Help on a new axolotl owner

[cryophxia]

Hello, i am a really noob on aquarium but just recently got two new axolotl and they are with me for 3 days now.
i just finished setting up the tank. however im a bit worried about them and don't want them getting stressed and sick, so im asking for advice if my set up are fine.

these picture below shows my aquarium set up and just wondering if you guys can see the water flow and if it is good enough for them. i use a filter
"JUWEL® Aquarium | Pump Juwel ECCOFLOW 600".

i also am trying to feed them pellets(JBL Novolotl pellets) but they dont seem to eat them. they wont come out of hiding so i cant hand feed them. they ate when i put them in a bucket when i was changing the water so they haven't been fed in 2 days. im worried about how long they can last without food -_-

 

[Skudo09]

They may not eat for the first few days or even a week whilst settling into their new home. I would not be too concerned just yet. A good weight is to have their belly width the same as the width of their head. As long as they are not losing weight and becoming skinny don't worry too much. They may also be adjusting to a new food if they are not already used to pellets. You could try earthworms (don't use worms from a source where chemicals such as fertilisers or pesticides have been used). How long do you have the lights on? They may be hiding as they may not be used to the lights. Axolotls are sensitive to lights. You could place something in front of the filter outlet to disperse the flow a bit if you are worried the flow is too strong.

I get the impression from your post that your tank has not been cycled? If so, you will need to keep a very close eye on the parameters (ammonia and nitrite) to ensure you are not exposing your axolotls to toxins whilst the tank cycles. Make sure you test for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph daily and do water changes to keep the the levels of ammonia and nitrite down below 0.5ppm. I am not sure whether you may already know about the cycling process and the nitrogen cycle but if not, it would be best to read up on it as it is important in maintaining good water quality . Have you got a testing kit?

 

[cryophxia]

Hello, it seems my worries are just because they are still new to the tank.
i tried to feed them bloodworm using a feeder and they ate it happily. i cycled the tank every 5 days but i did it at day 3 when i got them to make sure the water's clear.

my lighting system for them is 9am - 6pm and im planning to buy some plants that will at least dim the light and some that will break the water flow to a slower pace.

the one thing im worried about is that i do not know if they are stressed because they're gillrs are going out sometimes. their tails are not a problem though

 

[LSuzuki]

"Cycling" the tank is not doing water changes, although you do need to change water on a regular basis. :happy:

Axolotls produce ammonia (poop, uneaten food, etc.) In a cycled tank, enough beneficial bacteria have built up that "eat" ammonia (and produce toxic nitrite) that the ammonia levels stay near 0, and enough of another bacteria that "eat" nitrite (and produce not-very-toxic nitrate) that the nitrite levels also stay near 0. It takes, like, 3-6 weeks for this to happen. (These aren't the "double every 20 minutes" bacteria that spoil food - they reproduce slowly.)

So, if you don't have a good master test kit, I recommend getting one. (Don't get the test strips - they are less reliable.) Read up on cycling and ask questions.

==> Note: Cycling the aquarium isn't rocket science, and will happen regardless, but nitrite and ammonia are toxic and if you let the levels get too high, they will kill or weaken your axolotl.

 

[Skudo09]

Hello, it seems my worries are just because they are still new to the tank.
i tried to feed them bloodworm using a feeder and they ate it happily. i cycled the tank every 5 days but i did it at day 3 when i got them to make sure the water's clear.

my lighting system for them is 9am - 6pm and im planning to buy some plants that will at least dim the light and some that will break the water flow to a slower pace.

the one thing im worried about is that i do not know if they are stressed because they're gills are going out sometimes. their tails are not a problem though

When stressed, their gills may be curled far foward and their tail may be curled at the tip.

It is great you are doing regular water changes. As Laura has mentioned, cycling is not in regards to water changes (I can see how this can be confused). Below is a couple of links on aquarium cycling. It would be beneficial to read up on cycling as it is important in understanding how to maintain good water quality. As Laura also mentioned, it would be worth investing in a liquid testing kit for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and PH as you should be testing regularly (I recommend at least once a week in a cycled tank but more often if the tank is in the process of cycling) if you don't have one already.

Caudata Culture Articles - Cycling

Scales Tails Wings and Things, What is Aquarium Cycling? How to Cycle your Tank