Tt's Axolotl Adventure

[TallTree01]

Hi guys, picked up a tank today for some axolotls!
The dimensions are 36x14x18 inches and is 6mm glass. I've bought a 36 inch LED that is miles bright, will probably have to get some floating plants or something so the axolotls don't go blind :x
The filter is an Aquaclear HOB rated for a tank my size and all the decor will be fake. I plan to get 2-3 axies in the next 1-2 weeks. Substrate is fine river sand and I'll feed the axolotls earthworms.

Pictures to follow!

There's the filter.
Here's the light,

Very bright as you can see. Has a blue and white setting.

I also installed timers on all aquarium lights. Here is the fire hazard that is my desk:

FTS (blue) :

FTS (white ) :

Will fill the tank later on and rinse the sand too.

 

[sawickib]

Gosh, i think these axolotls are becoming a disease haha, very nice tank!
 
What do you plan on using to keep their tank cold? A chiller or fans? I need a chiller so i can set up a 55 gallon for mine later but man are they expensive.
 
Also ive read that floating plants can make it difficult for them to get to the surface for air, i would suggest having a lot of pvc piping for them instead, what ever you do im sure they will still love the tank!

 

[TallTree01]

Thanks sawick! I've been interested in them for years, only have the funds to do them properly now.
I think I'll just leave the tank and if I think the light bothers them I'll try to reduce the light.

It's all set up now!
Here is the planned setup:


Got my cave and my plants!
Here it is with sand


Filled up and scaped:

Blue:


The cave:

 

[Supraman]

eeek DO NOT PUT THOSE LED"S ON THE TANK!!!! 
 
axi look almost straight up so bright lights stress then, this isnt saying you cant have lights buy you do not want anything bright. I own 3 axi right now and all are over 6 inches and nice and plump. remove the rocks as they will eat them as soon as they get big enough and it will kill them. also hob filters unless on a very low setting and not making waves on the surface area of the water are a very bad idea because this to can stress them out and kill them.

 

[TallTree01]

eeek DO NOT PUT THOSE LED"S ON THE TANK!!!! 
 
axi look almost straight up so bright lights stress then, this isnt saying you cant have lights buy you do not want anything bright. I own 3 axi right now and all are over 6 inches and nice and plump. remove the rocks as they will eat them as soon as they get big enough and it will kill them. also hob filters unless on a very low setting and not making waves on the surface area of the water are a very bad idea because this to can stress them out and kill them.

Yeah, I will have to consider doing something to decrease the lights intensity. If my axies seem bothered by it ( ie staying always in the shade ) I'll take it off.
My HOB is making very little flow surprisingly. Seems to be functioning fine... Just very stagnant water. Ideal for axies though.
Those rocks are moss balls. Will axies try to eat the smaller ones? I can put them in a different tank if need be.

 

[Supraman]

Oh I'm not sure if they will eat a moss ball haha never tried it personally. They looked like rocks sorry, as long as the filter isn't making lots of waves it should be fine. I too have a hob filter with my axi's I extended the intake tube and that seemed to help lower the velocity the water came out of the filter.

What are you planning on feeding as a staple? My axi get nothing but hikari blood worms and the occasional veggies as a snack. I have two wild types and one white one ( I know the scientific name I just can't remember how to spell it haha ) my biggest is 7.5 inches head to tail and they are all nice and plump. They are also only 5 month old I hatched these myself.

 

[TallTree01]

They say the best diet for axolotls is a staple of earthworms and grubs as they're similar to what they eat in the wild. Both of which I have plenty. Do you feed yours daily? I was planning on feeding one-two worms every 2-3 days to each axolotl.
Also, in a tank my size how many could I get? I'm thinking two or three, maybe adding one then if all is well I'll add another.

 

[sawickib]

A reputable dealer told me that you can have 2 per 10 gallons, and also i plan on feeding bloodworm/earthworm sticks because in florida earthworms arent all that natural haha

 

[Baccus]

Hey TT, I noticed the filter you have on the new tank. I had one of them and HATED it with a passion very quickly after installing it. Mine would never start again after it had been off for any reason and wrecked havoc with the tank on the occasions there had been a power out while I was at work, so keep an eye on yours that it doesn't develop similar issues.
 
Congrats on the Axies, they are fascinating and interesting critters, but definantly have a way of chilling the tank prepared before summer. A friend of mine tried using blocks of ice frozen in plastic bottles, but the days where just too hot and she had to be there all day to keep replacing the defrosted bottles with more frozen ones.

 

[sawickib]

Im actually using a aquaclear on my axie tank as well, its good because you can adjust the flow IMO and mine havent broke down on me at all... So maybe it was just a certain filter that was faulty baccus?

 

[TallTree01]

Tank is beginning to clear up!
Current plan is to get my first axolotl on the weekend and on the same day transfer masses of established media to the new filter as well as established sand.

Hey TT, I noticed the filter you have on the new tank. I had one of them and HATED it with a passion very quickly after installing it. Mine would never start again after it had been off for any reason and wrecked havoc with the tank on the occasions there had been a power out while I was at work, so keep an eye on yours that it doesn't develop similar issues.
 
Congrats on the Axies, they are fascinating and interesting critters, but definantly have a way of chilling the tank prepared before summer. A friend of mine tried using blocks of ice frozen in plastic bottles, but the days where just too hot and she had to be there all day to keep replacing the defrosted bottles with more frozen ones.

I bought the aquaclear because I read that is arguably considered the best HOB on the market, could yours have been defective?
I'll keep an eye on it anyways, better safe than sorry.
Generally my house stays quite cool in the summer so long as the aircon doesn't break ( as they tend to do ). Definitely need a plan B though. Must look into buying a chiller.

A reputable dealer told me that you can have 2 per 10 gallons, and also i plan on feeding bloodworm/earthworm sticks because in florida earthworms arent all that natural haha

Let me know how you get on with the worm sticks, sounds like a cleaner alternative to live earthworms.

 

[sawickib]

I use a fan to chill mine, keeps it at about 68 Fahrenheit, i would also reccomend if possible putting the tank in your basement it stays much cooler in them, unfortunately in florida we dont have basements either haha
 
The earthworm sticks work very well, they were readily accepted and break down quite fast in the water so its easy for them to just suck up, my girl could also smell them very well when they were put in.

 

[kcoscia]

Looks great!
You don't have any live plants, as you said you are going all fake, then what's the point of a light? Is the room they're in not light enough for them to be visible?
You need WAY MORE hides, especially if you keep that light.
You cannot keep 2 adult axolotls in a 10g, no way. BARE minimum is 20g for two adults, 10g for one. I calculated your gallons, and it looks about 40 so you are excellent for their whole lives. I have two 5-6" youngins that produce a LOT of nitrates in their 20g long. A 40B is in their future.
 
Make sure the media is enough before buying the new axolotls and make sure the temp. is below 70 and you're good to go! Getting axolotls was the best choice I ever made

 

[TallTree01]

I use a fan to chill mine, keeps it at about 68 Fahrenheit, i would also reccomend if possible putting the tank in your basement it stays much cooler in them, unfortunately in florida we dont have basements either haha
 
The earthworm sticks work very well, they were readily accepted and break down quite fast in the water so its easy for them to just suck up, my girl could also smell them very well when they were put in.

Yah it's rare to find a basement in Aus too . My house is well insulated though, I'll looking into fans though as I've heard they lower temps quite a bit.

Looks great!
You don't have any live plants, as you said you are going all fake, then what's the point of a light? Is the room they're in not light enough for them to be visible?
You need WAY MORE hides, especially if you keep that light.
You cannot keep 2 adult axolotls in a 10g, no way. BARE minimum is 20g for two adults, 10g for one. I have two 5-6" youngins that produce a LOT of nitrates. A 40B is in their future.
 
Make sure the media is enough before buying the new axolotls and make sure the temp. is below 70 and you're good to go! Getting axolotls was the best choice I ever made

I do have live moss balls in there, they're the only real reason I have the light tbh. Plus it'll be nice to see the axies all lit up.
I will need to look for another cave or something, the one I have could probably fit 2 axies but I'm guessing they don't like to share lol.
Should be picking up a thermometer today. Tank feels freezing to the touch, just the way they like it.

 

[sawickib]

On the 2 for each 10 gallons i got this from here >>> http/www.buy-axolotls.com/index.html 
 
Its actually where i just got my big gold female, i plan on moving all my axies to a 55 gallon once i have the tanks available. Im finding that having no light and minimum hides works kind of well for the axies to feel safe and secure. I have a LED but choose not to use it.
 
Its cool how the tank feels haha so cold, and fog goes on the glass if you breath on it.