Only had it 2 days and im worried!!!!!!!!!!!

B

ben

Guest
I just bought a yellow axie, tank size is reasonably large, with air filter and water filter thingys, under gravel thing...

its tail is almost all white, behind its gills it looks like the stuff ona dead fish where it changed to that light greeny sort of colour, sorta glows... u cant see through the tail at all, its all white with the yellwo tail on the inside..... what the hell is wrong?
 
I also dont understand this cycling thing!!!!! the pet shop person told me to fill the tank, put the de chlorinator in, add all the stuff, and then add the axie.... im ruddy confused
 
It sounds normal to me. If you have a large enough tank it should be able to take the ammonia load and cycle with the axolotl in it. Im not sure what air filter and water filter thingys are but good low flow biological filtration and cool water are important.
 
Go to http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/cyclingEDK.shtml

You can cycle with your axie in the tank but you will need to test the water every day or two and do 20-30% water changes regularly to keep the levels within a safe range.

I assume as you have an undergravel filter that you have gravel on the bottom of your tank. Both those things are not a very good idea. Axies can swallow gravel and cause blockages that make them sick and I have heard many times on this site that undergravel filters are hard to work with and get gunk caught under them. Good alternative substrates are sand, nothing, slate slabs, or very large pebbles.

Could you post a pic of you axie? It might help people to identify what u r talking about.

Cycling refers to the nitrogen cycle. Axies produce ammonia as waste. The first stage of the cycle is the growth of bacteria in your filter and on surfaces that breaks down the ammonia into nitrite. The second stage is the growth of a second lot of bacteria to break down the nitrite into nitrate. If the tank isnt cycled you could get a build up of ammonia which will kill your axie.

If you are going to cycle with your axie in the tank then you will need test kits for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate ASAP! If you cant get them right now, either take a water sample to your local pet/aquarium store for testing every day or two and write down the numbers for those 3. The alternative is to put your axie into a tub with dechlorinated water and change the water every day or two till your tank is cycled.

When the tank is cycled, levels should be as follows: ammonia - 0, nitrite - 0, nitrate - 20 or below.

What type of filters do u have btw? How big is you tank?

Good luck!
 
http://www.geocities.com/mrhat60/IMG_2396.jpg

Thats my axie. Ill get the kits ASAP, today!

Ive noticed some very funy behavior in him too..

he will stare at the glass for any given period of time, and then he will bolt to the other corner, sometimes bashing into the side of the tank, and he will hide behind the plastic grass things, and then come back out, stare at the glass, and repeat....... must be chasing his reflection lol...
 
I seriously dont understand this cycling stuff, ive bought a master kit off a website, will be here in a few days, but i dont know what to do with it!!!!!!!!!! my Ph level is neutral in the tank though.
 
The master test kit is to test the tank. You should, I hope, be able to understand it once you get the kit.

When you test the water, you use each test tube to take a sample of tank water (think there's 4 or 5 in the kit). Add amonia drops to one test tube of tankwater, nitrite drops to the 2nd, and nitrate drops to the 3rd. Follow the instructions included and you should see a result hopefully of some sort/colour change to each or at least 1 or 2 test tubes. As your tank cycles, you should see a progression of some sort thru regular testing. This will also let you know when your tank is cycled. (can take between 4-8weeks to cycle)

Another thing, don't use any ph up or ph down chemicals in your tank. At this stage testing for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate are more important.

BTW how big is your tank, and how big is your axie (approx.).
 
length is 18inches
depth is 14 inches
width is 10 inches..


in the last few hours the tank has gone milky.. as if somone has put milk into the tank. ive read this could be the stones on the bottom... what else? ive done a water change but it comes back
 
This sometimes happens with a new tank cycling, I've seen it with 2 of our tanks when they first started cycling and they have sand in. How much of a waterchange did you do? Until your test kit arrives, take a sample of the tankwater tomorrow, if you're able to the petshop and ask them to test it for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate. Get the figures/keep a record of it. If ammonia levels (which is likely) and/or nitrite are getting high, then do another waterchange (not complete maybe just 10-20%).
 
I do a 50% water change every day, ill get to a petshop tomorrow as im at work at the moment. how many mL do they need of water to test? do i need to use a sterilised container?
 
B4 I got our kit, I just filled an old vegemite jar, small one with tankwater (my jars aren't washed with detergent. I wash them out with water and baking soda and then rinse with water).
 
Ok neat.. i still dont understand the cycling thing.... is it to grow bacteria to control the ammonia or kill bacteria that creates ammonia.. i dont get it
 
Is that all I have to do, keep changing the water until the ammonia and nitrite levels stay low?
 
When a tank is cycled, it has a healthy growth of good bacteria. The cycling process is the process of getting these good bacteria established.

Basically, yes, do whatever water changes you need to keep the ammonia and nitrite low. Once the tank is cycled, they should stay at zero because the good bacteria "eat" ammonia and nitrite.
 
ok, so is there anything i can add to the tank to make the bacteria grow quicker? do i need to take axie out?
 
It does have eyes. It's a golden albino. Would love to have one of those but they are expensive to buy in Nz and only 2 breeders who will not ship.

(Message edited by kapo on October 12, 2006)
 
Oh my god are you serious, I went into a market looking for Combos (snack food) in perth... when i came across the little thing... I said i wanted one, but i need a tank, the guy said ther eis a tank there set up, filters stones small shrubbery for $100AUD If you want i will throw in one for free. I said ok I want the yellow one (favourite colour). Are they a spontaneous creation or does 1 have to be yellow and 1 white albino to create a yellow albino? im fascinated.. I thought it was deformed LOL. ITs bloody overactive too. traces ya finger across the tank and let you stroke it if u put ur finger in the glass. i thought it would be just like an overgrown goldfish, how mistaken i was!!!
 
Yes, I'm serious. If you look in the gallery part you will see quite a few variations/colour types of axies. We mainly have the dark/greyish wildtype and leucistic. The albinos (gold and white) are rare as the few breeders won't ship them so they range in price for $50+ for an axie baby. Australia seems to have more colour variation on wildtype colours than we do, especially in olive, golden coloured, pale browns etc. (light coloured wildtypes).

Check out for more info on colour genetics: www.axolotl.org/genetics.htm

Try not to handle it too much unless you have to as we can damage their slimecoat and skin.
 
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