Photo: meet my axy :)

[bronwyn08]

The last photos my favorite
I named him Moe, but im almost certain he's now a she, any cute name ideas?

 

[inkozana]

She's quite cute. What about Moet?

 

[Neke]

She's gorgeous! Be careful with the substrate though, it looks really thick in the third one but it might be my eyes deceiving me. If it's too thick it can cause gas pockets, it shouldn't be more than an inch deep. I'm hopeless with names, so hopefully somebody will have some good name suggestions for you :happy:

 

[Aquatic]

Really nice axie.

 

[bronwyn08]

oh i never knew it couldnt be an inch deep, what do gas pockets do? i'll take some out right now! hahaha
my mum doesnt like moet hahaha i thought it was cute though
she wants to call her axy, but thats like calling a dog, doggy hahaha

 

[superfin]

Shes really cute I would name it a name that could go either way like I named mine Maxie (max/Maxine) or Chris lol (Chris/Christine):happy:








chris:wacko:

 

[Neke]

Up to an inch is ok, it's just easier for gas pockets to develop once it gets deeper than that. If it's around an inch then don't worry about it, the picture just made it look really deep which was why I mentioned it. I'm not actually sure what gas pockets do... I just know they're bad. Maybe somebody could shed some light on that for me.

And I disagree, my favourite is the third pic - I love it when they come and sit at the front of the tank :happy:

 

[Jacquie]

Up to an inch is ok, it's just easier for gas pockets to develop once it gets deeper than that. If it's around an inch then don't worry about it, the picture just made it look really deep which was why I mentioned it. I'm not actually sure what gas pockets do... I just know they're bad. Maybe somebody could shed some light on that for me.

The gas pockets foul up the water quality and also lets off a smell of rotten eggs.

I know from personal experience what an assualt on the senses this is; it made me wish I had no nose!

While 'renovating' one of my tanks that had sand substrate an inch and a half deep, my hand passed through a gas pocket in the sand and suddenly there was a strong, rotten egg stench. This stench quickly took over the tank water, then my bedroom (where that tank is situated) and through the whole house in no time.

I just thanked all the deities I could think of that the axolotls were in tubs on the kitchen table and not in the tank at the time of the 'explosion'. The renovations took longer than anticipated due to this pongy surprise and I wouldn't want anyone to go through the same thing I did.

It took a few hours to vent the house and the gas gave me a crashing headache.

My axies seemed to like the new design of their home though....

Needless to say all my tanks now only have one centimeter depth of sand at the most.

This thread goes into more detail and gives a name to the gas : http://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=56698

Cheers Jacq.

PS. Bronwyn, that is one lovely axolotl you have there!

 

[bronwyn08]

Haha thankyouu.
Gosh i better makesure that doesnt happen, im sure my family wouldn't appreciate this
My axys been sick for a few days so he's been in the fridge and my mum was getting so annoyed but shes soo much better now
my friend thought of heaps of funny names, but i dont know if i would be able to make them stick e.g popsicle, jaws, bait and killer haha shes to cute to be named a killer. I'm the worst at deciding names hehe

 

[Neke]

Thanks Jacq, that was really informative :happy:

My tank has somewhere between 1/2 an inch and 1 inch of sand - When i do a water change I run my fingers through the sand to mix it up to uncover anything that's been buried. Is that enough to prevent gas pockets?

And Browyn, I find names tricky too. I've had my axies for 2 weeks or so now and I still haven't thought of anything suitable. At least knowing the sex makes it easier! Try scouring the 'M' section of a baby names book.

 

[Jacquie]

My axys been sick for a few days so he's been in the fridge and my mum was getting so annoyed but shes soo much better now.

I hope your little fellow is getting better.

I'm kind of partial to the name Jaws. The amount of times I've seen my darlings chomp down a worm with no mercy, felt them crunch down on my finger, and then the vision of bloodworm being consumed...yes, I think Jaws is quite a good name for an axolotl.

It took little time for my family to fall in love with the axolotls. I still get amused when my gran will talk to them as she wanders by "Oh hello darling!" and she will also smuggle food to them when she feels they are underfed...sigh.

My tank has somewhere between 1/2 an inch and 1 inch of sand - When i do a water change I run my fingers through the sand to mix it up to uncover anything that's been buried. Is that enough to prevent gas pockets?

Hi Neke,

I ran my fingers through the sand fairly frequently while doing spot cleaning and during the weekly partial water changes and I still had a gas pocket develop.

There are places in the tank where my hand would not woft frequently through though, such as under the large rocks that were making caves for the axies. Under a deep substrate and heavy rocks, this was probably a prime place for a gas pocket to make itself at home. I'm just so relieved I discovered it while renovating and the axies were not at home at the time.

All my tanks now have one centimetre depth maximum for the substrate, the rocks have no sand under them (I was quite good at making a 'house of cards' as a child so this talent was put to good use in making sturdy safe caves on no sand) and I've had no problems since.

 

[Cake]

Axolotls seem to rearrange everything including sand? If it is swimming in the corner and 'digging' up the sand into mounds then putting in more hiding places around it's tank might stop that unless it just wants to go for a swim... You can level out the sand again if you want to with a planting tong/fork/stick or your hand.

Jaws is a fitting name. I've seen Chompa used as well. Plays on the word 'Axolotl' like Axol/Axle/Axel/Axie are often used. I thought Lottie would be a rather "cute" name? I just use Nahuatl names which can be a bit difficult to say. =/

 

[coichards]

Nice Axie. How old is she (or he). Maybe try a google search on scary fish names. Good Luck.

 

[bronwyn08]

Thanks everyone this is great
I'm not sure how old she is, the pet shop was quite usless, her toes are black which is a sign of sexual maturity so im not sure how old that makes her? hehe
Lottie is a cute name, im sure my parents would appreciate it more than Jaws, ill have a good think about it.
She was floating heaps the other day so i popped her into the fridge and figured out she hasnt 'gone to the toilet' for the whole 2 and a half weeks ive had her!
She then went to the toilet in the bowl she was in and i popped her back into the tank and seemed fine, until i got home this afternoon, shes back at it, i'm going to pop her back in the fridge and it will help...hopefully!!

 

[Jacquie]

I'm not sure how old she is, the pet shop was quite usless, her toes are black which is a sign of sexual maturity so im not sure how old that makes her?

The only way you could be sure would be to contact the breeder or to have raised her yourself from an egg.

If her toes are black and in looking at her pictures, by my untrained eye I'd say she's about 5-6 months old - give or take a month or two lol.

She was floating heaps the other day so i popped her into the fridge and figured out she hasnt 'gone to the toilet' for the whole 2 and a half weeks ive had her!
She then went to the toilet in the bowl she was in and i popped her back into the tank and seemed fine, until i got home this afternoon, shes back at it, i'm going to pop her back in the fridge and it will help...hopefully!!

When transferring her from the fridge to the tank, are you allowing sufficient time for the temperature of the fridged water in the container to increase to room temperature that will be the same as that in the tank before plunking her in the tank? Temperature shock can also stress an axolotl which will make them float.

 

[kira]

Your axie is so cute! And I just love the name Lottie, wish I had thought of it when I got my axies!

 

[bronwyn08]

I couldn't the other day because she had pooped everywhere in the bowl and it was a small bowl so i was scared it was going to be toxic for her. That probably did cause the floating again.
Thankss

 

[chelsbels]

your axie is way cute!
as for names
MoMo
Nina means fish-like
Maya means water
Nerida means water lily
Cara means beloved
Sarah means princess
Eva and Zoe mean life

If you like two meanings, you could hyphonate them such as : Maya-Sarah which would mean Water Princess!

Chelsea