What other animals can you put into an axolotl tank?

I breed cherry shrimp and pop a few in my axie tank every now and then in hopes they might do some cleaning. They seem to last maybe two days max before I never see them again, though I'm hoping once my java moss and other plants become a bit more established they might have a higher chance of survival.

Just note that any normally tropical fish or shrimp is highly unlikely to breed in an axie tank at lower temps so if you want them to be used as a food source it's pretty much essential to have them in a separate tank to breed.
My cherry shrimp also like to hunt down those little snails for tasty snacks ;)
 
Don't mix! Please! Catfish are an ABSOLUTE no. Shrimp as a snack yes, maybe feeder guppies or mollies, but anything else is a baaaad idea.
 
i keep ghost shrimp with my axies, as well as cloud minnows. i took out my snails, as a shell impacted my first axie and killed him. i put two tadpoles in my axie tank today to help with the algae on the plants, as the tadpoles are too big to be eaten by the axies, but im rethinking this plan and may move them.

edit: i took the bullfrog tadpoles out and into my old axie aquarium.
 
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danchristopher said:
I breed cherry shrimp and pop a few in my axie tank every now and then in hopes they might do some cleaning. They seem to last maybe two days max before I never see them again, though I'm hoping once my java moss and other plants become a bit more established they might have a higher chance of survival.

Just note that any normally tropical fish or shrimp is highly unlikely to breed in an axie tank at lower temps so if you want them to be used as a food source it's pretty much essential to have them in a separate tank to breed.
My cherry shrimp also like to hunt down those little snails for tasty snacks ;)
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im starting a cherry shrimp tank today actually. any suggestions?

the problem with ghost shrimp is they go, and go fast. but mine wernt eaten, they were escaping the tank and i was finding dried up shrimp on the floor near where i keep my tank. of the 20 i bought a week and a half ago, 3 are accounted for today as alive in the tank. 2 have eggs.
 
Quinny Jay said:
Where can i acquire cherry shrimp?
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youd have to go to a store that mainly specializes in fish, id think. i just set up a planted shrimp tank monday, and i got 4 shrimp. 2 cherry, 2... i have no idea. they are white with a brown strip on their back. shouldnt be too hard to find.

my suggestion, if you are up for it, is to set up a shrimp tank, have them breed (breeding shrimp is as easy as having a male and female in the same tank) and establish a population before introducing them to your axie tank. just my humble suggestion.
 
I'm not a big fan of putting other kinds of animals in the same tank as my axies.
(I didn't want those planaria things in it too, but they came without letting me know, lol)
 
Morrison said:
I'm not a big fan of putting other kinds of animals in the same tank as my axies.
(I didn't want those planaria things in it too, but they came without letting me know, lol)
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i totally understand that.

myself, i want a more natural, almost self sustaining aquarium. shrimp for food as well as cleaning, white cloud minnows to eat planaria, as well as food. plants for cover for all animals as well as water quality.

if i could, id put my clams in the tank, but im afraid one will die under in the same and mess up my water quality. but man clams sure do clean water.
 
I have mussels (think there the same or similar to clams) however mine are about 5-6cm in length and don't dig them selves too deep into the sand. majority of the shell remains above the sand.
I also keep 2-3 baby yabbies(crayfish) in the tank do a great job cleaning and provide an alt. meal occasionally. Also if they start getting to big they get chopped up and hand fed.
 
My axolotl is getting bigger by the day and wanted to reply on my previous question regarding amano shrimps. I had 3 of them, the axolotl ate 2 of them right after they molted. While they looked too big for his mouth it seems he had no problem chewing on their soft exo-scheleton. So no, you cant keep amano shrimps with axolotls.
 
Oz said:
I have mussels (think there the same or similar to clams) however mine are about 5-6cm in length and don't dig them selves too deep into the sand. majority of the shell remains above the sand.
I also keep 2-3 baby yabbies(crayfish) in the tank do a great job cleaning and provide an alt. meal occasionally. Also if they start getting to big they get chopped up and hand fed.
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In an axie tank?

Hmmm, think you are asking for trouble there.

The mussels are big sure, but if you look around the forum you will see tank mate breeding disasters and stone disasters aplenty - you would be amazed at the huge size of things they can get in their mouths but cant get out - i would not risk having them in there myself.

The yabbies, although babies, are hard crusty beasts with sharp strong nippers (which most aussie kids can attest to as most of us have had the odd finger nipped by a yabbie dam / creek side :) ) With the very very soft bodies an axie has, you are again tempting fate. A yabbie could probably simply slice straight through and axie no problem. I have no expertise in yabbies at all, and i have no idea how big a baby yabbie is, but again, why would you risk it?

Anyways, your choice

Bren
 
Also, please don't put plecos or snails in with your axies. Their slime coat is very tempting to these suckers, and while an axie won't put up with it while awake, there have been cases where a pleco attaches itself while an axie is sleeping.

The damage done from them sucking on their skin can literally make their skin fall off. There have been posts on here with rathe disturbing pictures of axies suffering from this!

http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-be...f58-sick-axolotl/76024-very-very-worried.html

http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-be...um/f58-sick-axolotl/77430-sick-axolotl-4.html

Edit: I know you're asking about cleaners, but I breed guppies as snacks for my axies.
 
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