Getting new and first Axolotl

Well just think of it this way.. only get enough that your tank can hold, and if you want more just think is it fair i keep that many in there or get a bigger tank..
 
Ill start with the 10 galon since i also have to buy other tanks for my fish since im over stocked.Ill only get one for now.
 
Okay,also is bare bottom better then gravel? i know that the gravel has to be bigger then there mouth if your not going to hand feed them...?
 
bare bottom is easy to clean (lfting pump type thing) but smooth glass isn't fun fo them to walk on. You could try putting down a couple of pieces of slate on to base. Guess your question means ur using a corner pump/filter or similar.
 
I used to have gravel but i had a bit of a scare with Spunky became ill so ive now changed it to sand...

i was going to use large pebbles and i did top my smaller gravel with pebbles when i had it but i found they used to stress alot as they couldnt get a nice spot to sit or found it hard walking over it.

But they now seem very happy with the sand... and no problems yet.. they havnt pulled any of the plants up either out of the sand, i was forever re-planting them when i had gravel.
 
well, i heard that bare bottom makes the ammonia soar because there is no substrate and sand irritates their gills. as it passes through them as they inhale it, it scratches their gills and leaves them open to infection. ive had great sucess with gravel as i hand feed so i dont have the problem of bottom feeding and gravel gulping.
 
my sand stays on the bottom of the tank... i don't think they'd be inhaling it much, if at all.
 
Amy, yes because there is no substrate in the bottom of bare bottom takes it can cause a problem.. as there is no where for the good bacteria to live.

I have had a lot of sucess with sand and it does not bother my axies at all. I know that Katy that has got Juju and Aztec also has sand and has had no problems with it. Its easier to clean and if they ever do think that its a good idea to eat it as its so fine it will go straight through them.

The sand doesnt bother them as it stays at the bottom and doesnt float around.. even when they are playing if it gets kicked up falls back down again.

But everyone has had different success with sand stone and gravel so what ever you think is best try it if it dont work you can always change it.
 
i meant that when they feed from the bottom the sand would go through their gills and scratch them. but im not an expert with axos. i know knowledgable fish keepers dont use sand because of that reason.
 
Hmmm, most people who keep planted tanks use sand in part of the substratum. I myself use playsand in my tanks(which is heavy and allows the addition of laterite and keeps the plant rooted better than gravel). I havent had any problem with fish eating sand or irritation of gills. In fact, many cichlids(one genus, Geophagus, are aptly named eartheaters) spend much of there time taking sand and passing it through the gills/mouth to get all the tidbits inside. Besides the fact that you cannot vacuum it the way you can gravel(you can't vac in a planted tank for the life of you anyhow) sand is perfectly acceptable for most aquariums. It is reccomended to use grains larger than 1 mm however.

Axos don't seem to pass water over the gills the way fish do, so even if the took in sand, it wouldn't go to the gills. If ingestion is a problem, then training them to eat from forceps should solve that quite quickly.

(Message edited by fishkeeper on August 20, 2004)

(Message edited by fishkeeper on August 20, 2004)
 
Axies dont pass water through there gills as they dont have internal gills.. there are some fish as FH said that use sand and some of the fish (not sure which type) prefur it as a subrate they use it.

as long as u either feed the axies if a different tank or at the surface... sand is just fine to use... there are many others around here that use it too.
 
I might be thinking of getting sand....
i never tred it yet... The reason why amy says that is because me and amy come from a Goldfish board hehehe and most fish don't do so well with sand.(Fresh water) And yup we found each other here on the caudata forum.
happy.gif


If i do go with sand what type to i get the sand for aquariums or play sand or landscapeing sand or what?

(Message edited by black_oranda on August 20, 2004)
 
Well, I've kept goldfish over sand with no problems. I think it is less risky than gravel cause of the possibility of choking(personal experience but not with gravel...rather some miscellaneous item and a zebra danio)

Besides (theoretically)possible compaction problems and anaerobic bacteria producing sulfur(very rare) sand is perfectly acceptable in fish tanks.
 
I have heard that play sand contains a lot of very fine material, so it has to be rinsed a lot or it will cloud the water initially. The sand sold for swimming pool filters may be better, as it has no fine material. It is sold at any pool & spa store.
 
Okay thanks,I think ill have a look around
today and get something.
I come from a goldfish board Joseph S,and it's a huge rule not to keep sand with goldfish, they are extremly messy fish,they like to "graze" on the bottom looking for food and will end up eating the sand and like Amy (blinky000) said it does irritate the gills and could be deadly for your goldfish.River rocks is one of your best bets for goldfish or Very very small gravel. (smaller then cm long)
 
I'm in the gravel camp but do not advocate v small unless it is well covered over with larger stones. check out the set ups I have posted in a recent thread.

There is a base layer of 25-50mm of gravel (5-8mm pieces) The white cobbles 25mm diameter (75-100mm) thick. Flat area are also created using slate.

So far I have had no problems with water quality and iI think it's because the bio-filter is huge. Deeper the gravel the better the filter is what I have read and think. Although you rarely see, it lots of books advice minimum 75mm thick gravel bed. Plus you can put some anti ammonia stones like ammolock below the gravel or in a small bag underneath.

Oh yeah you still need partial water changes and a bit of gravel syphoning to keep things right.

(can't remember name of the small stuff you put in external and corner filters, is it zeolite someone?)
 
Jenn: You got that right. Definetly rinse it a lot of times before you use it. Otherwise it will look like you set off a dirt bomb in the tank.
 
sorry to butt in... so fine gravel...round 2 mm in size (looks like shell grit but is gravel) is that a bad thing for them?... should i get aquarium sand?...(sorry i am also new here and am picking up 2 2moro so i thought i should check... just in case i should pick up some sand with them...
thanx guys
kel
happy.gif
 
Welcome to the group Kelly and you aren't butting in. Your questions are wanted...tells us all we arent as clever as we like to think, when the answer doesn't junp straight at us.

I wouldn't buy the fine gravel you mention. It is too easy for them to ingest. I reccomend gravel as I describe earlier.

Kim is in the sand camp so she would be a good one to add some info on that...Where are you Kimmykins?

Best of luck with your new charges...don't forget we want piccys.
 
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