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Axolotls are illegal in California. Please read this thread for detailed information and links to the actual laws: https://www.caudata.org/threads/axolotls-are-illegal-in-california-here-are-the-relevant-laws.30779/
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Worming Axolotls
- Thread starter PenumbraHulk
- Start date
- Joined
- May 7, 2007
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- Location
- Hatfield, England
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- England
- Display Name
- Julia
They could be bloodworms, which are larvae of midges. If it is it will do no harm to your axolotl.
kapo
New member
Looks like bloodworm to me as well. Nothing wrong with them, how large are they. Axolotls and fish love live bloodworm; but they're not true worms as Bella says they're midge (or sandfly as we know them) fly larvae. Eggs are usually laid on the surface of water. They drop to the bottom, hatch and bury themselves in any detritus (even tiny bits) and feed of it. When they hatch they are small enough (under a mm) and transparent enough not to remain unnoticed until they've consumed enough food (waste) to develop the red colour and grow. They can usually be found in roof gutterings if the leaves/water haven't been cleaned out. You can usually buy the dead bloodworm at petshops (sold as frozen bloodworm cubes).
What substrate do you have in your tank?
What substrate do you have in your tank?
PenumbraHulk
New member
I have a couple of rocks about 30 to 40 mm in size and a few plants. I also noticed my axolotl is eating far more than previously, I'm not sure if this could be because he is settling in but was worried it might be related to the worms
Would it be likely that these are bloodworms? I thought that they were more coastal and I live about 400km from the nearest coast.
Would it be likely that these are bloodworms? I thought that they were more coastal and I live about 400km from the nearest coast.
kapo
New member
Not sure what you mean by coastal. Midge/sandfly are like cousins to mosquitoes, so basically any still water they lay the eggs in (ponds, gutterings, buckets of dirty water/leaves/ etc..) They can be harvested and used to feed your axolotls.
Axolotls will eat more once they settle in and also when it is warmer.
Axolotls will eat more once they settle in and also when it is warmer.
PenumbraHulk
New member
It has been quite warm here, but inside it shouldn't be too much more than 25 degrees (air conditioner is set to 22 and he is rarely in dirrect sun light). He is about 20cm long and has been eating 2 to 4 axolotl pellets and about half a beef heart cube a day, is this a normal amount for one of this size?
kapo
New member
How long have you had him? If you've only recently bought him, did you cycle your tank - read: http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/cyclingEDK.shtml and http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/waterquality.shtml
(or how long have you had your tank setup before adding your axolotl to the tank)? And what products/chemicals have you added to the tankwater, if it is a new tank setup?
Not sure how big the beef heart cubes are, I've never seen them. But you should try and find an alternative staple food and only use beef heart as a treat or occasionally.
Feed things like frozen bloodworm cube (available from petstore) - thaw the cube before adding it to the tank (so the defrosting water doesn't foul the tank); live earthworms (if you don't have a garden, get some from a baitshop or Bunnings hardware store or similar places that sell wormfarms or compost bins - even try your local council they may be able to help you get some); garden snails, slugs or slaters (as long as they pesticides/weed killer is not used in the garden). These are better foods for your axolotl to eat.
How warm is the actual tankwater? If it goes over 23-24C you need to cool it down. Too high a temperature over time can stress your axolotl and cause him to become ill.
Adults (approx 20cm+) usually should be fed once every 2 days and during winter will eat less as they mature/grow (sometimes twice a week, once a week and may even go a week or two or more without food).
Make sure to clean up any uneaten food or waste in your tank as soon as possible.
(or how long have you had your tank setup before adding your axolotl to the tank)? And what products/chemicals have you added to the tankwater, if it is a new tank setup?
Not sure how big the beef heart cubes are, I've never seen them. But you should try and find an alternative staple food and only use beef heart as a treat or occasionally.
Feed things like frozen bloodworm cube (available from petstore) - thaw the cube before adding it to the tank (so the defrosting water doesn't foul the tank); live earthworms (if you don't have a garden, get some from a baitshop or Bunnings hardware store or similar places that sell wormfarms or compost bins - even try your local council they may be able to help you get some); garden snails, slugs or slaters (as long as they pesticides/weed killer is not used in the garden). These are better foods for your axolotl to eat.
How warm is the actual tankwater? If it goes over 23-24C you need to cool it down. Too high a temperature over time can stress your axolotl and cause him to become ill.
Adults (approx 20cm+) usually should be fed once every 2 days and during winter will eat less as they mature/grow (sometimes twice a week, once a week and may even go a week or two or more without food).
Make sure to clean up any uneaten food or waste in your tank as soon as possible.
PenumbraHulk
New member
I got him on the 22nd of December last year and he was moved into his current tank a few days after this. The amount of beef heart he is eating is about 20x10x8mm. The water at the moment is about 21 degrees and it's about that from memory when I have checked before. And on that amount of food (broken into 3 daily feeds) he usually eats it as soon as it hits the floor if not sooner.
kapo
New member
Things like beef heart aren't the healthiest thing to feed an axolotl as one of the staple foods. They can be fed bits of red meat occasionally (ie strips of liver/heart, snitzel, steak etc... as long as they all fat/tendons have been cut off and they're cut in wormlike or sliver strips). Strips of raw fish/shrimp can also be fed, but don't use feeder fish. Feeder fish would need to be quarantined for at least 30 days to ensure they're healthy, and a better idea would then be to breed from the feeder fish so you know you have a healthy food source for your axolotl.
How often do you waterchange and do you test your tankwater at all for ammonia or nitrites?
Last year as in 2007 or previous 2006?
Cut back feeding to once a day - evenings or early mornings, and try and get some alternative foods as suggested above; when it starts to cool down feed once every two days. Axolotls will try and consume whatever they're given - they're opportunistic eaters and will try and eat as much as they possibly can given the chance. Ours generally get 1-2 earthworms with a few slaters thrown in every two days at the moment; if they're lucky and I find enough live bloodworm they get some bloodworm too. Otherwise the live bloodworm is kept for our axolotl larvae.
How often do you waterchange and do you test your tankwater at all for ammonia or nitrites?
Last year as in 2007 or previous 2006?
Cut back feeding to once a day - evenings or early mornings, and try and get some alternative foods as suggested above; when it starts to cool down feed once every two days. Axolotls will try and consume whatever they're given - they're opportunistic eaters and will try and eat as much as they possibly can given the chance. Ours generally get 1-2 earthworms with a few slaters thrown in every two days at the moment; if they're lucky and I find enough live bloodworm they get some bloodworm too. Otherwise the live bloodworm is kept for our axolotl larvae.
PenumbraHulk
New member
Last year as in 2007 and I have been doing partial waterchanges every week or so but have not been testing for ammonia or nitrites. What levels should I be looking for with these?
kapo
New member
Your tank is probably in the middle of cycling, but check out the links I posted above. Cycling establishes good bacteria in an aquarium which aids in cleaning and can take anywhere from 3.5 weeks up to 10.5 weeks to establish. Addition of axolotls and them being fed and excreting starts of a cycle (the ammonia).
If you've only been doing weekly or every fortnight waterchanges while a tank is cycling your axolotls can eventually become sick from toxins that build up in the tankwater. It can take anywhere from a couple of days to several weeks before you realise your axolotls are sick or stressed from toxin poisoning (ie high ammonia or nitrites) dependant on temperature and waterchanges.
Until you know otherwise do a twice a week partial waterchanges only (20%=30% of water to be changed) to keep any possible toxins down.
You need to test the water every day or every 2nd day (while its cycling) for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. These are the 3 most important ones to test while cycling and will tell you if you have poor water quality and when your tank has finally cycled.
Basically when you test the ammonia and nitrites if there are any levels over 0ppm/m/g then you need to do a waterchange (partial only not large - 20-30%) the same day. The test tube testkits are the most reliable ones to use. Then repeat the tests the next day and so on. If any doubts or unsure post your figures here and someone will help out. The frequent partial waterchanges will keep toxins down enough for your axies still to reside in it as well as cycle your tank. Do not add anything to the tank apart from a water ager/dechlorinator despite what the Petshops advise - they try to sell you products that will fix the tank and invariably cause more problems in a cycling tank.
This is very important. Petshops will test the tankwater if you take a sample in. Nitrate levels are safe below 80ppm. It's unusual to see high nitrate levels in a tank unless tank has been established for a long time (couple of years) or there are high nitrate levels in tapwater.
A cycled tank's tankwater readings are generally:
ammonia 0
nitrites 0
nitrates 5-40ppm (also dependant on whether live plants are in the tank).
If you've only been doing weekly or every fortnight waterchanges while a tank is cycling your axolotls can eventually become sick from toxins that build up in the tankwater. It can take anywhere from a couple of days to several weeks before you realise your axolotls are sick or stressed from toxin poisoning (ie high ammonia or nitrites) dependant on temperature and waterchanges.
Until you know otherwise do a twice a week partial waterchanges only (20%=30% of water to be changed) to keep any possible toxins down.
You need to test the water every day or every 2nd day (while its cycling) for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. These are the 3 most important ones to test while cycling and will tell you if you have poor water quality and when your tank has finally cycled.
Basically when you test the ammonia and nitrites if there are any levels over 0ppm/m/g then you need to do a waterchange (partial only not large - 20-30%) the same day. The test tube testkits are the most reliable ones to use. Then repeat the tests the next day and so on. If any doubts or unsure post your figures here and someone will help out. The frequent partial waterchanges will keep toxins down enough for your axies still to reside in it as well as cycle your tank. Do not add anything to the tank apart from a water ager/dechlorinator despite what the Petshops advise - they try to sell you products that will fix the tank and invariably cause more problems in a cycling tank.
This is very important. Petshops will test the tankwater if you take a sample in. Nitrate levels are safe below 80ppm. It's unusual to see high nitrate levels in a tank unless tank has been established for a long time (couple of years) or there are high nitrate levels in tapwater.
A cycled tank's tankwater readings are generally:
ammonia 0
nitrites 0
nitrates 5-40ppm (also dependant on whether live plants are in the tank).
DantezGirl
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hey i had those as well they turn up when spot or midnight pood not sure who but it just started happening the other day i have cleaned the filter sjust to make sure it wasnt comeing from there just swishd it in there dirty water after doing water change there about a cm in size i think
kapo
New member
PenumbraHulk - don't wash your filter out at all, not while your tank is cycling. Otherwise you will kill of any good bacteria that is establishing on your filter media. Filters should be cleaned but usually after cycling a tank and then usually only once a month in tankwater.