Help with my axolotols

[Sadie777]

Hello I am a beginner seeking advice, I started with 2 axolotols sadly one didn’t make it, we now have 3 and the other out of the first 2 is looking skinny
I test the water daily and all levels are fine
We started by feeding them blood worms which they didn’t eat, then went to pellets they also didn’t eat.
The pet shop owner told me to give them guppies so I have kept guppies in the tank, however they keep being sucked in the filter and dying (I thought the axolotols were eating them)
This may be why one of them is looking skinny?
Yesterday I decided to find worms out of the garden and they are eating them
My question is how often should I feed them worms ( I do cut them up so they are having a third of a worm at a time)
And can they just survive off the worms?
Is there something else I should try?
Should I remove all the guppies?
They live in a 4ft tank
Would appreciate any advice we really don’t want to lose another

 

[WaterLily05]

Hi! Did you cycle the tank before getting the axolotls? Cycling is the process of growing the needed bacteria that converts ammonia into a less harmful substance. This takes longer than simply running the tank for a week, as most people suggest.

With the worms, I would look for black worms rather than bloodworms. Black worms are more nutritious. How big are the axolotls? You could also get red wriggler earth worms and start your own culture. Ones dug up from outside could potentially carry parasites. As for the guppies, you want to remove any dead ones as quickly as possible. If you have something to do with the guppies, you could remove them. If they aren't picking on them, I would think you could leave them. Adult axolotls can be fed an earth worm every 3 days. Young axolotls can be fed live blackworms daily.

Were there any signs of injury on the axolotl who died?

 

[Sadie777]

Hi! Did you cycle the tank before getting the axolotls? Cycling is the process of growing the needed bacteria that converts ammonia into a less harmful substance. This takes longer than simply running the tank for a week, as most people suggest.

With the worms, I would look for black worms rather than bloodworms. Black worms are more nutritious. How big are the axolotls? You could also get red wriggler earth worms and start your own culture. Ones dug up from outside could potentially carry parasites. As for the guppies, you want to remove any dead ones as quickly as possible. If you have something to do with the guppies, you could remove them. If they aren't picking on them, I would think you could leave them. Adult axolotls can be fed an earth worm every 3 days. Young axolotls can be fed live blackworms daily.

Were there any signs of injury on the axolotl who died?

Thank you I had the tank running and tested all the water before I brought them home
The one we lost we had him for 3 weeks before he left us
There were no signs of injury on the one that died I even took the water to the pet shop and got it all tested after and it was all fine
I did go to the pet shop the week prior concerned they had not been eating and he told me to stop being paranoid they can go 3 months without food, I have since read this is only 3 weeks??
I don’t know how to tell if they are young? Is there a way to tell? 2 of them are smaller than the other one

 

[WaterLily05]

Thank you I had the tank running and tested all the water before I brought them home
The one we lost we had him for 3 weeks before he left us
There were no signs of injury on the one that died I even took the water to the pet shop and got it all tested after and it was all fine
I did go to the pet shop the week prior concerned they had not been eating and he told me to stop being paranoid they can go 3 months without food, I have since read this is only 3 weeks??

It sounds like you are doing great! That is very odd... What is the water temp?

I don’t know how to tell if they are young? Is there a way to tell? 2 of them are smaller than the other one

I don't think you are able to certainly tell until they are at least 8 inches typically. Do you know how many inches yours are?