# Axolotl



## Stupot1610 (Jul 6, 2013)

Hi, 
This is my first post so forgive me if I make any mistakes,
Earlier today I got my first axolotl, I believe he/she is a melanoid albino. After letting it go into the tank it was not active at all (apart from the occasional flap of its gills) and I'm wondering if there is something wrong with my tank as it was so active in the shop, please help. 

Many thanks, 
Stuart


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## lionfish (Jul 15, 2009)

Stupot1610 said:


> Hi,
> This is my first post so forgive me if I make any mistakes,
> Earlier today I got my first axolotl, I believe he/she is a melanoid albino. After letting it go into the tank it was not active at all (apart from the occasional flap of its gills) and I'm wondering if there is something wrong with my tank as it was so active in the shop, please help.
> 
> ...


Axies are great - I have 6 . I_t's probably just settling in shock . They don't tend to do a lot - they walk along the bottom of the tank and rise and fall like a submarine in the water column , they sort of float to the surface and float back to the bottom again. Just make sure you have a hiding place for them to hide in - mine like old plastic pipes , they tend to sit on the top as well . Just make sure you don't have any gravel on the floor of the tank as axolotls are gulp feeders and can injest gravel which leads to impaction and death. Keep him / her in cold water , lots of live food - frozen bloodworm and catfish pellets and you'll be fine : victory: _


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## Stupot1610 (Jul 6, 2013)

Thanks for your help. I am feeding him on frozen bloodworm but the shop told me he wouldn't take the pellets will he be alright without the pellets or should I try to get him to eat them. There is no gravel on the bottom I've just got some aquarium sand and large pebbles/rocks and a food dish so he doesn't eat the gravel. He is walking around now and is coming up to the glass to see me. He is probably about 4 inches how fast will he grow and how big will he grow to. Also is he past the canabilism stage because at some point I would like to get him a tank mate. I will try to find somewhere that he can hide in as I have lots of fishtank ornaments so this won't be hard. 
Thanks again,
Stuart


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## lionfish (Jul 15, 2009)

Stupot1610 said:


> Thanks for your help. I am feeding him on frozen bloodworm but the shop told me he wouldn't take the pellets will he be alright without the pellets or should I try to get him to eat them. There is no gravel on the bottom I've just got some aquarium sand and large pebbles/rocks and a food dish so he doesn't eat the gravel. He is walking around now and is coming up to the glass to see me. He is probably about 4 inches how fast will he grow and how big will he grow to. Also is he past the canabilism stage because at some point I would like to get him a tank mate. I will try to find somewhere that he can hide in as I have lots of fishtank ornaments so this won't be hard.
> Thanks again,
> Stuart


I think it's JMB catfish pellets that I use - the ones with the orange plastic lid , it took mine several feeds before they got the idea , it's a tip a friend who used to breed them gave me . I also feed garden earth worms and occassional slugs ( don't use slugs if you or neighbours use slug pellets - I'm lucky I have a big back garden ) - I boil both the worms and slugs beforehand to sterilse them and cut them up with scissors . Try offering food by hand and hopefully it wil become tame . Axolotls grow fast upto 6 - 8 inches in first year , they max out at 10"-12" , I would say at that size yours is past the cannibalsim stage , but you never can tell , so be wary of any future additions being viewed as a food source.


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## Stupot1610 (Jul 6, 2013)

Ok thanks ill look for those pellets. I will wait a while to get a tank mate. How many axolotls do you have in your tanks?


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## lionfish (Jul 15, 2009)

Stupot1610 said:


> Ok thanks ill look for those pellets. I will wait a while to get a tank mate. How many axolotls do you have in your tanks?


I have 3 in each tank 1 gold & 2 albinos in one tank , 3 normal/wild/green in the other . Allow a foot or more in space for each axlolotl. I.e I have 2 3 foot tanks 

They have poor eyesight ( this applies to both normals and albinos , though albinos tend to have even worse vision than normals ) , so you need to watch at feeding time as sometimes one will accidently grab anothers leg , I've never had one lose a leg touch wood , as they've always realised their mistake and let go


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## Stupot1610 (Jul 6, 2013)

Ok thanks, he is moving about now and seems really healthy


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## lionfish (Jul 15, 2009)

Stupot1610 said:


> Ok thanks, he is moving about now and seems really healthy


Good stuff :no1:


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## Stupot1610 (Jul 6, 2013)

*Axolotl spawn*

I'm getting some axolotl spawn in a few days and I am needing advice on how to care for them because i know next to nothing about raising axolotl eggs.


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## lionfish (Jul 15, 2009)

Stupot1610 said:


> I'm getting some axolotl spawn in a few days and I am needing advice on how to care for them because i know next to nothing about raising axolotl eggs.


Sorry , I got mine at an inch long from a friend of a friend . I know when they were hatched she seperated them to avoid cannabalism and they were kept in the fridge in small plastic tubs . If you google it there is a website for peeps into axolotls .


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## ChazzieJo (Jun 14, 2012)

You can buy earthworms online at Swell Reptiles, I use worms as a main diet for my axolotls. They also get fed the occasional locust, bloodworm, daphina and amphibian frozen blocks that I bought from a local garden centre. 

Ensure you keep their temperatures down in this current heat as anything over 24c can be dangerous for them. It's best to keep temperatures at around 17c - 21c. I freeze large bottles of tank water and place them in the tank on particularly warm days, I find that keeps temps down.

Good luck with your axolotls!
:2thumb:


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