If you are interested in owning an axolotl, please read these important facts
1. Gravel is BAD. Axolotls do that cute little jump thing when they eat off the ground. if there is gravel, they sometimes can suck that up too, which will lead to death. Marbles or big stones work the best.
2. There are a lotl foods (haha pun!) that an axolotls can eat. BUT MAKE SURE YOU READ THE LABEL! here are some common foods and their pros and cons.
-Bloodworms: Pros: Cheap, easy and they love them. easy to digest, low in fat, and good for them SOMETIMES! Cons: there are TONS of blood worm brands out there. SO BE CAREFUL! some will run at only 2-4% protein. thats practically NOTHING! the ones I buy are 35% protein. Thats good.
-Shrimp: Be careful when it comes to those crustaceans. Brine shrimp, are salt water and will change the waters chemistry if you give them too your lotls. MYSIS shrimp however, are great. they are fresh water, and are 70% protein. So you get to feed them less food! BUT they aren't cheap. and it may cloud the water if not rinsed off.
-Blackworms: ill be blunt THEY ARE GROSS! and expensive. the best way to keep them is alive and in your FRIDGE! i wont lie, they get everywhere! they run about $40 to buy, and ship PER POUND! thats insane. but none the less they are one of the best. your axolotls will also have fun trying to catch live food. but they dont work so well for large lotls because they are pretty small.
-Mealworms: They are OK but not the best. Yes they are pretty cheap, and your axolotls eat them. but the hard shell on the outside is hard to digest and can weaken their system.
-Earthworms: These work well. they are good for big adult axolotls but make sure that when you get them you buy them because picking them off the ground can lead to internal parasites which is a slow miserable death for your mexicanums.
-Beef: Absolutely, 100% NO. You will read people saying its ok to give them small amounts of meat is ok, its not, at all. the meat is WAY to high in fat for their digestive systems, it will cause them problems, so just stay away from it.
Baby Axolotls need to be fed every day/other day until they are adult size. After that, they are ok to be fed every 2-4 days. (don't give in to their begging faces or they'll get fat)
3. As crazy as it sounds the temperature in their natural habitat is surprisingly cold. low 60's (F) is ideal. anything higher than 74F will stress them out. Anything lower that 58F will slow their metabolism greatly. You only want to do this when your lotl is constipated. then he gets to take a vacation in the fridge for 3 days. With the right temperature, you axolotl will be comfortable. Stress, like in humans, can kill slowly.
4. Filters aren't mandatory, but they sure do help. But the water flow most filters produce causes stress, as axolotls are pond dwelling creatures with little current. Since they are pond dwelling, water that isnt crystal clear is totally ok. as long as its not moldy and the water chemistry (pH, nitrite, nitrate) is ok. if you MUST have a filter, sponge filters work the best.
5. Most tanks aren't designed for bottom dwellers. so they are very high. filling your tank to the top can cause your axolotl to struggle if it needs an extra gulp of air. the best depth is the length of your axolotl + 1 inch. They can live in deep water, its just a matter of being comfy.
6. Other fish aren't recommended. your axolotl might eat them, or they will eat your axolotl. not only is feeding on each other bad, but the bacteria fish always carry, may kill your axolotl. They dont have the same defenses as other animals.
7. Axolotls aren't betas, they love other axolotls and are extremely social. they can live on their own, but a buddy is always nice. but be careful, axolotls are cannibalistic the first year and a half. Wild types are naturally more aggressive, and the white and gold ones tend to get picked on.
8. Gills are the best way to get a good idea of overall health. if they are big and beautiful and full of color, your axolotl is doing great. if they are curled forward, almost touching their head, they are stressed. if they are small and shriveled, it could be water quality, food or something else.
9. If your axolotls have eggs, and are fertilized, they will not hatch unless you remove them from the tank. otherwise they will be a snack for their parents. it is also very hard to breed axolotls. they are picky and suck at sex. but you never know! one night they may just get it on.
10. Water Chemistry are very important. axolotls cannot handle strong chemicals like fish can. many axolotls owners create a solution called holtrefetters solution and add it to the water appropriately.
This makes 1 liter at 100% concentrate.
- Salt (NaCl) WITHOUT IODINE 3.46g
- Potassium Chloride (KCl) 0.05g
- Calcium Chloride (CaCl2) 0.1g
- Epsom Salt (MgSO4) 0.2g
- - - - -
Potassium Chloride (KCl) 1/4 teaspoon
Calcium Chloride (CaCl2) 3/4 teaspoon
Epsom Salt (MgSO4) 1/2 tablespoons
Salt (NaCl) WITHOUT IODINE 4 tablespoons
WARNING: THIS MAKES 11 GALLONS OF SOLUTION AT 100% CONCENTRATE
The ideal dilution is about 40%-50% for adults so if your in the US and have 22 gallons of water IN the tank add the whole thing.
So basically, half of your water should be this solution.
TOO MUCH OF THIS SOLUTION WILL FRY OFF YOUR AXOLOTLS GILLS DO NOT PUT THEM IN 100% CONCENTRATE!
If you cant afford a bunch of distilled water (Psh i know i cant) In MOST places you can call your water supplier and get a really accurate break down of your water and adjust it so you dont overdose your lotls on a particular mineral (Particularly Potassium Chloride and Calcium Chloride, those are quite dangerous if too much)
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| This is my tank for Chimi, Nacho and Mudkip. its plenty big for 3 |
11. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to email me at: awhole.lotl.love@gmail.com
Read even more at: axolotl.org
Read even more at: axolotl.org
