Starting Up Questions

your only real major issue is obtaining a suitable sized tank. use the time before you get your first axie to do some research and reading up about axies and their requirements, and remember to ask lots of questions here!
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I think once I get a tank most of my questions will be answerable (most of my other questions relate to cycling, filters and other tank water related stuff)
It's times like this I'm glad I have a good memory for animal related things (If you asked me where I left my glasses five minutes ago I wouldn't have a clue)
 
I have new questions, if I can remember what they are ( my cold is preventing my brain from working properly D: )

Is their any pros and cons of a glass tank vs a plastic one?
I mean with like heat loss and stuff.
Or is there no difference?

What are the signs of a healthy axie?
I know they regenerate tissues, but how can you tell who's healthy to begin with.
 
do you mean acrylic? Acrylic is much less likely to leak, but also scratches if you breathe on it. It's also much lighter, which is nice when you get those big tanks. Glass is much heavier, but less likely to scratch.
 
acrilic are lighter and genrally stronger but mre exspensive than glass
 
yea i've heard of acrylic bowing, but thats usually if the tank is off balance. I've always heard that if your acrylic bows the seal in a glass tank would have busted
 
do you mean acrylic?
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Probably. I'm not so good with the this is this, and that is that of the aquarium word.
Animals I'm good with, knowing the names of materials and equipment I'm not so good with.

New Questions!
(I'm full of them aren't I)

What type of plants do you have in your aquarium if you have them?

Also if you have artificial ones what type of artificial ones are they?
I know axies have sensitive skin so i wouldn't want it to get to close to something that could potentially hurt it.

Can axies get caught on internal filters?

How much sand do you all put at the bottom of your tanks?
I'd rather avoid creating a toxic ooze bog of sand in the bottom of my tank.

How do you add an axie to an aquarium?
Is it much like adding a fish? (eg: float it in the bag and then release)

I've just found out that both prime (water conditioner) and axies (if they have them) are on sale at a nearish petshop chain- I think it's meant to be.
 
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I cant remember what plants I have in my axie tanks, I will tell you once I remember or do some reashurch. safe artificial plants are ones for fish. if you use anything else not ment for aqautic animals then check they don't have any perfume or are made or have traces of havy metals such as copper but led or stainless steel are ok but its safer to avoid metals not that I know why metals would be in fake plants:confused:

What do you meen by geting trapped by the filter I sopose they could bump against it if it has edges but I don't think it will be a huge issue. or do you meen trapped behind it, they shouldn't be able to get behind the filter though if there adults and the filter is atached propaly.

I never floated my axies because they came in a bucket with a cealable lid, so I just added my axies with the water. I have heard that it is bad to float fish tropical cold or marine (I normaly float fish) and that you should over a period of 30-60 minutes remove the water from the bag/container/bucket and add water from the tank (don't add water from bag/container/bucket to tank) every 10-15minutes remove a quarter of the bag/container/bucket's water and add a quarter of the tank water till you've taken out and added all 4 quaters of water.

If you have any more qustions feel free to ask.
Sam:happy:
 
Haha Jossie.. here here to cute little curious kittens.. I have a 5 month old cutie called Merlin. In the 3 months I've had him, he's already caught 11 mice, a cricket, a yabby (though he didn't kill it, it had good defences) and various spiders, flies and butterflies.. I shudder to think what he'd do to my cute little axies if I didn't have an epic cat-proof pine lid. They can jump on it all they want, and never get in.. :)
 
Mine only brings in butterflies and those tiny little skinks that inhabit gardens.
But water doesn't really bother her- like she'll try to drink out of the bath/jump into the bath while you're in it XD

My last cat used to bring everything in.
He used to bring pigeons in sometimes :/
 
Another bunch of questions!
What do you do if you get an axie without having a cycled tank?
Do you do at least 20% water changes daily?
And what about without a filter?
I have this feeling that if I go to get supplies and they have gorgeous axies I won't be able to resist.

What kinds of filters do you guys have?
I still don't understand how to read the boxes on those suckers, and it confuses me what I should be looking for. I'd ask the people at the petstore near my uni but I'm not sure they'd point me in the right direction (although I did hear them refusing to sell fish to someone because she had no idea where her tank was the other day)

I shall hit the hay now, I've been walking around on roughly two hours sleep.
 
If you have an uncycled tank without a flter it will be very hard for the tank to cycle without filter media for the benaficial bacteria to grow on and yes you would have to do large water changes. Filter recomondations, depends how much you have to spend, if you have a bit to spend get a external powerfilter conected to a chiller with a spray bar, if you havea bit less get a internal filter (I use one), if you have less money to spend buy a sponge filter with a air pump they are good(they don't produce much if any current and have high biological filtration) if you have even less get a air pump with a air stone and if you are a bit of a miser with lots of spare time you can do daily water changes. If you have anymore questions feel fee to ask.
Sam:happy:
 
I'll be getting a filter no matter what.
I don't think I could deal with the thought of not having one.
Unfortunately I'm not a miser, and also a bit lazy.

My question was more directed at what I should look for in the functions of a filter that would be appropriate (eg: good for a 20L tank), but your answer was still helpful Sam C:

How much water should be changed out of a tank that has been uncyled with an axie in it?
Percentage wise that is.
I know it's a bit risky to do so (just so you guys know that I know), and understand why it's neccesary

How big in width and length should hides be?
 
When choosing a filter for a axie, one must keep in mind that axies don't like water movement. And in saying this, I'm a huge fan of the basic air powered sponge filter. They take a while to get established, but couple them with regular water changes and monitoring of the water qualiy, and they work a treat. The also don't add any heat to the water like a power filter would.

If your tank and budget is large, canister filters are a fantastic, they are very low maintenance, and provide powerful biological filtration as the sponge filter would. I have a aqua one canister filter running on a 6ft tank and it's been going for years, and it gets cleaned only when the flow starts to diminish, so every couple of months. As for choosing a filter size, you want one that turns over the entire volume of your tank about 3 times per hour. So if your tank is 100L, you want a filter that is rated for 300L per hour. The box will state what size tank the filter is recommended for.

My axie setup is a unusual one, I home a single female axie in a 95L / about 25G "aquapro" tank that has a built in trickle filter in the hood. The top of the filter box is open, and I grow peace lilies right in the filter box itself. The plants suck up all the nasties my axie excretes and I always have fantastic water qualiy. If you like, I'll upload some pics of my setup for you.

As for hides, you want at least 2 per axie, so they can completely hide away if they wish. My axie does not use the hides I have provided much, but I leave them anyway just in case.

And if you can't resist buying a axie until your tank cycled, you can keep one in a uncycled tank, but you will need to test the water daily and monitor the chemistry and change about 30% daily. It's hard work, but although not usually recommended, it can be done.
 
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Hides should be big enough for an axie to get into + turn round ;)
I have various sizes + change them as they get outgrown. No particular height or length requirement, as long as the axie will fit inside, though I imagine them feeling more secure in hides that aren't too massive! Stale air + water gets trapped inside, in pockets, though, so it's a good idea to get something that isn't completely covered on top, or flush them out frequently.


As for the filter "you'll need a filter that will turn over the water in your tank at least 4 times an hour to achieve adequate filtration. for "normal" aquaria that house fish, 5-6 times is recommended. as axie's are not fish, and they do require less water movement and must be homed accordingly.
say if your tank holds 100L, you need a filter that is capable of moving 400L every hour. " (Quoted with thanks from ichris)

I've got Fluval U3, aimed at the side of my tank + the axies eem very happy with it. I've seen Fluvals recommended quite a bit, though extrior filters get recommended more, as they don't heat the water. I have no experience with them though, so can't comment on them.
 
Haha too slow.

I've kept a axie with a hang on the back cascade filter, I found it clogged fast. Most brands have cartridges that are disposable ones too, that means having to start a whole biological medium from scratch. They are not all that cheap to replace either in the long run, considering you'll pay about $50 for one to use with a medium sized tank.

The cartridges can be rinsed mind you, but there is only so many times you can rinse a cartridge that has carbon sealed in the middle, as most do in my experience.
 
Good news- I didn't by an axie, they only had black melanoids, which I didn't even know they had until I asked if they were getting any more in. They were hiding out and chilling in the tanks that hold plants, rather than in the one they had labelled (which made me happy, because the labeled one was absolutely covered in snails). I didn't buy one of these because my little brother might buy one in the future and has expressed interest in the 'black ones' (he probably can't [and probably never will be able to] tell wilds and melanoids apart)

Bad news- the charity shop I buy most of my furniture had no tanks at all (There's usually at least one of some shape or form, so this disappointed me)

Strangely in my area HOB filters seem to be the cheapest, but not by much. But it could've been just the store I was in.
I'm thinking about buying a tank new, because I've seen one that has what I think is a trickle filter in the hood (a friend of mine has the exact same aquarium, so I've seen it working). However they didn't have a price on the darn thing so as usual it comes down to how much it actually costs.

I understand what the filter packets now mean XD
Thank you all for being so helpful as usual!
 
Good to hear you didn't get an axie straight away, I would get a tank and filter so you can start cycling the tank befour you get the axie. Whats a HOB filter?
Sam:happy:

P.S good to hear your not a miser, im not ever, but I still find myself doing a few waterchanges a week:p. I thought as much that you where lazy:rolleyes:
 
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