# axolotl



## gecko lady (Jun 26, 2010)

i have recently been interested in getting an axolotl and have been researching them, i was wondering if any keepers of them could give me tips and also how easy would you say they are to keep? How often should the water be changed and what size tank do you suggest? Also have any of you had them turn into salamadars? as i have read that if they get extra iodine they change? thanks


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## gecko lady (Jun 26, 2010)

ayone wanna help a poor helpless noob?! :whistling2:


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## davesreptiles (Sep 10, 2009)

i have kept these before and depending on how many you plan to ckeep will depend on tank size i found them fairly easy to keep and they where one of the first animals i choose to keep i like them because they look strange have you got a set-up yet or how many you planning on keeping any other questions and depending on how good your filter is will depend on how often you have to clean them out


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## miss_ferret (Feb 4, 2010)

imo this is the best axie care sheet around: Axolotls: The Fascinating Mexican Axolotl and the Tiger Salamander theres also a forum at: Beginner Newt, Salamander, Axolotl & Help Topics - Axolotls (<i>Ambystoma mexicanum</i>) at Caudata.org Newt and Salamander Portal

once you've got the tank sorted there easy to keep.

given that they can reach about a foot long when fully grown the minimum tank size is 2ft for one and an extra 1ft per additional axie, they do well in large tanks though so the bigger the better.

for water quality its better to get a good filter. axies are quite messy so they do need a powerfull filter but as they dont like too much moving water its best to get one with a spray bar as it helps cut down on movement.

they can turn into salamanders naturaly but its extreamly rare. adding iodine to the water can cause the change but its extreamely dangerous and can kill the axie. if they survive the metamorphosis they generally dont live as long as a salamander as they would have done if left as an exie. moral of the story: if you want a salamander, buy a salamander : victory:


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## gecko lady (Jun 26, 2010)

davesreptiles said:


> i have kept these before and depending on how many you plan to ckeep will depend on tank size i found them fairly easy to keep and they where one of the first animals i choose to keep i like them because they look strange have you got a set-up yet or how many you planning on keeping any other questions and depending on how good your filter is will depend on how often you have to clean them out


 well i was thinking of getting one or two.. and with a good filter, might have a tank but not 100% sure about it yet if it would be big enough. Thanks for the reply


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## gecko lady (Jun 26, 2010)

miss_ferret said:


> imo this is the best axie care sheet around: Axolotls: The Fascinating Mexican Axolotl and the Tiger Salamander theres also a forum at: Beginner Newt, Salamander, Axolotl & Help Topics - Axolotls (<i>Ambystoma mexicanum</i>) at Caudata.org Newt and Salamander Portal
> 
> once you've got the tank sorted there easy to keep.
> 
> ...


 brilliant thanks! really helpfull  
oh no wasnt thinking of turning them just was unsure.. had read a few things and didnt suddenly want to find that i have a salamandar and not the right set up if that makes sence. Thanks again


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## gecko lady (Jun 26, 2010)

Underwater Filter by Fluval | Pets at Home would this be any good?


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## lovecraftfan (Dec 29, 2011)

*good book*

keeping Axolotls by Linda Adkins good book lots of questions answered


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## Malagasy (Nov 27, 2011)

*Keep a lid on the tank or you will end up with a shrivelled up axolotl on the floor near your tank!*


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## i luv chubby frogs (Dec 31, 2011)

use a undergravel filter feed them every 2 days i think about 10 gallons for one and 14 gallons for two hope it helps :2thumb:


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## bash_on_recce (Jul 31, 2011)

I keep mine in 3ft fish tanks, 2 in each, couldnt imagine keeoing them in anything smaller and use fluval U3 filters set on low flow.


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## zoezakella (May 1, 2011)

gecko lady said:


> Underwater Filter by Fluval | Pets at Home would this be any good?


Join Caudata.org that is where the rest of us axie loving owners are and yes we are on here to!!!

Do not get an underwater filter the waste becomes trapped beneath the substrate and this causes water quality issues. They are also only normally used with gravel which is also a substrate that should not be used for axies!!

Try and get as large a tank as you can as axies can grow to 12 inches, I currently have 2 in a 4ft tank and they are a pleasure to watch!

I currently use a Fluval U3 filter for my 4ft tank and have the water flowing near to the top so it does not cause to much flow.

Temps need to be kept between 18 - 22 ideally and yes although axies are easy to keep they are not so easy on a hot summers day (anything over 24 is stressful and dangerous to them and can even kill them) so be prepared to have fans blowing on your tank unless you have a chiller!

Staple diet should be earthworms and you can also use axolotl pellets.

Substrate should be ideally sand (washed and washed and washed again) or bare bottom!

Provide hides for them & plants, ideally one per axie and ensure you have a screen/mesh top to allow for a cooler tank but to also ensure your axie does not escape (trust me it happens)!

If you need anymore help shout or find me under the same name on Caudata :2thumb:


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## Antonia (Jan 8, 2012)

I had a Fluval 2 for 10 gallons of water. She loved it funny thing, only thing I would advise is keep an eye on your axolotl with it. Some ignore them and are fine, others (like mine) like the current and will 'hug' the filter. If they cling to it they can get their gills and tails caught in the slits and potentially damage themselves, if yours does this then you'll need to create a fine mesh barrier. Undergravel filters aren't great, both my herpetology lecturers liked them for fish but not for axolotls as they can't cope so well with the load. Don't know what anyone's doing with gravel for axolotls anyway, bare, sand or large stones.

Size you have pretty good advice there on it. Furnishings are personal choice, mine stresses out in a bare tank while those used to a bare tank no doubt stress in an enriched tank. They do like somewhere to hide though and a tunnel or bridge works best (I have a tunnel shaped like a crocodile skull lol).

I was also advised that 20cm water depth is ideal. Mine I don't need to worry about a lid as it's a normal aquarium so is twice as deep as the water level. Always leave the tank set up for a week before introducing the axolotl. Also don't use live plants, they could block up the axie and it will destroy them. Feel free to use fake plants but make sure they're secure as they may get bitten.

As for how often for cleaning, my 10 gallon (2ft x 1ft) tank with a Fluval 2 needs the filter cleaned each week (just give the sponge and other parts a quick rinse under the tap, too thorough and you'll wash off the helpful bacteria), part change (20%) every month and full clean twice a year.

Biggest worry you'll likely have is algae and summer heat. If they get too warm in summer the food in their stomachs will go bad. I found that out the second year I had mine, if it's warm put a bottle of cold or frozen water, depending on temperature around, in the tank. Otherwise you could have a floating ill axolotl. Feeding, young need bloodworms but increase the size as they get older. And vary the diet; earthworms, mealworms, liver, chicken breast, flies and pinkies are what mine is fed. Pinkies are invaluable for calcium. I considered fish as a live food but this is illegal and fish are highly likely to carry fungal problems that will affect your axolotl.


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

Antonia said:


> I had a Fluval 2 for 10 gallons of water. She loved it funny thing, only thing I would advise is keep an eye on your axolotl with it. Some ignore them and are fine, others (like mine) like the current and will 'hug' the filter. If they cling to it they can get their gills and tails caught in the slits and potentially damage themselves, if yours does this then you'll need to create a fine mesh barrier. Undergravel filters aren't great, both my herpetology lecturers liked them for fish but not for axolotls as they can't cope so well with the load. Don't know what anyone's doing with gravel for axolotls anyway, bare, sand or large stones.
> 
> Size you have pretty good advice there on it. Furnishings are personal choice, mine stresses out in a bare tank while those used to a bare tank no doubt stress in an enriched tank. They do like somewhere to hide though and a tunnel or bridge works best (I have a tunnel shaped like a crocodile skull lol).
> 
> ...


 The only thing I would add to that is that it is better to rinse the media in tank water; tap water kills off too much of the bacteria.


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## Sammy_Lou (Nov 22, 2011)

An under-gravel filter really won't work well in an axie tank. Axies should not be kept on gravel as they will eat anything that fits in their mouths and gravel in their stomachs can become impacted and cause problems. Axies are best kept on sand or bare bottomed tanks. I run my tanks with sponge filters. They are cheap, easy to find and don't produce any current.


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## zoezakella (May 1, 2011)

Antonia said:


> I had a Fluval 2 for 10 gallons of water. She loved it funny thing, only thing I would advise is keep an eye on your axolotl with it. Some ignore them and are fine, others (like mine) like the current and will 'hug' the filter. If they cling to it they can get their gills and tails caught in the slits and potentially damage themselves, if yours does this then you'll need to create a fine mesh barrier. Undergravel filters aren't great, both my herpetology lecturers liked them for fish but not for axolotls as they can't cope so well with the load. Don't know what anyone's doing with gravel for axolotls anyway, bare, sand or large stones.
> 
> Size you have pretty good advice there on it. Furnishings are personal choice, mine stresses out in a bare tank while those used to a bare tank no doubt stress in an enriched tank. They do like somewhere to hide though and a tunnel or bridge works best (I have a tunnel shaped like a crocodile skull lol).
> 
> ...


Sorry but disagree with some of the above!!!

Algae should not be a big problem unless your tank is in direct sunlight which it should not be anyway! You can also help this along by using a background which wraps around the sides if you do have an extra light room!

You can use a frozen bottle in the water but it is not the most effective due to dropping temperatures fairly quickly and then temps rising again once ice has melted inside the bottle, also if you are at work you have noway of monitoring it!! I find a clip on fan works wonders on a tank, angle it so it blows across the water, this is much more effective!

Axies dont need bloodworms their staple diet should be earthworms UNLESS they are very very small juvies but even then they would much prefer chopped up or very very small worms! Also bloodworms foul tank water quickly and are a pain in the *** to clear up afterwards!

Mealworms are also not recommended, they need their heads squashed before feeding and the chitin is not easily digested by the axie! Flies again, sorry but I would say no, why would you want to feed your axie flies?? Pinkies, yes have heard some people feed those but not often, again I stress and repeat EARTHWORMS ARE THE STAPLE AND BEST DIET!!!

Hope this helps!


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## DreamFish (Jan 18, 2012)

zoezakella said:


> Join Caudata.org that is where the rest of us axie loving owners are and yes we are on here to!!!


Another Caudata user? I'm Shadow on there, however I rarely visit the Axolotl section.


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## zoezakella (May 1, 2011)

DreamFish said:


> Another Caudata user? I'm Shadow on there, however I rarely visit the Axolotl section.


LOL yes there are loads of us on here aswell  I am zoezakella on there to!


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## DreamFish (Jan 18, 2012)

zoezakella said:


> LOL yes there are loads of us on here aswell  I am zoezakella on there to!


I'm guessing you stick to the Axolotl section? Or do you keep other Caudates? : victory:


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## zoezakella (May 1, 2011)

DreamFish said:


> I'm guessing you stick to the Axolotl section? Or do you keep other Caudates? : victory:


No I look at all of it  

I have cynops pyrrhogaster (japanese fire bellied newts) aswell as axies :2thumb:


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## obicat (Oct 11, 2011)

another caudata person here : victory: although I found it via this site.

I used to hang out in the newt bit, but now I'm raising some axolotls so am most often found asking stoopid questions in the egg section :blush:


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## zoezakella (May 1, 2011)

obicat said:


> another caudata person here : victory: although I found it via this site.
> 
> I used to hang out in the newt bit, but now I'm raising some axolotls so am most often found asking stoopid questions in the egg section :blush:


Hello 

LOL no such thing as a stupid question its when you dont ask and do things wrong that its stupid :lol2:


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## Antonia (Jan 8, 2012)

I admit the bottle isn't a suitable solution for someone away for some hours. I'm able to keep an eye on her a lot and have several bottles to rotate, haven't found a suitable fan.

Bloodworms I did say as young, as in very small. I stopped mine asap anyway because I discovered she had the axolotl equivalent of a cleft palate. She rarely gets mealworms, more of a treat when I get live ones for the birds. Flies they would actually naturally eat, she loves em and it is a live food I can give. I was actually advised to give her pinkies due to an issue she gained from a lack of calcium. Pinkies are again something they would naturally eat when they get the chance. Earthworms I'm afraid are not something I can get very easily at all, I don't find them sold and we once tried getting earthworms for her and could not find one. I assure you despite that she is fit, healthy and happy.


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## bash_on_recce (Jul 31, 2011)

Antonia said:


> I admit the bottle isn't a suitable solution for someone away for some hours. I'm able to keep an eye on her a lot and have several bottles to rotate, haven't found a suitable fan.
> 
> Bloodworms I did say as young, as in very small. I stopped mine asap anyway because I discovered she had the axolotl equivalent of a cleft palate. She rarely gets mealworms, more of a treat when I get live ones for the birds. Flies they would actually naturally eat, she loves em and it is a live food I can give. I was actually advised to give her pinkies due to an issue she gained from a lack of calcium. Pinkies are again something they would naturally eat when they get the chance. Earthworms I'm afraid are not something I can get very easily at all, I don't find them sold and we once tried getting earthworms for her and could not find one. I assure you despite that she is fit, healthy and happy.


Earthworms should be the prime diet because they pretty much contain eveything an axy needs, and dont need to be dusted like crickets. I dont think they would eat pinkies in the wild, unless there is some sort of aquatic mammal in mexico city that gives birth to live young under water 

I get mine off ebay from Yorkshire worm farm, top quality worms and always fast delivery and all accounted for on arrival. I really would recommend a staple diet of worms with a few other things eveynow and again, mine have the odd cricket and waxworm and sometimes bloodworm pellets.


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## i luv chubby frogs (Dec 31, 2011)

u r ment to use undergravel filtersto oxygenate the water


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## bash_on_recce (Jul 31, 2011)

i luv chubby frogs said:


> u r ment to use undergravel filtersto oxygenate the water


Yes but they dont work with sand or a barebottom which is what an axy tank should be  Undergravel filters only work with gravel, which is a no-no for impaction reasons.


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## obicat (Oct 11, 2011)

I can testify to this. My undergravel/powerhead combo was detroyed by sand in the mudskipper tank :censor: Lesson learnt to listen to, and take advice from those who know better! :blush:


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## zoezakella (May 1, 2011)

i luv chubby frogs said:


> u r ment to use undergravel filtersto oxygenate the water


Undergravel filters are a no no!! They trap waste and lead to poor water quality which is detremental to the axie!! Plus as already said they are not intended to use with sand and gravel is also a big no no with axies due to impaction!


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## Antonia (Jan 8, 2012)

bash_on_recce said:


> Earthworms should be the prime diet because they pretty much contain eveything an axy needs, and dont need to be dusted like crickets. I dont think they would eat pinkies in the wild, unless there is some sort of aquatic mammal in mexico city that gives birth to live young under water
> 
> I get mine off ebay from Yorkshire worm farm, top quality worms and always fast delivery and all accounted for on arrival. I really would recommend a staple diet of worms with a few other things eveynow and again, mine have the odd cricket and waxworm and sometimes bloodworm pellets.


Yes they do naturally eat not pinkies per se unless it's a mouse that's nested next to the water and the baby falls in but they do given the chance. Mammals and birds that fit in their mouth they naturally eat when they fall in the water. I was advised her present diet due to the lack of calcium in her diet by an animal nutritionist. She has a degree in this, I know who I'm trusting especially since after changing to this diet the axolotl I asked about has been very healthy and happy for years.



i luv chubby frogs said:


> u r ment to use undergravel filtersto oxygenate the water


Why would you use that to oxygenate the water? The right surface area and cleanliness should mean you don't need to. Plus you can get a proper aerator and remove the risk posed by an undergravel filter. Plus I fail to understand how an undergravel filter can aerate the water since it is designed to remove waste and reduce nitrates, nitrites and ammonia not add oxygen. It fails to even serve its purpose if not used with gravel which you should not be using with axolotls.


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## bash_on_recce (Jul 31, 2011)

Antonia said:


> Yes they do naturally eat not pinkies per se unless it's a mouse that's nested next to the water and the baby falls in but they do given the chance. Mammals and birds that fit in their mouth they naturally eat when they fall in the water. I was advised her present diet due to the lack of calcium in her diet by an animal nutritionist. She has a degree in this, I know who I'm trusting especially since after changing to this diet the axolotl I asked about has been very healthy and happy for years.
> 
> 
> 
> Why would you use that to oxygenate the water? The right surface area and cleanliness should mean you don't need to. Plus you can get a proper aerator and remove the risk posed by an undergravel filter. Plus I fail to understand how an undergravel filter can aerate the water since it is designed to remove waste and reduce nitrates, nitrites and ammonia not add oxygen. It fails to even serve its purpose if not used with gravel which you should not be using with axolotls.


Animal Nutritionist or not, worms would be a better diet than flies and the pinkie to help with calcium intake. If you feed her worms, she wouldnt need the pinkie, pinkies are very fatty and should not be part of a staple diet as far as I know, many people avoid them completely. I dont have a Degree to show up front (yet, I'm studying BSc Animal Biology and Conservation) but I can only use research and expiernce with Axy's and the knowlege of people on the Caudata website, but if it works, then i guess it works, its just something I wouldn't do when there was a easier, more rounded way of feeding that pretty much every axy keeper uses.


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## DreamFish (Jan 18, 2012)

I would also not advise feeding pinkies. Just look at Tiger Salamanders who are fed them, not to mention they lack the nutrients needed. Earthworms are a yes, but it will also help feeding a varied diet and maybe treats. I've never even heard of Axolotl's feeding on mammals in the wild, let alone in captivity. 

Obicat - I think you posted in one of my wanted adverts if I'm correct? I'm Shadow.


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## Antonia (Jan 8, 2012)

OK since clearly we are too closed minded to see the obvious I'll put things into some nice simple points.

1. Yes they do naturally eat small mammals when they get the opportunity just as they do flies, worms and small birds. If you are as you claim an experienced owner then you should know that they are opportunistic hunters and there's something wrong with a wild axolotl that passes up an opportunity at an animal that fits in its gob.

2. I don't understand how you can consider pinkies less natural than earthworms because pinkies don't naturally occur in water. The clue is in the name, EARTHworms, not canalworms or lakeworms. They naturally dwell in the earth, soil, damp but certainly not in water.

3. As regards oh its not natural, neither is keeping them in a bare bottomed glass tank with a filter. And neither is chicken, liver or heart but I've not seen one person have a go about that now.

4. I do not, and no self respecting Nutritionist will either, condone a biased diet for axolotls. There is no complete diet for axolotls. Much of your opinion here is conjecture. I have done a degree in animal management, you know we actually have to deal with the looking after of animals, not just how their body works. On the ND, FDSc and BSc 2 they taught us that if there is no complete diet you have to offer variety. 3 qualified Herpetologists and 2 qualified Nutritionists both advised that they should have a varied diet of lean meats, occasionally throw in a mealworm treat for enrichment. She gets a variety of chicken, liver and pinkies AND if the new reptile shop sells earthworms they'll get added to the mix. You have a go at me like I feed her pinkies like you feed earthworms, she gets 1 per week at most and usually longer between each pinky than that.

5. Excuse me for her feeding naturally. Don't have a go at me for the flies, that is out of my control. So she has a natural interest in flies that fall in her water, if they go there tough luck.

6. This isn't so much argument just a trailing thought. I will try earthworms if I have the opportunity but I'm not entirely sure she'd cooperate. She doesn't like things that might stick out her mouth, discovered that when a spider fell in her tank, killed it and repeatedly attacked but would not eat it.


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

Antonia said:


> OK since clearly we are too closed minded to see the obvious I'll put things into some nice simple points.
> 
> *1. Yes they do naturally eat small mammals when they get the opportunity just as they do flies, worms and small birds. If you are as you claim an experienced owner then you should know that they are opportunistic hunters and there's something wrong with a wild axolotl that passes up an opportunity at an animal that fits in its gob.*
> 
> ...


Mice, especially pinkies, are very high in lipid fats, which amphibians cannot metabolise properly. These fats then build as fatty deposites in the body, causing damaged fertility, heart disease and even blindness, and will lead to a shortened life. As occasional treats they won't do any harm, but it's asking for trouble to make them a regular part of the diet.

Annelid worms (the group that includes earthworms) have both terrestrial and a larger group of aquatic members- so it's less unlikely than you'd think. It might be worth trying your animal on broken-up earthworms, by the way- they seem to take those more readily.


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## bash_on_recce (Jul 31, 2011)

Antonia said:


> OK since clearly we are too closed minded to see the obvious I'll put things into some nice simple points.
> 
> 1. Yes they do naturally eat small mammals when they get the opportunity just as they do flies, worms and small birds. If you are as you claim an experienced owner then you should know that they are opportunistic hunters and there's something wrong with a wild axolotl that passes up an opportunity at an animal that fits in its gob.
> 
> ...


I didnt mean it in a nasty way, the general concensus between Axy keepers around Britain is that worms should be the 'Main' food source for axolotls, that doesnt mean you can't give them anything else, supplementing with other things is part of the diet, however there is some food items that are better than others.

I have no doubt that they will try to fit anything in thier mouth, most amphibians will, its a survival trait, though this doesnt mean just because they can eat it, its good for them.

I never mentioned anything about worms being the 'Natural' Diet for Axolotls. in fact I never mentioned anything about thier life style in thier Natural suurounds, if more conservation work isnt put into action, they wont be around for much longer in the wild anyway.

Degrees dont automatically mean that that person knows all about a subject, I did not put up the fact that i was doing a degree in Animal biology and conservation degree to prove I know 'stuff' XD Theres plenty of people on here that dont have any degrees and they know alot more that people that do, one thing trumps educational qualifications most of the time....experience (and again, thats isnt applying to me, I've only had Axolotls for a year but have spent most of my life being interested in amphibians).

You can never give a pet a natural diet, you have to substitute to get the vitamins and calcium they need, but some food is better than others.

And lastly Im not having a go at anyone, some people might do so on RFUK but I'm never one of them, people tend not to listen when they are annoyed.


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

i luv chubby frogs said:


> u r ment to use undergravel filtersto oxygenate the water


Got to pull you up on a couple of things there.

First off, you don't oxygenate the water. Air pumps etc actually increase surface area of the water, facilitating gas transfer from/to the water and atmosphere, and helps to drive off excess carbon dioxide. You DON'T need an undergravel filter to do this for one second. In fact you can do it even with the outflow of an external filter by placing it at or above the water surface so that it splashed and disturbs the surface, spray bars do the same thing but with less 'flow' and over a larger area.

Undergravel filters are seriously outdated, and most certainly obsolete. They were popular in the days before decent filtration methods took off, nowadays however you can create a far larger biological surface area using sintered glass media in an external than you can using gravel and an undergravel filter, WITHOUT the huge buildup of mulm that is hard to reach under an undergravel filter.

Just to note as well, the ungergravel filter itself has NOTHING at all to do with gas exchange (other than producing CO2 as bacteria in it use oxygen and give off CO2....), it was the air driven uplift tubes that helped with this, or the power heads splashing at the surface mounted on the uplifts.

I used to have axolotls. 4 foot tank, 1 axolotl (had 3 to begin with, the 1 ate the other 2, despite them been very nearly the same size as it). Sand on the bottom and an external filter with the outlet pointing into the corner so as not to create too much flow. Water changes are VERY important, even with good filtration they produce a LOT of waste.

Regarding not wanting to end up with a salamander, check the shape of the head. Axlotls it's quite blunt looking and 'rounded', I believe tiger salamander efts (sometimes sold as axolotls) are more angular and pointy.

Ade


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## obicat (Oct 11, 2011)

DreamFish said:


> Obicat - I think you posted in one of my wanted adverts if I'm correct? I'm Shadow.


Probably, I am always on the look out for something or other, even if I didnt know it until I saw the ad. I have empty tanks calling to me :lol2: What was it for?


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## lovecraftfan (Dec 29, 2011)

I give them something diff every day. Dried tubiflex, crickets, earthworms, cooked prawn, de-frosted bloodworm & mysis shrimp, was giving cockles, ax pellets, occasional meat and fish trimmings, chopped whitebait. Tried wax worm they didnt like it, tried locusts they didnt like it


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