terracotta
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- Feb 20, 2016
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My first axolotl recently passed away. I detailed this in another post. Today I tested his water, and all levels were safe. Ammonia was nearly undetectable and chlorine was zero. My original suspicion was poor water quality but now I'm sure I don't know what happened. I buried him today.
At the insistence of a friend, I got a new baby. The LFS I bought him from gave me a new baby for free. New baby is looking healthy and happy in a 2.5 gallon bare bottomed tank. He's swimming and exploring. He was on bare bottom in the store so I'll be keeping him that way until he graduates to a 5.5 gallon in around a month (or less, depending on growth. My first didn't grow at all so I'm unsure of what to expect) I've had no success in convincing an axolotl as small as he to eat in anything more than 2.5 gallons. He's about an inch long, maybe a little more. He's another albino. The only other morph they had in stock were the glow ones, which sort of make me uncomfortable.
He's currently trying to wedge himself between the back of his hide and the wall. Not the smartest lol.
Anyhow, my questions are as follows.
1) How fast can I expect him to grow? i.e how long will it be before he requires 10 gallons?
2) Could a 10 gallon tank go on a dresser? I have a chest of drawers which currently holds a 5.5 gallon. It's made entirely out of plywood, but I can feel no nails or screws inside or out. The top is supported on two sides, so I was concerned about the legs trapezoiding out from underneath it under the weight. They are held together by the seams that go in between the drawers but it isn't much. The back is just thin pressboard (less than half a cm thick) that's just stapled on and would hold no load.
3) I don't have access to chemical ammonia for the purposes of cycling so I plan to cycle with bloodworms (what I have on hand). Any tips for this method? How long would they be left in, etc. I understand the chemistry of the situation but I'm not sure how long it would take for food to cause ammonia to rise.
At the insistence of a friend, I got a new baby. The LFS I bought him from gave me a new baby for free. New baby is looking healthy and happy in a 2.5 gallon bare bottomed tank. He's swimming and exploring. He was on bare bottom in the store so I'll be keeping him that way until he graduates to a 5.5 gallon in around a month (or less, depending on growth. My first didn't grow at all so I'm unsure of what to expect) I've had no success in convincing an axolotl as small as he to eat in anything more than 2.5 gallons. He's about an inch long, maybe a little more. He's another albino. The only other morph they had in stock were the glow ones, which sort of make me uncomfortable.
He's currently trying to wedge himself between the back of his hide and the wall. Not the smartest lol.
Anyhow, my questions are as follows.
1) How fast can I expect him to grow? i.e how long will it be before he requires 10 gallons?
2) Could a 10 gallon tank go on a dresser? I have a chest of drawers which currently holds a 5.5 gallon. It's made entirely out of plywood, but I can feel no nails or screws inside or out. The top is supported on two sides, so I was concerned about the legs trapezoiding out from underneath it under the weight. They are held together by the seams that go in between the drawers but it isn't much. The back is just thin pressboard (less than half a cm thick) that's just stapled on and would hold no load.
3) I don't have access to chemical ammonia for the purposes of cycling so I plan to cycle with bloodworms (what I have on hand). Any tips for this method? How long would they be left in, etc. I understand the chemistry of the situation but I'm not sure how long it would take for food to cause ammonia to rise.
- is the dresser sturdy enough for you to sit on? Regardless, you should get a more rigid board to go under the tank, because the weight will make it sag and put uneven stresses on the tank too. I suggest a board that goes the length of the dresser to better protect the dresser. You can get pre-cut shelving boards at hardware stores.