ... here in Aus it easily hits 30 C+ a fair deal of days in the summer.

I'm in the process of getting a chiller for my baby's tank... I think its a worthwhile investment

Frozen bottles work but in my experience they don't work all day (ie: one bottle/day won't cut it) and I think the temp flux is just as stressful for the axi as the high temps would be. Bottles drop the tank temp down really quick

 

[scooty16]

Chiller is the way to go, but if it's anything like the UK they are rather pricey. I'm hoping to get one in the near future for my main tank.

As for the frozen bottles, I use 1 pint milk cartons. They are small and effective compared to using massive frozen bottles, which I feel, yes can alter the temp rapidly. But when I use the 1 pint milk cartons I only use up to 3 in my 5ft tank, as it drops it a couple of degrees in a safe time span for me, and my tank seems to stay at a steady temp, I've never seem to have had a problem with fluctuating temps.

I think I drive mum crazy with my 20 1 pint milk cartons I have in the freezer! the key for me to keeping the water cool is to have quite a few of them so you can keep changing them at reasonable times.

 

[mekkha]

I wanted to get a chiller too, but they are 300$ or more. I opted for an air-conditioner instead. Keeps the room a perfect and steady temperature for me and the 'lotl. It was cheaper and we are both happy. Win win situation!