Several big questions

[fred]

1. How long do axies live?
2. How much space do they require? (I can pick up a 30 gallon long tank for about $85)
3. Can 2 males be stored together without fights??
4. What type of filters are recommended? (links if at all possible)
5. Can live plants be planted in an axie tank if they have the same requirements as an axie?
http://www.plantedtank.net/plantprofiles/17/
The plant linked to above has requirements that put the plant healthy and happy in an axie tank...

 

[claire]

Hello Fred. Welcome to the forum. Axies can live until around the age of 12/15. But they can live anything below that too. 24 is the oldest axie on record.
Im not sure about space but i keep 2 axies that are 9" in a 2 foot tank. But i think this would be the minimum for axies this size.
Any sex can be housed with any sex. They dont seem to fight because of sex of the other animal.
i dont have a clue about filters as i dont have one.
not quite sure about plants either. i only have fake ones.

 

[fred]

2 foot tank? What demensions (sp?) is that exactly?

 

[claire]

What is sp? the tank i keep mine in is 2ft x 1ft x 1ft 1ft = 12 inches = 30cm . sorry i cant give this in gallons, dont know how to work that out.

 

[fred]

(sp?) means spelling as in I dunno how to spell it. Thanks allot for the info claire!

 

[cynthia]

Claire - Here is an aquarium calculator that works pretty good.

http://www.drhelm.com/aquarium/areajava.html

 

[cynthia]

Fred - A lot of your questions can be answered by reading here http://www.axolotl.org/housing.htm
and here http://www.indiana.edu/~axolotl/axolotls/faq2.html
There are also some articles here that can be applied to axolotls http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/articles.shtml
And of course you can skim the forum thread topics for lots of info too.

As far as recommending a filter; remember that axolotls can not be in strong current. I use an external fluval 204 on a 40 gallon tank. I have the output baffled with a large Rx bottle drilled full of holes. You can view this filter here http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=22041;category_id=2969

Axolotls can be kept in planted tanks, but remember they do not like bright lights and lights add heat to the tank. The axolotls needs should come before the needs of the plants.

Keeping a floating layer of plants above them or lots of dark places to hide in the tank will keep them fairly happy.
There are some nice plants that grow well in low lighting: java fern, java moss, some cryptocoryns, anubis ( I am partial to anubis nana) and others.

 

[fred]

Cynthia, I selected that plant from everything I new about axolotls at the time. The plant requires this
low light (perfect for an axie tank)
Ph of 5.0-8.0 (axolotls like a ph 6.5-8.0 right?)
temp of 19-30 celcius (axolotls like 14-20 celcius right?)
as an added bonus it uses nitrates to grow, which is let off from the bacteria that axies need right?
So far as I know this plant is great for them right?
I have already read the axolotl.org site (took me a couple hours last night) and I forgot about the tank demensions part...

Thanks for the links!

(Message edited by sks_madman on June 24, 2005)

 

[cynthia]

Fred - Anacharis is a good plant. And it never hurts to try a plant and see what happens. I have grown it in low light before and it did pretty well.

All aquarium plants use the nitrates to some extent. Yes, that is the span of ph and temp labeled as "axolotl friendly".

I would suggested you set up your tank and cycle it before you buy an axolotl. This will give you time to experiment with the anacharis and any other plants you may find.

Let us know how things go.

 

[fred]

Right now it looks as if I might not be able to do it (parents) But if I get a decide to or get a chance to you guys will be first to know!