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Tankmates for axolotls?

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pawziclawzi

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so, I'm fairly new to this site. I've had my axolotl for about a year now and he is in a nice large tank all by himself. His tank is about 20 gallons and is 30'' x 12'' x 12'' and he is about 8 inches long. Are there any possible critters that I could put in the tank with him, such as fish? I'm not really even sure what kind of fish they would be..small ones possibly?

well, If anyone has any kind of tips for this kind of thing, or even suggestions--that would be great. Thanks ahead of time.
 
The short answer is no.

Basically because the axolotl is a predator, it will try to eat anything that swims or wiggles across its path. You can keep fish in the same tank as an axolotl, however you'll have to accept that one day that fish may be eaten.

If you still want to go ahead with it, as for species, since axolotls are coldwater, it wipes out a lot of possibilities. I would NOT pick a goldfish, as the outcome will either be that the axolotl chews its flowing fins, or the goldfish chews the axolotl's feathery gills. I'm assuming that it'll be the same case with a koi (also the koi will eventually outgrow your tank). If you have sand as your substrate, then you could get a weather loach. Although, to be honest, because it's a burrowing species, you probably won't see much of it, and the axolotl will most likely view it as a big, wiggly worm. Which leaves the white mountain cloud minnow, which is the one coldwater species I'd recommend the most. It's little, fast, relatively inexpensive, and for the most part it'll leave the axolotl alone. It's just that if the axolotl catches one, then it will eat it. It's a schooling fish so you'll need to get at least six or more. The only other problem is that it'll prefer a bit more of a densely planted aquarium.

Others have managed to keep feeder guppies in with an axolotl. Personally I'm not sure how well a guppy would adapt to coldwater conditions, so someone else would have to fill you in on that.
 
In my axolotl tank I keep guppies and platies. Guppies are fine in cold water. They do not nip the axolotls. They are intended as feeder fish (although my axoltols have not yet figured out how to catch them).

I also have various types of snails, which help keep the tank clean, serve as the occasional snack, and add a bit of color to the aquarium.

-Eva
 
I'm surprised your fish are still alive Eva. I popped 3 platies in with my axolotls 2 weeks ago. The following morning they were gone....midnight snack.
 
I also have guppies as feeder fish for my axolotls. I have six babies in there at the moment, they've been there over a week and are quite happy! The axolotls have not managed to catch them to eat yet! The axies are hand fed worms every day, so I think they just want the easy option of food, not having to hunt for it! Gives me something to look at when the axies are hiding! Oh, by the way I read on a guppy site recently that guppies can stand temperatures between 60 to 90 degrees, so they're pretty hardy in that respect. Kerry.
 
Indeed - I suspect my axolotls are just lazy (or maybe stupid? See picture here: http://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=54792). As they get worms etc. without working for it, they seem to be ignoring the fish. I went four days without feeding them in the hope of thinning out the guppies, but still no go. It may also be that the tank is big enough that the fish are able to excape. I do hope the lotls figure it out soon, though. Guppies are, as their reputation goes, "prolific breeders".

-Eva
 
Hey Eva, what kind of snails do you have in your tank? With having such a large tank I was thinking of putting guppies in mine as well but as you said they are prolific breders and I would have 55 gallons of little guppies in no time LOL So maybe snails would be a better options for me.
 
I bought ramshorn snails and yellow apple snails but also got some trumpet snails and bladder snails by accident (they caught a ride with some plants). Some of these seem to be prolific breeders, too, but the new snails never last very long in the tank (slurp!).

-Eva
 
I have guppies in with mine and mystery snails . The snails are big enough so he can't really eat them. I like the guppies because they do breed but in colder water they slow down so your tank won't be loaded with them.
 
With me I have not had a problem. I have had fish tanks all my life. So I know what to watch for and how to care for them. I think a good filter is a must.
 
What do you consider the minim. snail size to have with adult axolotls?
I was planing to have some appel snail because they look great and colerfull.
 
Do Axolotls get lonely? My axie is nearly 8 years old now and has always lived on his own (apart from once living in a tank beside a goldfish tank). He's always seemed too cranky to have tankmate and has seemed happy enough to tease the cat when she walks passed.

So what's the general consensus? Do axies need a tankmate? or are they generally OK on their own?

B
 
Hi Brocky,

Axolotls do not get lonely. They live well enough alone, or in the company of other axolotls (providing there is enough space and hides for more than one, so they can spend 'time out' from one another if needed).
 
Hi, I keep a few Danios in with my Axolotl as feeder fish. There are always a few that tend to outsmart him and they do make the tank look a little more active. I've also recently added Cherry Shrimp to the tank, they are cool to watch and give everything a good cleaning. They are also very easy to breed. A few have ended up as food but my Axolotl tends to ignore them.
 
Danios need warmer water than axolotls, by housing them together you are compromising the requirements of both, or at least one of them, which obviously is far from ideal.

Cherry shrimp (Neocaridina heteropoda) are good tankmates. They are harmless, excelent cleaners and beautiful. They are very fast and most caudates can´t catch them at all, so numbers may explode, though.
 
I have some feeder shrimp which are to quick for my axolotl and are now pets (but I don't mind if one goes basically). They have not bred from what I have seen and are doing a good job at cleaning the tank I must say!
I recently bought some guppies and to be frank I think in the 83 days I've owned Sunny (Yes, I did count haha), I have seen him leave the ground around 5 times, so I doubt the guppies will be eaten and they will become more like pets but If I have babies I intend to keep a few each batch and if It gets to much sell the babies and sacrifice the females (do males live together peacefully?).
I am interested in snails as well but will look into those links =] I've seen some apple snails that I highly doubt, even when Sunny is full grown, he could eat. I don't think he'd see them moving either.
 
Hi,

I´m breeding Cherry shrimps in a separate tank for feeding my axies. Whenever I put some shrimps into the axie-tank, my axies become wild monsters and they go hunting them like never been fed before.:D
On the next morning all shrimps are gone.

-Tina-
 
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