Why are my axolotls desperately trying to get through the divider?

[faebugz]

I just put my axolotls together in a 30 long for the first time, with a divider in the middle since one is only 7.5" and the other is almost 12". I left the room for a moment and came back to find them both on one side sitting together (like right next to eachother, intentionally) as though it was completely normal. I freaked out and scooped the smaller one back to his side. Then I reinforced the divider.

Since then, they have been desperately trying to get to each others side. I'm confused, since I didn't think my smaller one was big enough to breed yet. I fed them both so it's not hunger.

The smaller one is a rescue from a very bad tank situation that I got three months ago or so. He's 1.5 years old, but was just over 5" when I got him. Not sure he's a him. At what point will I be able to sex him?

My other axolotl I thought was a girl but it could be a boy. I'm really not entirely sure.

 

[AMurry24537]

Axolotls grow to a variety of sizes, and though 7.5 is on the smaller side of average, it's well within normal range for an adult. His/her smallness could be due to the former conditions in which it was kept. Regardless, 1.5 years is definitely old enough to be of breeding age. If you need help sexing them, you could add pictures that show the cloaca area from the side and some top-down pictures so we can see the body shape.

 

[faebugz]

Axolotls grow to a variety of sizes, and though 7.5 is on the smaller side of average, it's well within normal range for an adult. His/her smallness could be due to the former conditions in which it was kept. Regardless, 1.5 years is definitely old enough to be of breeding age. If you need help sexing them, you could add pictures that show the cloaca area from the side and some top-down pictures so we can see the body shape.

Hmm, hopefully he grows a bit more still! When I got the larger one she was a rescue as well, and was 1.5 years old and only 5" herself. Quite the chonk now so fingers crossed the new one fills in the same

I would really appreciate your opinion on sex!

I'm pretty sure I have the genders backwards but I'm too invested in their names to reconsider at this point lol

Heres lavender, the larger one:

And here's Arthur, the newer little guy

Bonus pic of these two derps