New Axolotl owner, advise needed please

[SquirrelBait]

Hello Everyone! I’ll give you some quick background info. I’ve kept freshwater aquariums very successfully for about 8 years. I got a new tank and stand for Black Friday and went to my favorite and most highly recommended pet store to look for some new fish friends. Well they had Axolotls for super cheap and my little boy went crazy! I ended up with 2 of them (I only knew the care instructions they talked me through. I have a 30 gallon tank. When they are fully grown I will most likely put them in a 55 but for now the 30 seems acceptable. Now I have 2 pink axolotls (super neat and super cute) and am trying to learn as much as I can to give them the best life possible. My water parameters are surprisingly really good for a new cycle but I did do a filter squeeze since I put them in same day. Ammonia and Nitrites are 0, nitrate is very close to 0. BTW, I am on a very small budget right now.
So questions…
1. Is there anything I can do to help the regeneration of their feet and gills? I got 2 very small ones (3-5”) and they have no feet and gills are pretty short.
2. Should I add sand? If so, is there anything in particular I need to look for?
3. I’d like to start breeding something live for them to eat (on a small scale b/c they’ve been eating pellets fine). What do you recommend? I’ve heard ghost shrimp are good but I want to be sure. I would have them in a floating breeder in a tank.
4. It’s only been a few days but why won’t they eat the food at the bottom of the tank? They eat pellets when I use the tweezer things and hold it just under their mouth but if I drop it in front of them they won’t touch it and I have to remove it.
5. I have a hang-on-the-back 40-60 gallon filter with a large fake plant directly under it to deter the flow and a small bubbler recommended for 15 gallons. Is that too much or not enough oxygen, or is it fine? I’m worried about them breathing okay, the larger of the two was going up for air about every 5-15 minutes before the bubbler (the small one almost never does) but since I added the bubbler it seems to be just maybe once every couple hours or so. I’m concerned b/c they were in a tank with at least 4 dozen others and their gills don’t seem so great compared to pictures I’ve seen.

I may be a little paranoid but this is new for me and I’ve fallen hard for these little guys. Thank you so so much in advance for any questions you may answer.

 

[axolotl nerd]

Hello Everyone! I’ll give you some quick background info. I’ve kept freshwater aquariums very successfully for about 8 years. I got a new tank and stand for Black Friday and went to my favorite and most highly recommended pet store to look for some new fish friends. Well they had Axolotls for super cheap and my little boy went crazy! I ended up with 2 of them (I only knew the care instructions they talked me through. I have a 30 gallon tank. When they are fully grown I will most likely put them in a 55 but for now the 30 seems acceptable. Now I have 2 pink axolotls (super neat and super cute) and am trying to learn as much as I can to give them the best life possible. My water parameters are surprisingly really good for a new cycle but I did do a filter squeeze since I put them in same day. Ammonia and Nitrites are 0, nitrate is very close to 0. BTW, I am on a very small budget right now.
So questions…
1. Is there anything I can do to help the regeneration of their feet and gills? I got 2 very small ones (3-5”) and they have no feet and gills are pretty short.
2. Should I add sand? If so, is there anything in particular I need to look for?
3. I’d like to start breeding something live for them to eat (on a small scale b/c they’ve been eating pellets fine). What do you recommend? I’ve heard ghost shrimp are good but I want to be sure. I would have them in a floating breeder in a tank.
4. It’s only been a few days but why won’t they eat the food at the bottom of the tank? They eat pellets when I use the tweezer things and hold it just under their mouth but if I drop it in front of them they won’t touch it and I have to remove it.
5. I have a hang-on-the-back 40-60 gallon filter with a large fake plant directly under it to deter the flow and a small bubbler recommended for 15 gallons. Is that too much or not enough oxygen, or is it fine? I’m worried about them breathing okay, the larger of the two was going up for air about every 5-15 minutes before the bubbler (the small one almost never does) but since I added the bubbler it seems to be just maybe once every couple hours or so. I’m concerned b/c they were in a tank with at least 4 dozen others and their gills don’t seem so great compared to pictures I’ve seen.

I may be a little paranoid but this is new for me and I’ve fallen hard for these little guys. Thank you so so much in advance for any questions you may answer.

1. no, they'll grow back fine on their own. continue feeding them well and they should regenerate
2. no, bare bottom tanks are best, especially at that size. when they're older you can do very very fine sand, but never gravel
3. earthworms are the best staple diet out there. they love them and they're great for growth. i have ghost shrimp in with my gal but she very rarely eats them.
4. theyre very young so their sensory organs (lateral line system) and sense of smell haven't developed yet. they respond to movement and should be eating live food. be sure to remove pellets very soon if not eaten, as it will crash the cycle if they remain
5. i personally hate HOB filters, i switched to a sponge filter a few years ago and have found them to be so much better. airstones/bubblers are fine for axolotls, as long as the water movement isn't too much for them. they also gulp oxygen fairly regularly, my girl does it probably once an hour. if they were in with four dozen other axolotls then there was definitely cannibalism occurring, so the gills and feet should grow back with time. however, its absolutely terrible to keep so many together in one tank, especially at the cannibalistic stage. i would contact the pet store and let them know.

pictures of them would be appreciated, but i think you have two little lecusitic babies.
also, more hides are a must

 

[wolfen]

as you have kept fish for years you should know the importance of cycling a tank, this is especially so with axolotls, although a tank can be cycled with the axolotls in situ it can cause further injuries and problems.
read Axolotls - Requirements & Water Conditions in Captivity on salts/minerals required for good health.
1. provided there isn't a genetic condition preventing regeneration their limbs and gills will grow back, although it isn't unusual for the gills to grow back looking a bit odd (some looking like antlers, horns etc..) this is fine as they will still be functional.
2. best to keep base bare until they are at least 5 inches in length, although the glass jar is ok as a place to go into but as a hide or cave it is too translucent and would be better blacked out with either non-toxic paint or waterproof tape, this is even more important if you have lights.
3. shrimp can quite easily jump out of the water so it would be quite difficult keeping them contained in a floating breeder.
4. see Axolotl Nerds reply.
5. there is a minimum amount of oxygen saturation requirement of 70% with a max of 100% so no you haven't got to much oxygenation, oxygen in the water is required to keep your axolotls healthy and also to keep a healthy filtration system, the finer the bubbles the better for dissolving into the water, good oxygenation as well as using holtfreters (see link above) will encourage gill growth.

 

[SquirrelBait]

Thank you both so so much for the response!! I will definitely look at that link about the water.
I did do a filter squeeze from an established tank and transfer half of my matrix with good bacteria into the back of my HOB. I did read that a sponge filter is better, but I already had several HOBs and spent most of my budget (for right now) on an assortment of foods and the cave. Just trying to prioritize where to spend the money first and I wanted to make sure they wouldn’t have any trouble eating. Definitely will try the worms. I didn’t realize they were so young they weren’t smelling food yet, that is good to know. I do take out what they don’t eat, after 2 or 3 pellets they turn away from the tweezer things which I assume means they’re done so I pull the leftover pellet right back out.
So my to do list is reading that link about water, getting more hiding areas, sponge filter, and trying earthworms.

New questions if y’all don’t mind..

1. I have only seen one of them poop (the larger one) and he has pooped almost everyday and I remove it as soon as I see it. I check on them constantly. The smaller one I haven’t seen poop at all and it’s been a few days. (Of course he could have at night and ate it but what’re the odds of him only pooping when I sleep). He looks like he might be a little bloated, what should I do? I read they usually float when they go. He goes to the top for air so I know he’s not having trouble getting to the top of the water.
2. They have been eating 1 pellet each in the morning and 2 to 3 in the evening. Does that sound about right for their age and size? Wanna make sure I’m not over or under feeding.
3. Later down the road after I’ve gotten everything else situated, do y’all think it would it be okay to add live Anubis plants? I use the plant cups that suction to the sides of the tank but I wasn’t sure if live plants are as beneficial for them as they are for my other tanks..? I keep them cleaned up and the leaves are pretty hardy and big.

BTW.. I did call that place and mention they looked rough and I was told there shouldn’t be so many together. They said they are aware and that the breeder had a population spike and that’s why they were on sale for Black Friday.

 

[SquirrelBait]

This is the smaller one. Wish I had names but I dunno the gender of them and I’m sure it’s too soon to know.

 

[SquirrelBait]

 

[SquirrelBait]

View attachment 94500

This is my bigger one (Hard to get a good picture of him, he’s usually in the cave while the small one is usually on top of the jar). I also moved the bubble stone to where it’s suctioned to the back of the tank about half way up instead of being on the bottom. Now the small one can sit still anywhere in the tank without the current messing with him. Although, idk if it was intentional or not but the little one was sitting on top of the bubbles on the stone quite a bit before I moved it.

 

[wolfen]

the air stone is better situated at the bottom of the tank to allow for the air bubbles to be dissolved for longer and to also allow for better oxygen circulation around the tank, axolotl don't like water flow that is strong enough that they have to fight against it, but they do seem to like to sit under or over a gentle current letting the water fluff their gills.
axolotl feces tend to break down into the water quite fast so it isn't unusual for you not to find any evidence, it is not surprising if the smaller one is getting bloated/tubby when they are both fed the same amount although this isn't anything to worry about as they will need the food to allow them to grow and also to regrow limbs.
axolotls are quite tolerant to plants but that doesn't mean that the plants can tolerate axolotl water conditions ie.. high mineral, slight brackish, below 18°c water etc..

 

[SquirrelBait]

the air stone is better situated at the bottom of the tank to allow for the air bubbles to be dissolved for longer and to also allow for better oxygen circulation around the tank, axolotl don't like water flow that is strong enough that they have to fight against it, but they do seem to like to sit under or over a gentle current letting the water fluff their gills.
axolotl feces tend to break down into the water quite fast so it isn't unusual for you not to find any evidence, it is not surprising if the smaller one is getting bloated/tubby when they are both fed the same amount although this isn't anything to worry about as they will need the food to allow them to grow and also to regrow limbs.
axolotls are quite tolerant to plants but that doesn't mean that the plants can tolerate axolotl water conditions ie.. high mineral, slight brackish, below 18°c water etc..

Okay, I will put the air stone back in the bottom next time I feed. Thank you so very much for all of the information, it is very appreciated. I’m feeling a lot better about being able to care for them. I had no idea about the GH and KH, their water is soft right now (I’ve never had anything that preferred anything different). Really don’t wanna do the salt mix and most reputable sources recommend not to unless they’re sick so I’ll get a kit to test KH and if it’s low add crushed coral to the back of my filter to raise the KH..? I believe that’s the takeaway from what I’ve read. My PH is 7.2 which is good and my ammonia and nitrites are 0 so that’s fine. My nitrates are right around 4 ppm and slowly rising and I have plenty of beneficial bacteria in the filter and filter squeeze and water from establishment tank with solid parameters so I think this tank is already cycled or cycling. I had a bacteria bloom when I first added the new water with the squeeze but it cleared up shortly after I added my established matrix and before the axolotls were added. Am I missing anything else other than KH? And is it similar to freshwater fish with nitrate being okay as long as it stays under 10ppm?

 

[SquirrelBait]

Sorry, “high mineral” and “slight brackish” are brand new terms for me. I’m trying to figure out exactly what that means and how to make that happen. I read the thread you shared the link on but it didn’t tell me what to use or anything.

 

[wolfen]

for kh, gh, nitrate levels etc.. see here .. Water Quality Explained: How It Can Affect Your Axolotl's Health - WSAVA 2015 Congress - VIN there is a table of ideal and tolerant levels for water parameters at the bottom of the page.
high minerals is the mineral content of the water such as calcium etc.. ie.. water hardness, the slight brackish is a term for light water salinity ie.. a small amount of salt, in the previous link there was a part at the bottom of the page titled water hardness and dissolved salts which described the minerals/salt required, this also included a list of chemicals to make holtfreters and modified versions.