Emdah
New member
Hi, a new axolotl owner here so bear with me.
long , partner got me the tank as suprise and said she bought me something to put in it as well. After a suprise call, 2 days after getting the tank, we had to go and pick up Baxter ( albino axolotl) because the seller was being weird and insisted we get him, so we went and got him.
Here is where the issues lie:
1: due to the pandemic and lockdown here, we had to go to a pet store about 1 hour away also was sunday so many places closed, while there, an employee asked us what it was for and hearing the situation, he said well we can give u a piece of our used fresh water filter, that might help. Me being a fool said yes! Great. This must be the seeded filter thingy that would speed things up with the cycle. Then off home with a big chunk of a spongy filter thing in a plastic bag, for an hour. Mind you it was heavy,with water in the sponge.
On the day of getting Baxter i used Esha aqua quick test to read water parameters.
0 amonia
0 nitres
~ between 25-50 nitrates.
water conditoned and fluval bio enhancer in.
I thought this will work. I had no other choice.
I get home put him in after acclimating him.
Next day i get the master fish test delivered and try it.
0 for amonia and nitrates
60-80 for nitrates.
Ph: 7.8-8.0
I panic. Way too high. Water change ca 20-30 procent.
On my way to work i see a tropical fish store open, i go in and explain. Owner seems to know his stuff, says filter is not seeded but to leave it for now, says use the prime and fluval. Gives me an anubus and other plant. Tells me to keep it bare bottom. Suggests i use spring bottled water with lower ph and nitrates the better.
is now friday. My parameters keep going to the above mentioned numbers. I have done daily water changes from between 30-50% with bottles water.
am i being too inpatient?
could it be the old sponge filter?
should i cut it in half and insert the original filter that came with ny tetra starterline 5 as too not loose any beneficial bacteria that may have arisen?
Gonna wash out the filter in tank water today to see if it helps.
Any advise?
Baxter seems to be doing fine but im not sure nitrate poisoning would have any signs.
feeding him : axolotl junior pellets and frosen blood worms. Temp is at 16.
i am currently waiting for the tapwater to sit out 24h before testing it. The tropical fish guy said that it was fine because 50ppm is the highest is allowed in UK and the water is fine too because “ axolotl usually live in a pond mate, they can handle it a little higher like yours”
im super worried.
thanks in advance.
p.s Baxter is about 20cm long
long , partner got me the tank as suprise and said she bought me something to put in it as well. After a suprise call, 2 days after getting the tank, we had to go and pick up Baxter ( albino axolotl) because the seller was being weird and insisted we get him, so we went and got him.
Here is where the issues lie:
1: due to the pandemic and lockdown here, we had to go to a pet store about 1 hour away also was sunday so many places closed, while there, an employee asked us what it was for and hearing the situation, he said well we can give u a piece of our used fresh water filter, that might help. Me being a fool said yes! Great. This must be the seeded filter thingy that would speed things up with the cycle. Then off home with a big chunk of a spongy filter thing in a plastic bag, for an hour. Mind you it was heavy,with water in the sponge.
On the day of getting Baxter i used Esha aqua quick test to read water parameters.
0 amonia
0 nitres
~ between 25-50 nitrates.
water conditoned and fluval bio enhancer in.
I thought this will work. I had no other choice.
I get home put him in after acclimating him.
Next day i get the master fish test delivered and try it.
0 for amonia and nitrates
60-80 for nitrates.
Ph: 7.8-8.0
I panic. Way too high. Water change ca 20-30 procent.
On my way to work i see a tropical fish store open, i go in and explain. Owner seems to know his stuff, says filter is not seeded but to leave it for now, says use the prime and fluval. Gives me an anubus and other plant. Tells me to keep it bare bottom. Suggests i use spring bottled water with lower ph and nitrates the better.
is now friday. My parameters keep going to the above mentioned numbers. I have done daily water changes from between 30-50% with bottles water.
am i being too inpatient?
could it be the old sponge filter?
should i cut it in half and insert the original filter that came with ny tetra starterline 5 as too not loose any beneficial bacteria that may have arisen?
Gonna wash out the filter in tank water today to see if it helps.
Any advise?
Baxter seems to be doing fine but im not sure nitrate poisoning would have any signs.
feeding him : axolotl junior pellets and frosen blood worms. Temp is at 16.
i am currently waiting for the tapwater to sit out 24h before testing it. The tropical fish guy said that it was fine because 50ppm is the highest is allowed in UK and the water is fine too because “ axolotl usually live in a pond mate, they can handle it a little higher like yours”
im super worried.
thanks in advance.
p.s Baxter is about 20cm long
.