Caudata.org: Newts and Salamanders Portal

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Did you know that registered users see fewer ads? Register today!

New Habitat Set Up

Wysper

New member
Joined
Jun 29, 2016
Messages
197
Reaction score
5
Location
Wilson, NC
I have a few silly type questions about Axie habitats. I'm more used to fish, so this is all an experience for me.


I want to do a sand substrate, since the tank I have is on a stand with no bottom under the tank (20g long standard metal stand), I feel the clearness and visibility to the floor would be troublesome (for me if not the axie!)

My question is, would pool filter (silica) sand be OK, or would it be best to stick with aquarium substrate sand?

Also, the feeding bowls I have seen, are those just standard reptile feeding type bowls?

Can Juvies eat the frozen bloodworms or brine shrimp? I have never done live BBS or any live food.

I have a ton more questions floating in my head, I just can't seem to get them typed out. lol
 

MarieKarma1311

New member
Joined
Jun 12, 2016
Messages
164
Reaction score
6
Location
Ellensburg, Washington
Hello and welcome to the wonderful world of axolotls. feel free to ask as many questions as you need, or you can go searching through the forums as most people have asked the same question before. :happy:

Personally I would stick with aquarium sand, it is more uniform in size and has been made safe for aquatic animals. to me it just seems safer altogether for the animal.

The feeding dishes you have seen in peoples tanks more often than not are in fact terrarium or reptile bowels. If you plan on using one just make sure that it doesn't have any paint that will flake off, you can do this by soaking the bowel you plan to use in a tub of water for a few days. I personally don't have a feeding dish in my tank and I haven't experienced any problems with it thus far.

I would highly recommend feeding young juveniles frozen blood worms, if they have developed their legs then they are large enough to eat the blood worms. I don't have any experience with brine shrimp, but the best foods that you can feed an axolotl are earthworms.

Earthworms provide all of the essential nutrients for the axolotl to grow healthily and thrive, where as every other food is lacking in one aspect or another for what an axolotl requires. It is recommended that you feed an axolotl a varied diet to keep them healthy, I feed mine a mixture of live earth worms, frozen blood worms, and on occasion live feeder guppies that I breed myself. You can find live earth worms in pet stores, or bait shops. I began introducing earth worms to my axolotls when they were in-between 4 and 5 inches in length.
 

MarieKarma1311

New member
Joined
Jun 12, 2016
Messages
164
Reaction score
6
Location
Ellensburg, Washington
Hello and welcome to the wonderful world of axolotls. feel free to ask as many questions as you need, or you can go searching through the forums as most people have asked the same question before. :happy:

Personally I would stick with aquarium sand, it is more uniform in size and has been made safe for aquatic animals. to me it just seems safer altogether for the animal.

The feeding dishes you have seen in peoples tanks more often than not are in fact terrarium or reptile bowels. If you plan on using one just make sure that it doesn't have any paint that will flake off, you can do this by soaking the bowel you plan to use in a tub of water for a few days. I personally don't have a feeding dish in my tank and I haven't experienced any problems with it thus far.

I would highly recommend feeding young juveniles frozen blood worms, if they have developed their legs then they are large enough to eat the blood worms. I don't have any experience with brine shrimp, but the best foods that you can feed an axolotl are earthworms.

Earthworms provide all of the essential nutrients for the axolotl to grow healthily and thrive, where as every other food is lacking in one aspect or another for what an axolotl requires. It is recommended that you feed an axolotl a varied diet to keep them healthy, I feed mine a mixture of live earth worms, frozen blood worms, and on occasion live feeder guppies that I breed myself. You can find live earth worms in pet stores, or bait shops. I began introducing earth worms to my axolotls when they were in-between 4 and 5 inches in length.


My auto correct made the terrible mistake of spelling bowls as bowels , I apologize!
 

MarieKarma1311

New member
Joined
Jun 12, 2016
Messages
164
Reaction score
6
Location
Ellensburg, Washington
Oh goodness, haha that would be quite terrible. Auto correct can be quite cruel at times.:eek:

Are there any other things that you are wondering about axolotls, their set ups, and other requirements?
 

Wysper

New member
Joined
Jun 29, 2016
Messages
197
Reaction score
5
Location
Wilson, NC
I got the National Geographic White "sand" substrate. It's not actually sand, instead it looks and feels more like finely crushed pebble, though the size is about the same as pool filter silica sand.

My main concern will be figuring out what and how to feed them. Used to fish so far, drop it in and go. lol

Also set up a sponge filter instead of a normal HOB filter, to help keep the water flow light. There is bubbling at the top of the tank, but the plants I have in there now aren't moving hardly at all, which I know is a good sign.

I'm going to go with fake plants for now (never had luck with real one's yet), especially since the tank won't be lighted all the time, and it's in my bedroom. Hubby likes the bedroom to stay about 65 degrees so the water temp should be just perfect with a small fan blowing over the top of the tank.

I don't have a lid for it yet, so my next question (after seeing some other posts) is how well do axies jump? I have the water level about 3" below the tank rim. Should that be sufficient for juvies till I can get a lid for the tank?
 

Wysper

New member
Joined
Jun 29, 2016
Messages
197
Reaction score
5
Location
Wilson, NC
Also.... is ich a problem with axies? I've dealt with it in my fish tanks before (not a big deal and something everyone goes through at some point or another) but I'm wondering if it affects them at all?
 

MarieKarma1311

New member
Joined
Jun 12, 2016
Messages
164
Reaction score
6
Location
Ellensburg, Washington
feeding axolotls certainty is different than feeding fish, however once you get accustom to it, it can be quite simple. First off, the age and size of your axolotl determines how often you should be feeding them.

A baby axolotl ( 1- 3.5 inches ) should be fed twice a day. A Juvenile ( 4 - 6.5 inches ) should be fed every day or every other day, and an adult ( full grown, each adult varies in size ) can be fed every other day or every 3 days. Remember that an axolotls body should be about as thick as their head when feeding.

There are quite a few different kinds of foods to feed axolotls, and different methods of feeding them. Here are the most common food types and easiest ways to deliver the food.

Frozen Blood Worms
If you plan on using a feeding bowl for your tank, you simply thaw out blood worms using some tank water in a separate container, once the worms are thawed out suck them up using a turkey baster, and place them into the feeding dish at the bottom of your tank. Collect left overs after your axolotl is finished eating so that the food doesn't fowl the water.

Live Earth Worms
When feeding earth worms you need to make sure that the size of the worm isn't to big for your axolotl, if necessary you can cut the worm in half or even into quarters using a pair of scissors. You can then drop the worm directly in front of your axolotl, or you can use a pair of tongs to hold the worm in front of your axolotls face until it eats.

Live Feeder Fish
If you choose to use feeder fish as a part of your axolotls diet you will need to take into consideration the hunting skill of your axie. If your axolotl is active and fast, he may be able to catch live feeder fish that you place in the tank. If your axolotl is more docile however and cant catch the fish you may use a pair of tongs to place the fish in front of the axolotl like with a worm.

Sinking pellets
Some people choose to feed their axolotls sinking pellets, if you take that food route you would simply place the pellets into the feeding dish.

Regarding how well axolotls can jump, you would be surprised. Axolotls have a lot of power when they want it and I have personally watched mine jump to the lid of my tank ( 5 inches above water level ) an axolotl could easily jump out of your tank if it does not have a lid. I would highly recommend finding some kind of cover for your tank before you place your axolotl in his new home. You can use a screen of some sort, or look around your house for some object that is approximately the same size as your tank to cover the top without blocking air flow. Better safe than sorry!

Your tank temperature should be just fine and if you become concerned about water flow you can always add something to block the outflow. In my tank I use bath loofahs on the outflow, they are extremely effective and I have no water movement. my axolotls also enjoy climbing onto them. Its a cheap and quick solution that works quite effectively. :wink:

Lastly, I have no experience with ich. I have kept tropical fish tanks for the last 10 years without experiencing ich, I have had betta fish, and now axolotls and have never run into the problem. That is something you might want to research on your own or wait for a more experienced owner to tell you more about.
 

tipnatee

New member
Joined
Jan 3, 2014
Messages
350
Reaction score
2
Location
Astoria, New York
Also.... is ich a problem with axies? I've dealt with it in my fish tanks before (not a big deal and something everyone goes through at some point or another) but I'm wondering if it affects them at all?

Yes ich ( or ick) is a deadly problem to axie . Once axie start spotting the best as the easiest solution is Salt Bath . Regular table salt with axie in a bucket full of cold fresh water for a few minutes, next remove axie to another fresh water container then put him in the fridge overnight . Repeat the same things tomorrow just to be save. That's all there is to it. But if you don't act fast enough or caught it on time , axie will die and soon .
 
General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
    There are no messages in the chat. Be the first one to say Hi!
    Top