Herons and axolotls

[xxianxx]

I was cleaning tanks and pulling eggs from some tanks in my house till 6am this morning, I generally work through the night and into the morning as I am a night owl and my family get in the way if I do it during the day. At 4am I wondered outside for a smoke only to see a Heron fishing in one of my outside tanks. I have ten 4-6ft tanks outside with baby axolotls and a few of my breeding adults. I have just done a count and am missing approximately fifty axolotls so have to spend the rest of the day heron proofing my tanks with netting to block the approach of the bird. Hope this thread makes people aware of possible predation if your axolotls are outside. Cats would be another potential problem for some people but my terrier has created a cat free zone in my garden.

 

[auntiejude]

Bet that heron thought he was on to a good thing! I've seen a heron fly off with 8" koi before, and some of them can figure out that netting rips easily - I think I'd use chicken wire. I've heard string is supposed to be a good deterrant - like a perimeter fence - as herons tend to wade into water from the edge of a pond or stand at the edge and fish from there. String effectively keeps them away - make it about heron-knee height.

They are voracious though, I live near a big park with a lake, and the herons often come over to the houses and fish in the garden ponds.

Good luck.

 

[xxianxx]

Herons dont land in water so aslong as their access to the tanks is blocked my axolotls should be safe.

 

[sde]

There a plenty of things outside that would be very happy to 'steal' some axies. Herons, cats, raccoons, possums, shrews maybe, and maybe some crazy people .

When you have your axies outside i think you should bare in mind that there are lots of animals that might want to eat them. And you would be surprised how little space it takes for some animals to get into your tank/protected area! Possums, for example, can fit through very small holes!

 

[xxianxx]

Possums live on a different continent to me, I don't think I will bother with any anti possum measures lol

 

[matias]

i had the same problem but with goldfishes and birds (Pitangus sulphuratus), I covered the tank/pond with a nylon net (obviously this bird is smaller than heron, cats and racoons), and they couldn´t eat more fishes. that saved my preciouses (i am not a gollum, i only love so much my fishes). and i think it could be a good way to prevent your axies are eaten.

 

[sde]

Possums live on a different continent to me, I don't think I will bother with any anti possum measures lol

Oops, yah, that's true. But if you ever move to the states look out for e'm