How many eggs could one raise (theoretically)

[eric]

I mean, if you were really well equipped - could you actually raise all of the eggs your axies hatch without losing most of them? And what would that be? 250-500-1000? How could a person who even managed to successfully raise 100 axies sustain them all? I mean, how much room would 100 axies need? Where would you get rid of all of them? What do you do with 100 baby axies?

 

[ros]

Theoretically I think it would be impossible to raise all of any axolotls eggs...even if one was very well equipped. Their mortality rate is very high, which is why they lay so many eggs. Most species with high mortality rates do produce high numbers of young. Even though their mortality rate has increased...due to being raised & bred in captivity, their cannabalistic tendancies & other problems still contribute to high mortality rates. The Indiannia University has been raising & researching, etc. - axolotls over the years & have raised numerous batches...
but then they are much better equipped to do so than we are as home hobbiests.
I had to put a limit on the number of larvae we could raise. That limit was about 50. We have 56.
I don't expect all of them to survive.
We are keeping 2, & friends, aquaintances, aquarium & pet stores are willing to have the rest of the larvae.

 

[anne-marie]

Eric, I raised about 120 from 500 with a lot of time and effort.

I kept them in storage crates, and as they got bigger I had to get more crates so I didn't have too many axies in each one.

If you want to know how much room you need - voila.

This is a photo of a sample of my little ones. They are in the same crate because I was cleaning about 4 crates at a time.

As for what to do when you have raised them, you sell them. But it wasn't a profitable exercise because I got anywhere between $5 - $8 per axolotl but I'd already spent way more on the raising.
And - I'm never doing it again

 

[cynthia]

Anne-Marie - Those pictures bring back memories of when my house was completely covered with tubs of axolotls.

We even set up saw horses and put a sheets of plywood on them so I could cover them in more tubs of axolotls.... scary.

 

[anne-marie]

I know - space gets to be so valuable. I wanted to get shelving and that sort of thing but I was running a budget deficit as it was

. Utter madness.

 

[cynthia]

So true, they cost a lot to raise and feed, not to mention the time involved.

If I ever keep any eggs again it will be 10 or 12 at a time.

 

[ros]

WOW! That's incredible.
At the moment our babies are still in the 2 small containers they hatched in, however, they're growing & I'm now looking for crates, containers, buckets, anything...

...that will hold them when they get bigger.

 

[jennifer]

Michael Shrom around? He raises them in large numbers. He described to me a shelf system he made, with built-in drainage from each container for water changes. I keep hoping he'll get a digital camera some day and demonstrate.

I have never attempted to raise more than about 20 axolotls because of the space and massive water changes required. Plus the fact that I'm usually raising umpteen newts too

 

[cynthia]

Yes that would be cool to see Jennifer. I hope Michael gets some pictures up soon.

 

[eric]

That's unbelievable! I've never seen anything like the images anne uploaded. Crazy! I do not think I am going to raise that many of these things. My place is a mess as it is. Though we do have enough of those containers to pull it off... and I suppose we could convert the loft into a nursery. But still. Geez. Thanks for the info though. Really Cool

 

[michael]

Since Jennifer mentioned my name I'll weigh in. I raised about 2000 this year. I won't be raising that many next year. I'm not comfortable divulging my techniques to everybody in the world.
Best
Michael

 

[eric]

I wonder if that is a world record Michael!

 

[ros]

If I had enough room & time I would have raised all of Axol & Charlotte's babies ( that would have hatched, ) but, WOW! 2000...that's alot to raise.