ArloAxolotl
New member
Hello!
I am a brand new axolotl keeper and a brand new caudata member!
I've wanted an axolotl for probably a good 10 years or so and I have done a good amount of research on them to assure I could maintain and care for the animal properly. I do however, have a few questions. I think a lot of what I found in research was more geared towards adult axolotls. My little Arlo is a 2.5-3 month old baby that is roughly pinkie finger / pointer finger length ("he" is a gorgeous little leuc). These questions aren't overly urgent, but I would appreciate learning sooner rather than later
1. I am aware that these animals prefer cooler temperatures. Nothing over low 70s. That was extremely prominent in my research. I was curious what the coldest temperatures they can endure happily are? I know that people stick them in refrigerators and such when they're ill and whatnot.
2. Is a filled up 10 gallon aquarium suitable for an axolotl his size, or should I keep it shallow? He is currently in a cycled 10 gallon with a few terra cotta pots that I've had for a good year or two in this aquarium, and a couple of fake plants that I have positioned under my hang on the back filter (I know that canisters are the highly preferred, but I do have the intake of the filter lined with fluval aquarium pads and the outtake buffered by one of the fake plants to disperse the water more evenly). The water is filled to about 4-5 inches from the top. I've only seen him swim to the top once for air, but I don't want to suffocate the poor guy either. I know breeders keep them in shallow shoebox-styled tubs for awhile, and wasn't certain if he would be better off downsizing for the time being. He doesn't seem to be overly bothered by the 10 gallon's height, but I am by no means an expert yet :rofl:
3. Blood worm cubes. I've fed my other aquatic animals frozen blood worms, but I haven't done frozen before. I've fed little Arlo a big meal, which he ate about a third of the cube. Just interested to know if that seems about right? I've only had the little guy for less than 48 hours, so-.
4. Is there anything you breeders out there do to help them get adjusted? I just got him two days ago and he was shipped to me. I'm sure being thrashed around in the mail for a couple of days was not very fun for him. Would stress coat help? I really don't want him to die, as I've waited so long to finally get one :')
5. I know that keeping the water cool and clean is probably the trickiest part to owning one of these babies. I live in Texas, so it's hot! I do keep my house pretty cool and my room where he lives relatively dark. I've added a frozen water bottle to his aquarium to help with the cooling and it's been maintaining a high 60s - low 70s temperature. I've also done a partial water change, since I didn't notice a few worms that had started getting fuzzy in a corner of the aquarium. When you were starting off, around how big of a water change did you all generally do per...week? And are there any other tricks and tips to keeping the tank cool, aside from a chiller?
Thank you all so much!
I am a brand new axolotl keeper and a brand new caudata member!
I've wanted an axolotl for probably a good 10 years or so and I have done a good amount of research on them to assure I could maintain and care for the animal properly. I do however, have a few questions. I think a lot of what I found in research was more geared towards adult axolotls. My little Arlo is a 2.5-3 month old baby that is roughly pinkie finger / pointer finger length ("he" is a gorgeous little leuc). These questions aren't overly urgent, but I would appreciate learning sooner rather than later
1. I am aware that these animals prefer cooler temperatures. Nothing over low 70s. That was extremely prominent in my research. I was curious what the coldest temperatures they can endure happily are? I know that people stick them in refrigerators and such when they're ill and whatnot.
2. Is a filled up 10 gallon aquarium suitable for an axolotl his size, or should I keep it shallow? He is currently in a cycled 10 gallon with a few terra cotta pots that I've had for a good year or two in this aquarium, and a couple of fake plants that I have positioned under my hang on the back filter (I know that canisters are the highly preferred, but I do have the intake of the filter lined with fluval aquarium pads and the outtake buffered by one of the fake plants to disperse the water more evenly). The water is filled to about 4-5 inches from the top. I've only seen him swim to the top once for air, but I don't want to suffocate the poor guy either. I know breeders keep them in shallow shoebox-styled tubs for awhile, and wasn't certain if he would be better off downsizing for the time being. He doesn't seem to be overly bothered by the 10 gallon's height, but I am by no means an expert yet :rofl:
3. Blood worm cubes. I've fed my other aquatic animals frozen blood worms, but I haven't done frozen before. I've fed little Arlo a big meal, which he ate about a third of the cube. Just interested to know if that seems about right? I've only had the little guy for less than 48 hours, so-.
4. Is there anything you breeders out there do to help them get adjusted? I just got him two days ago and he was shipped to me. I'm sure being thrashed around in the mail for a couple of days was not very fun for him. Would stress coat help? I really don't want him to die, as I've waited so long to finally get one :')
5. I know that keeping the water cool and clean is probably the trickiest part to owning one of these babies. I live in Texas, so it's hot! I do keep my house pretty cool and my room where he lives relatively dark. I've added a frozen water bottle to his aquarium to help with the cooling and it's been maintaining a high 60s - low 70s temperature. I've also done a partial water change, since I didn't notice a few worms that had started getting fuzzy in a corner of the aquarium. When you were starting off, around how big of a water change did you all generally do per...week? And are there any other tricks and tips to keeping the tank cool, aside from a chiller?
Thank you all so much!
