# axolotls in a pond?



## awh

could you keep these out doors in a pond with fish during the summer or even all year round as i know they require coldish water 

i dont have any but though i would just ask if its possible


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## TheToad888

No you couldn't. I think it would be too cold for them and it's against the law. It would be great though since i have a huge pond full of fish!


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## Alex M

TheToad888 said:


> No you couldn't. I think it would be too cold for them and it's against the law. It would be great though since i have a huge pond full of fish!


Axolotl's have been known to survive UK winters outside, but totally agree with the toad888 - letting them go in an outdoor pond is technically illegal, and is obviously not a morally good idea. But don't let this put you off keeping them though, as you already know, a cool indoor aquarium would be perfect and also give you the best chance of viewing them too


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## helenhearn

Hi
I keep mine in a pond
not with fish though as the fish tend to chew on the gills
Mine have been living outside now for years but it is at least 3ft deep they breed and are as fat as butter as long as the pond is deep and sheltered from Herons they will be alright
Helen


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## spend_day

while its not illegal to keep any newt salamander etc outdoors they must be kept in an escape proof enclosure, and prefferably an predator proof enclosure (minimise risks of being carried off) i know andrew (aka pollywog) has a few outdoor enclosures for some newts and i think a few others on here keep various species outdoors. and yep axies can survive outdoors year round but i would keep the top of the pond netted to stop jumping axies and birds and i would leave the fish out


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## Caz

I've kept them outside all year round in a secure pond approx 1 meter deep. No fish. As long as the pond is escape proof it is not illegal. Only illegal to release into the wild.
Mine bred outside.


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## cooljules

Caz said:


> I've kept them outside all year round in a secure pond approx 1 meter deep. No fish. As long as the pond is escape proof it is not illegal. Only illegal to release into the wild.
> Mine bred outside.


then its exactly the same as people keeping turtles in ponds....
cant belive a few people said it was illegal but we all know now


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## cooljules

Caz said:


> I've kept them outside all year round in a secure pond approx 1 meter deep. No fish. As long as the pond is escape proof it is not illegal. Only illegal to release into the wild.
> Mine bred outside.


whats the fine keeping them, and in a pond? never kept them at all, although seen them and know about em a bit


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## Caz

cooljules said:


> *whats the fine keeping them, and in a pond*? never kept them at all, although seen them and know about em a bit


Sorry - don't know what you mean?


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## cooljules

Caz said:


> Sorry - don't know what you mean?


just woke up

i was on about, whats so good about them in a pond, can you watch them for ages, like fish, and do they do better in a large pond, than say a fish tank


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## Caz

They were kept in the pond to see if they would breed 'oh natural.' Which they did.


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## cooljules

Caz said:


> They were kept in the pond to see if they would breed 'oh natural.' Which they did.


but can you watch them, see them and enjoy watching, like people do with feeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh?


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## freekygeeky

i would love to do this but im worried about the newts etc in my pond.


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## awh

ok then would not then keep them in a pond will now think about a tank indoors as my pond has some large koi in they would proberly harm the axies
thanks for the help


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## rigsby

why the hell would you need an escape proof pond for axies, they very rarely morph and wont survive very long if they do. They can and do survive extremely low temps and are ideal for a species pond in this country if its deep enough. Athough from mexico they live high up in the mountains where the ponds freeze over.


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## Alex M

cooljules said:


> then its exactly the same as people keeping turtles in ponds....
> cant belive a few people said it was illegal but we all know now


There was NOTHING in the original post to suggest that the pond was safely ENCLOSED. That's why i pointed out what i did. Outdoor vivaria is fine, as long as it's fully enclosed preventing either native amphibia mixing with the alien species and/or preventing ducks carrying alien species eggs to ponds of a sensitive nature i.e a pool containing either Great crested newts, or unlikely but possible, a seasonal coastal pool that would perhaps threaten our rarest amphibian, the Natterjack toad.

I can assure you that by releasing non native amphibia straight into an unsecured pond is technically against the law and is therefore ILLEGAL, but don't take my word for it - speak to either David Bird (who deals with alien herpetofauna) or John Buckley at the HCT. As basically explained above, there are very good reasons for this legislation being in force, although it's an act that is rarely enforced.

Cheers
Alex


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## spend_day

rigsby said:


> why the hell would you need an escape proof pond for axies, they very rarely morph and wont survive very long if they do. They can and do survive extremely low temps and are ideal for a species pond in this country if its deep enough. Athough from mexico they live high up in the mountains where the ponds freeze over.


i think it would be more a case of keeping other things (like native amphibains) out to stop the spread of any foreign pathogens, also i've heard an axololt can jump out of the water, so it would be a case of stopping them injuring themselves. also i think it has something to do with the law, if suitable procautions arent taken to stop escape then i think u could possibly be fined. naturally you would need less procautions than you would terrestrial or semi aquatic salamanders.


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## rigsby

all axies available are bred in captivity as they are as good as extinct in the wild so spreading undesirable pathogens is highly unlikely, our native newts,frogs etc have more chance passing on disease to the axies which will have no resistance to the pathogens having been bred in relatively sterile conditions.Gold fish originally were bred in china as were koi, sterlets aint from over here but all are put freely into ponds as they cant travel over land to get to other ponds, its illegal to put grass carps into main water way (for different reasons) but you can put them in your garden pond.A morphed axie is a very very rare occurance and as i said even if one did morph would not live long and is as unlikely to meet a mate and breed as me scoring with Kelly brook.:lol2:


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## johnhale

I have a decent size pond of 15x11x3.5 feet (lxbxh). I have guttering just bellow the surface of the water running the entire way around the pond filled with pond plants and lots of water cress, the pond itself has plants growing inside it, as well as this i have a large slow running water fall coming into the pond from a smaller pond at the top of my rockery. Within my pond I have around 10 medium koi, 15 small shebumpkins/goldfish, a shoal of minnows and some sticklebacks. However, I wish to add some amphibians as there is little around me this past few years - which is surprising as i live in the valleys of South Wales. I own some land up in the forestry behind my home, and even in the streams and natural ponds where 7 or 8 years ago it would be over run with frogs, toads and newts, there is now nothing, I went on a search this year for any frog/toad/newt spawn and found nothing, no trace of any amphibians - i did see a few lizards though which was a pleasant surprise! Anyhow, sorry for rambling on, my question is quite simply, do you think it would be acceptable to add axolotls to my pond?


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## Zincubus

johnhale said:


> I have a decent size pond of 15x11x3.5 feet (lxbxh). I have guttering just bellow the surface of the water running the entire way around the pond filled with pond plants and lots of water cress, the pond itself has plants growing inside it, as well as this i have a large slow running water fall coming into the pond from a smaller pond at the top of my rockery. Within my pond I have around 10 medium koi, 15 small shebumpkins/goldfish, a shoal of minnows and some sticklebacks. However, I wish to add some amphibians as there is little around me this past few years - which is surprising as i live in the valleys of South Wales. I own some land up in the forestry behind my home, and even in the streams and natural ponds where 7 or 8 years ago it would be over run with frogs, toads and newts, there is now nothing, I went on a search this year for any frog/toad/newt spawn and found nothing, no trace of any amphibians - i did see a few lizards though which was a pleasant surprise! Anyhow, sorry for rambling on, my question is quite simply, do you think it would be acceptable to add axolotls to my pond?



Pretty certain that Axolotls can't be kept with fish at all .

Fish of all types constantly attack Axolotls as their SIX feathery gills look like potential food to the fish and other creatures - from what I've read over the years .


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## MSID

Hi
I too keep them outside in large tubs, they survive surface ice easily. But they do not mix well with fish. I got my first axolotl over 40 years ago. Guy in the pet shop said it would be fine with my tropical fish. I wasn't certain so put it in its own tank with a half dozen platies, it ate them all the first night.

Never tried them with bigger fish, but that's because I suspect there would be problems.


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## Legless4Life

Guess what? I had axolotls 2 years ago. And I still have them. I asked my local axolotl breeder about this and they said no unless it's extremely necessary. Well now I thought about it and I have a male and female. But they HATE each other. So ya I think you should cuz they bite each other cuz of territory issues. Well they would have more space so ya ?


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