Rainbows...

[lexie]

I was just wondering about this... I know that most people do not recommend other fish with axolotls, I know, but I have had WCMM with mine (before they all got eaten) with no issues whatsoever, and wondered if I could put a larger fish in with them...
Rainbowfish are cheap as chips, and grow to 9ish cm long, and are friendly and peaceful fish and tolerate low temperatures. I keep rainbowfish in another aquarium and they aren't nippy and I don't think they'd bother the axolotls... i thought that if I bought a few rainbows for the axolotl tank and it didn't work out then I could just move them to another tank... What do you think? Too risky? Or is it worth a try? My light wildtype is probably a lot meaner than any fish would be -I might have to remove a rainbow because of the axie being mean!

So uh, enough rambling.
Also, I've been adviced against Plecos because of their huge size and the fact that they produce a ton of waste, and also have sharp fins so if the axie happens to eat it, that's it for the axie.
What about a BN Plec? Same issues there? Or an oto? They're cute little dudes and will tolerate the temp. Hillstream loaches I know will pose some of the same issues as plecos, and Flying Foxes aren't good?

Thanks... and be openminded! Don't blast me for coming up with this idea - I'm asking here first of course! The fish will be moved immediately and watched closely for any misbehaving!!

Oh and the fish will all be quarantined appropriately so that there will be no disease transfer of course.

Lex

(Message edited by alexa on June 29, 2006)

 

[lorie]

I wouldn't do that. I put a large Bala shark in with my little axolotl b4. And although the shark was 2 times as big the axolotl grabbed its face and drowned it.

 

[jodi]

Larger fish can pick at axies gills causing them harm.
not recommended!

 

[alex]

i hear were you are comming from lexie but i think it would be stressful to the axies because they will constantly think there is food because the movement of the rainbow fish. and like the whole time they are in there the axies will be chasing them trying to eat them.

 

[lexie]

That's the thing that came to my mind today alex, lol
i stuck my hand in to feed one of them and he went insane trying to eat my hand - he wouldnt hesitate in biting rainbow. The other axie that I have is a lot more calm... I don't think she'd get very distracted by it.

Anyway, thanks for the feedback - probably won't try it!!

 

[sharn]

if you mean rainbows as in boesmani etc i wouldnt try it. rainbows are some fast fish but i thought they prefered around 25 or so? i kept mine in 27 in my community tank. i wouldnt risk them, most fish find axie gills look too much like bloodworms etc to resist a nibble lol.

BN plecos have some nasty spikes, just like the larger plecs, my boy made his previous owner bleed from his gill spikes! if a BN got eaten head first by an axie id count them both out for good

i am unsure bout hillstreams, ive got one (even though hes in temps alot warmer than he should be) and he ATTACKS my female BN!!! he goes up to her and sucks onto her, she wriggles for a bit then it gets off, then she latches onto him, its pretty scary to watch so im getting rid of him. they prefer temps around 23 or so i think so my axie tank is too cold for him.

ive read of alot of people keeping otos with discus so im not sure if they would be able to handle such low temps, are they very tolerant?

when it really comes down to it axies just arent an animal you can mix with other animals very well bar having dividers in, not because of their aggressiveness but because they most often get picked on lol! it seems that snails are pretty much the only option bar WCMM (sometimes even they will hassle axies) and even snails can cause damage

you could give it a go if you like, it might work but remember- worst case senario is you can lose your axies and the tank mates, are you willing to risk it?

 

[lexie]

Put simply - nuh. Not willing to risk it. With the aggressiveness of one of my axies, he'd gobble up anything there... the wcmm didn't last very long at all... he's a very agressive eater! he'd eat up an oto without giving it a second thought.
i think i'll just keep the dudes on their own.

a few species of rainbowfish can handle very cold temps - down to 6C i think
but i won't risk it.

 

[leanne]

Hmmmm! I've just got two plecos (one for each side of my tank - 3ft divided as I have an adult and juvenile axolotl). They're doing fine at the moment (except for the fact that the smaller one somehow got past the divider even though the top is above water level) and now they're both in with my adult male white axolotl. They don't torment him and he seems to be too slow to ever catch one of them. So I don't see any problems.

Snails on the other hand. Not good. 2 appeared randomly (as snails have a habit of doing!) in my tank. 1 went missing then I saw Hermes (my male white) eat the other! - No harm done, unless you're the snail!

But then some combinations will work and other's won't. However, I was informed smaller plecos are better as they have smaller spines and so pose less of a threat if they are eaten/caught!

I'm new by the way! Hi everyone! Just in case you want to see my axies you can go to the general (not axolotl) photo gallery and they're on there!

Thanks!

 

[leanne]

Ok no sorry forget last post (except the bit about snails!). Just had to move my plecos out because both came way too close to the jaws of death!

Sorry my mistake! (Call it beginner's naivity and belief in pet shop/aquarium owners!)

 

[sharn]

i beleive smaller plecos can do more damage than larger ones to axies. if they are able to fit in the axies mouth you can count em both pretty much dead, if its too large your risk is minimised. my bristlenose have made me bleed before and thats just with a quick flick at me, they would butcher an axie

if the axie doesnt try to eat them you run the risk of the pleco sucking onto the axie and eating its slime coat.

and dont worry leanne, many people trust LFS people, nearly all of us would have been sucked in at the start. welcome to our forum as well, hope you like it