Just a few questions

[aricca]

Hola everyone!

First of all I'd just like to say thanks for such an awesome site! I randomly looked into it two days ago when i was contemplating getting an axolotl and now, today, my boyfriend came home with a MASSIVE fishtank and then an axolotl!

The site has helped me heaps because, quite frankly, i really had no idea what they did. I knew they looked creepy but that was it.

I've learnt heaps now thanks!

Just a few quessies tho::

:: we put black and blue gravel in the tank, but tim said that his cousin's axolotl got really sick because it ate too many stones. he thinks it died from that. Was her axolotl just really stupid or should i change the gravel?

:: how do i find out how old Foetus is? and what gender? He's about 15cm long and really really cute.

::is there a difference between how healthy or strong an axolotl is depending on it's colour? Foetus is that see-through white colour and has black eyes

::IS the tank too big for him? its 75cm long, 38cm deep and 29cm wide.

::Can we buy another axolotl for foetus to be friends with? Its just that we have such a big tank and i wanted to fill it with things. Is it jjust goldfish and feeder fish that hurt them or is it all fish in general? Will little turtles hurt foetus?

I'm so proud of Foetus ) The lady at the shop said that i shouldn't be surprised if he didn't eat for the first couple of days, but assoon as we put him in the tank i put some food just touching his nose and he ate it quick as a flash! ANd he's running backwards alot too ((much to my boyfriend's entertainment!))

ok, well thats all from me! Sorry its so long!

Love Wednesday

 

[kim]

Hi Aricca,

And welcome to the forum!! Ok for starts have you read... http://axolotl.org ? It is caudatas sister site.. loads of great gernal and alsorts of info on there. If you havnt go and have a read!

Ok first thing first... I assuming that your tank isn't cycled? Your best bet while tha tank is cycling is to keep your axie in a bowl/tub and change the water every/ every other day. Cycling can be bad for axies.. if you take a look at quite a few post in sick axie section.. they notice the gills starting to srink. This is due to high amounts of ammonia being produced in the tank as it cycles. For more info on that go to google and search 'cycling'. Or tank a look at some previous posts.

1. Gravel. Axies will from time to time eat gravel if they have it in there tank.. this can lead to inpaction of there bowls which as you have been told can lead to death.. people in this form tend to keep there axies on either sand, as i do or large pebbles and slate... Pebbles should be big enough not to fit in the axies mouth. Some people do have gravel in there tanks and use a feeding plate so they dont pick up the gravel. But personall i wouldnt want to risk it.

2. No body can really tell you the age of a axie, they grow at differnet rates unless you have had it from a egg thats realy the only way your going to know. And as for gender thats easy axies can mature from around 8inches (can be smaller as mine was only 6inches) so have a look between its back legs, if there is a large 'bump' then its male.. females dont have any real bump.. if your unsure, post a picture and we will be able to help hopefully.

3. Im not really sure about colour vs health, im really not sure.. tho i have read that people notice albinos (red eyes) seem to be weaker as babies.

4. Tank size. A general rule for me is 1ft of tank per axie. So for example if you had a 3ft tank you could have 3 axies quite nicley in there. Though you will need to keep up with 25% weekly water changes and clearing out any uneaten food and poo. Filters need to be able to cope with alot of waste.. but remember axies dont like flowing water so another rule for me is that if there gills move in the current while they are still you need to slow the out put down.

5. Yes you can buy another axie as a friend to yours but make sure that you keep it in quarntine for 30days just incase your new one has anything which could be passed on.

Take a look at the feeding section of the axie forum there are loads of do's and dont for feeding..

If www.axolotl.org or my post does answer all your questions come back and ask some more!

Good luck with your new friend!!

 

[brian]

I noticed you asked about keeping animals with them. In a word: don't. It's just bad for all concerned.

 

[aricca]

Thanks heaps guys )

I'm not sure what u mean by cycling, but i'll look it up. We have this big filter that seems to be pushing the water around just under the surface. Neither of us has any idea what its actually doing ((The filter)) but i'm going to ask the pet shop tomorrow.

Another two questions? They're a bit gross but we really want to know. D

Do axolotl's fart? Because i'm pretty sure i saw it fart. There was this tiny little bubble of air escape from what i guess was its butt and it rose really slowly to the top.

And does their poo float? Tim reckons he saw it poo and the poo circled a little bit and then its floating. I think it's plant but he doesn't believe me.

lol

Love ari

 

[sharn]

well i asked this questiona while ago (about the farting) i saw my youngest do the same thing except the bubbles went up quickly. someone said they thought all animals fart from buildups in their bowels. i dont think anyone has a definate answer on it haha. no their poo does not float they look like... jelly beans haha.
cycling is the nitrogen cycle. most people will give you a huge long answer on this but ill cut it short because i dont understand most of those long words haha. anything living in the tank (or a piece of food in the tank) decomposes. this makes ammonia. ammonia gets eaten by nirate but not before ammonia goes really high. then nitrate is eaten by nitrite which is safer (not sure if 'eaten' is the right word but its simple) ammonia burns them. it makes their gills go really ugly and they get stressed as. you can put a piece of his food in the tank to start the cycle off. it takes about 30 or so days i think.

i use a pathetically small air operated pump but it keeps the water clean and i do weekly water changes etc.

dont put fish in there! they will either get eaten or eat the axies gills and fish can introduce nasty diseases.
hope this helped!! sorry for the long reply

 

[aricca]

cool thanks for all that

i think Foetus is a little crazy. I really do.

He started climbing a tree before and then sort of kept climbing after the tree had finished and then did a somersault and smashed into the tree. Not tree, water plant ((it looks like a tree)). Then he sat in the tree upside down, hanging there for ages and itwas weird. ANd now he's digging his head into the gravel.

Do i have an insane axolotl? because that would be cool

 

[sharn]

nar they do wierd things quite often. mine used to squeeze themselves between the filter and the glass, i have no idea how thet got in there becasue it was insanely small but they did. they look cute when they try to walk in mid water. somones axie on here makes sand mountains to sit on hehe. theyre gorgeous arnt they?

 

[aricca]

lol. thats funny. they are so cute.my sister wants one now, which is something because as soon as i showed him too her she was like, "Trust you to get something creepy."

but now she wants one. lol.

they're so cool. we watch him for hours

 

[anne-marie]

Arrica, welcome to the nut-house!

For question 1:
When I first got axies 8 years ago, my girl used to eat gravel. Hence I have never had gravel until about two weeks ago. So far no problems as they are hand fed. If I see a problem, the gravel is GONE. Please note that when they eat gravel, you can see it in their bellies (particularly with light colour axies, and you can see it in their poo, particularly if the gravel is coloured, lol)

Q 2. 15cm is about half size - Foetus is gonna grow a bit yet. And for the white colour, well my white colour girl is around 6, has borne 3-4 clutches and still going strong. Probably stronger then me!

Thirdly, there is no such thing as a tank that is too big ( I don't think so anyway). Keep an eye on general water quality, pH, ammonia, etc.

And yes, get another for Foetus if you want. Just be sure to quarantine for a time. Check the pages for info. Just don't ask me where, cause I get lost on this site.