Question about other aquarium critters

[antimonycarver]

Hi all, I'd really love to get a pet axolotl in the future when I am more financially and mentally able to, when I get my dream job to support myself.
For now, I have been researching axolotl care, and the cycling definitely is daunting. I'm afraid of harming an axolotl I may get because of my inexperience with tank critters. Do any of you have suggestions on other kinds of aquatic critters, like fish and shrimps, that may be better for me to take care of first, so that I can learn all about water cycling and taking care of aquarium creatures in general? I did read that axolotls are supposedly low maintenance, but I was a bit overwhelmed reading about the specifics of the nitrate/nitrite/ammonia cycling. I just want to hear feedback on other easy creatures I could own first, to prepare myself to getting an axolotl in the future. I am aware that you can't really keep other critters in the same tank as the axolotl.
Thank you for reading

 

[Herpin Man]

I think that fish keeping is an excellent prelude to keeping aquatic amphibians. As you have said, it will get you comfortable with cycling, managing filtration, temperature, water changes, etc.
I'm not much of a fish keeper, but I have kept a few successfully. My suggestion is that you get yourself a modest size aquarium, 20 or 30 gallons or so, and set it up. I'm sure that you've read about some of the different cycling methods. When starting from scratch, I do the "fish in" cycle with a few zebra danios, or similar hardy fish. Get a test kit, monitor the parameters, and add more fish when the cycle is complete.
Later, when you are ready to set up an axolotl tank, you can jump start the cycle by taking some gravel or a filter pad out of your cycled fish tank, and placing it in the axolotl tank to introduce bacteria.
Don't let the process intimidate you. A little research, patience, and common sense is all it really takes.

 

[antimonycarver]

I think that fish keeping is an excellent prelude to keeping aquatic amphibians. As you have said, it will get you comfortable with cycling, managing filtration, temperature, water changes, etc.
I'm not much of a fish keeper, but I have kept a few successfully. My suggestion is that you get yourself a modest size aquarium, 20 or 30 gallons or so, and set it up. I'm sure that you've read about some of the different cycling methods. When starting from scratch, I do the "fish in" cycle with a few zebra danios, or similar hardy fish. Get a test kit, monitor the parameters, and add more fish when the cycle is complete.
Later, when you are ready to set up an axolotl tank, you can jump start the cycle by taking some gravel or a filter pad out of your cycled fish tank, and placing it in the axolotl tank to introduce bacteria.
Don't let the process intimidate you. A little research, patience, and common sense is all it really takes.

Thank you, today I have spent a lot of time researching and I've decided I'll raise some shrimp, plants, and snails for a while it's simple and I'll get used to cycling. I'll move on to fish as well, probably.