How To Set Up A Tank For An Axolotl

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Axolotls ( Ambystoma mexicanum ) are definitely non your boilerplate aquarium inhabitant. Although they're sometimes referred to as walking fish, they are actually amphibians.

Specifically: salamanders that are neotenic, which ways they're eternally 'stuck' in their fully aquatic larval stage and never lose their gills.

Axolotls ( Ambystoma mexicanum ) are originally from Central Mexico; specifically the lakes surrounding what is now United mexican states City. Their proper noun is actually an indigenous Nahuatl word for these unusual salamanders. Unfortunately they are highly endangered in the wild.

As Mexico City has grown their habitat has shrunk to a fraction of what it once was and pollution runs rampant. Fortunately, they thrive in captivity, and may one day exist reintroduced to the wild with proper conservation efforts.

Did that capture your interest? We tin imagine! Axolotl intendance is a little different than that of the aquarium fish yous might be used to. We've put together a guide that contains everything y'all need to know about setting upwardly an Axolotl tank and caring for these amazing creatures.

How to Set up an Axolotl Tank – Necessary Equipment:

Here is everything yous will demand in order to set up a perfect Axolotl tank:

How Big of a Tank Does an Axolotl Need?

Choosing the correct tank blazon is an important office of getting started with keeping any aquatic animal and it's no different for Axolotls. Sadly there is quite a lot of outdated information out there nearly this species, including on tank size.

Contrary to what many sources will tell yous, a 10-gallon aquarium is not enough to sustain an Axolotl in the long run. Information technology might be an selection for a single juvenile specimen if you're planning on upgrading later, merely since an adult size of 10 inches is not uncommon yous're better off only going for a larger set-up right away.

For a single Axolotl, a 20-gallon aquarium would work. Recollect, a long tank is improve than a alpine one as these are bottom dwellers that have no apply for vertical space. If you desire to proceed more than one Axolotl exist sure to provide enough of extra room: 10 extra gallons for every additional salamander is a good idea.

Filter south for Axolotl Tanks

Every aquarium needs a filter. When choosing one for your Axolotl prepare-up, proceed in listen that they don't capeesh very strong water flow. A type that is easy to baffle the DIY fashion past tying a slice of sponge in front of the outflow is a expert idea.

Axolotl keepers are fond of sponge filters, as they filter effectively without creating also much flow. You lot'll need an air pump to run this filter type; be certain to get a loftier-quality and powerful one to ensure proper filtration. If your tank is going to be in a living area bank check the dissonance level beforehand, as some air pumps are known to be quite loud.

Do Axolotls Demand a Heater?

Because Axolotls are a coldwater species that is actually very intolerant of loftier temperatures, you're non going to demand a powerful heater if you're interested in keeping them.

We exercise always recommend using some type of heater just to forbid temperature swings between twenty-four hour period and dark, peculiarly if the aquarium is in a room that ofttimes has open windows or doors and may be prone to changing temps.

How to Continue an Axolotl Tank Cool?

A common question that arises is how to continue the axolotl tank cool? Since they get stressed when temperatures rise too much, you volition demand to plan for estrus waves if you live in regions with very warm summer atmospheric condition.

One fashion to keep an axolotl tank absurd is to use an airstone. As air is forced into the water it facilitates heat exchange by increasing the effective surface area of the water relative to the air.

An airstone also helps ensure the dissolved oxygen levels in your tank remain high. When water warms up the corporeality of oxygen information technology holds decreases. Then the more aeration the better for your axolotl!

Setting upward a fan to blow water directly beyond the surface of your tank can likewise help keep an axolotl cool. Lastly, utilise fluorescent or LED lighting setups rather than incandescent lights, which emit a lot of heat!

Water Test Kit for an Axolotl Tank

We can't emphasize it enough: if y'all're going to proceed fish, you're going to demand a water test kit. No exceptions! A liquid (not strip) test kit that at to the lowest degree contains tests for ammonia/ammonium (NH3/NH4), nitrite (NO2), nitrate (NO3) and pH allows you to monitor your water quality and make sure information technology's suitable for your Axolotl(s).

I highly recommend the API Freshwater Master Test Kit shown below. It is (by far) the best examination kit on the marketplace.

Axolotl Tank Lighting

Take some time to select the correct calorie-free for your Axolotl tank. Many aquarists are used to using strong lighting for optimal plant growth, but this is not the way to get with this species.

Axolotls don't appreciate bright light at all and powerful lamps can stress them out. Instead, observe something that allows you to see your Axies without scaring them into hiding all twenty-four hours.

Strong lighting also tends to put out a lot of heat, especially incandescent light fixtures. Axolotls prefer cold water weather so stick to fluorescent and LED lights that don't emit much infrared radiation.

Setting up Your Axolotl Tank

If you've only decided y'all want to get into Axolotl keeping, it can be tempting to run out to the aquarium shop and purchase one. Sadly, though, we have to encourage you to be patient a fiddling longer.

Getting everything set up and ready before getting your 'Axie(s)' is crucial to keeping them happy and salubrious. Introducing any animal into an uncycled aquarium can be disastrous!

Getting Started: Cycling an Axolotl Aquarium

Assuming you've got everything fix to go, yous tin can at present outset setting up your Axolotl tank. Find a room in your dwelling that stays cool year-round to avoid stressful times and overheating Axies during the Summer months.

Fill up your aquarium and plough on equipment like the filter and heater. If you want, you can also put all decorations (discussed below) in their respective places. After this it's time to start the cycle!

Cycling your aquarium ways you requite it time to accrue beneficial leaner in the filter and substrate. These bacteria are the only thing making the tank safe for your future Axolotls, and then it pays to put some endeavor into this.

To wheel an aquarium, you lot kickstart the process by adding ammonia. We prefer using unscented household ammonia as it'southward like shooting fish in a barrel to dose and doesn't make a mess. Then, while adding more ammonia at the appropriate times, it'south a matter of merely waiting and testing. Nosotros won't go too far into it here; if you lot're non certain how to cycle, check out our complete fishless wheel guide for more info.

Axolotl Water Values

Similar all aquarium inhabitants Axolotls practise best in a certain range of water values and temperature. The latter is especially important: unlike what we're used to with tropical fish, Axies are a coldwater species that won't do well in warm h2o at all.

Axolotl Water Temperature

Your aquarium water should be around 64 °F for healthy Axolotls. Lower temperatures are non much of a problem, every bit the salamander's metabolism will merely tedious down. Yous'll discover the Axie getting sluggish in colder h2o, but in that location is no real outcome.

Heat is much more than dangerous and you should avoid temperatures over 75 °F at all costs. Overheating causes extreme stress in Axolotls, which can in turn lead to disease or even death.

Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate for Axolotls

These 3 pollutants are related to your bicycle, which nosotros discussed higher up. As you lot hopefully know by now, ammonia and nitrite should always exist at zero as they are both mortiferous.

Nitrate is adequate at low levels, but try not to permit it rising above xv. If this does happen, perform a h2o change to reduce the nitrates.

What pH practise Axolotls Prefer?

The acidity or alkalinity of your h2o tin can be measured using your pH test. Axolotls can handle a relatively wide pH range: between 6.5 and 8 is acceptable, with 7.0 to 7.5 being platonic.

Axolotl Water Hardness

Axolotls like relatively hard water and your general hardness should ideally exist at least 100ppm, with a maximum of effectually 200ppm. Fortunately, almost tap h2o in developed countries is adequately hard and element of group i so it won't need any adjustment besides removing the chlorine.

Whenever you perform a water change make certain that y'all use a tap water dechlorinator to neutralize chlorine and chloramine. While municipal water companies utilise these chemicals to make water safe to drink, the chemicals are quite toxic to aquatic life, including Axolotls!

Choosing a Substrate for Axolotls

Because Axolotls are bottom dwellers it's a good thought to pay some attention to your substrate type. Nigh Axie enthusiasts agree that sand is the manner to go for these amphibians. Carib Sea Super Natural Moonlight Sand works well.

Some also keep Axolotls in blank-lesser set up-ups for ease of maintenance, but in that location is some discussion on whether the lack of foothold can cause excessive stress. If you desire to go the blank-bottom route, consider using slate or tile on the bottom of the tank to provide your Axolotl(s) with some extra grip.

Gravel, stones or marbles are a huge no-become for Axolotls. These salamanders run across practically anything as food and are very clumsy during feeding time. There is a very real possibility of them taking a bite of substrate.

This is no problem if they're kept on sand because the Axolotl can only poop out whatsoever sand it swallows. But whatever substrate with coarser grains can pb to big trouble. When ingested , gravel can cause compaction and even death, so avert it completely! Information technology's definitely not worth the risk despite looking a little cleaner since it hides waste meliorate than sand does .

Axolotl Tank Decorations

Axolotls appreciate hiding places and volition dear some decor in the tank. Although not all standard aquarium decor will work at that place are still enough of options to cheer up your Axie aquarium a niggling.

Plants in an Axolotl Tank

We love live plants – they don't just look skillful, but they as well aid keep your water values stable. When choosing plants for your Axolotl tank, go for sturdy species. Axies aren't the almost mindful creatures around and they're known to uproot or smash delicate greenery.

Additionally, it tin exist hard to find species that can withstand the low temperature that Axolotls should be kept at.

Marimo moss balls are a crowd favorite for Axolotl tanks. They likewise prefer colder water weather merely like Axolotls, they don't require a lot of light, and are extremely easy to continue (only make sure your moss balls are large plenty to non fit into a curious Axolotl'due south mouth).

Keep up with your water changes and tank maintenance also because Marimo moss assurance are very sensitive to high levels of pollutants and tin can go smothered in algae.

Here are some other plants that might work well:

Java Fern
Water Wisteria
Anubias Nana

Floating plants are also very helpful in creating subdued lighting that helps the shy Axolotl feel more comfy . They as well use ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate equally fertilizer, helping to improve the h2o quality in the tank. Lastly, an Axolotl won't be able to disturb them past accidentally uprooting them like they exercise to many substrate rooted plants!

Driftwood in an Axolotl Tank

A few well-placed pieces of driftwood make for a great natural look in your Axolotl tank and double as hiding places. Chunky driftwood without any sharp edges works best; avert anything that the salamander(s) might get stuck in.

Cholla wood and Mopani Wood both look nice and work well.

Rocks for Your Axolotl

Complete your hardscape with anything from river rocks to dragon stone. Equally ever, whatsoever rocks you use should be free of calcium and metals that might leach into your tank. Information technology's all-time to stick to shop-bought if you're not certain!

Axolotl Hiding Places

There are plenty of natural-looking hides on the market that you can use to make certain your Axolotl has a identify to retreat to during the day. Endeavor ceramic pipes, cichlid rocks or Pleco breeding caves.

Axolotl Tank Mates

Should yous go along your Axolotl alone or are there sure tank mates that might work? It tin can be tempting to stock your tank with multiple species (the more, the merrier, right?) merely if you want to continue Axies this is unfortunately not going to exist an option.

In that location are two reasons these salamanders should be kept in a unmarried-species set-up:

Danger to the Axolotl –Axies are quite vulnerable. For instance, their delicate external gills tin easily be damaged, even by fish species that are normally regarded as peaceful.
Danger to the tankmate –As nosotros'll exist discussing in the paragraph below, Axolotls are carnivores. As such, they pose a danger to pocket-size tankmates like schooling fish. While they might seem boring when they're lounging around, you lot'll exist surprised to run across how fast they can snap up unsuspecting prey! Some aquarists do keep their Axies with small species like minnows or guppies, but they are enlightened these tankmates volition likely go eaten sooner or later.

Keeping M ultiple Axolotls T ogether

Now that nosotros've established that tank mates are a no-become in your Axolotl tank, you lot might be wondering whether it'south possible to go along multiple Axolotls together.

The answer here is 'yes', just unfortunately it'south non a straightforward yes. You'll have to keep some factors in mind to successfully combine Axies.

First off, as we discussed earlier, yous should keep tank size in mind if you desire to stock multiple Axolotls. These salamanders can grow quite big and each private needs its own infinite, so calculate at to the lowest degree 10 extra gallons for every additional Axie.

Likewise little space tin result in squabbles where limbs are frequently lost and the weaker specimen might not survive. This peculiarly applies when combining younger Axolotls or Axolotls of different sizes, neither of which is something yous should try to practise.

Always be conscientious, brand sure every Axie has at least i hiding place and continue an eye on your h2o quality.

What Do Axolotls Eat?

In the wild, Axolotls are predatory and will eat anything that moves/comes too close – call back aquatic insects and worms, small fish, any land insect that has fallen into the water, other small amphibians and fifty-fifty (very frequently) their own eggs and smaller Axolotls.

What to Avert Feeding an Axolotl

When trying to figure out what to feed your Axolotl in the aquarium, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Although cannibal, these salamanders aren't exactly apex predators – they are quite impuissant and easily hurt by more ambitious prey. While their stomachs tin handle a lot, very hard exoskeletons can cause impaction.

Axolotl guides and books used to regard warm-blooded animate being meat like beefheart and liver as the platonic food choices, but hobbyists don't recommend using these any more than.

Also avoid the popular feeder goldfish, as they don't comprise the right nutrients for your Axies to thrive.

Here is a quick guide of foods yous should avoid:

Anything with a hard exoskeleton
Beef heart and liver
Goldfish
Any wild caught minnows (or like fish)

What Should I Feed an Axolotl?

There are high quality carnivore pellet types out there that work very well for Axolotls, and so if you tin get yours to eat these they make a great staple option. That'southward exactly the problem, though: not all Axies are fond of pellets.

And then what else tin can you try? Well-nigh Axolotl keepers concord that worms are one of the best Axie foods out there. This includes frozen worms like bloodworms, dwelling-cultured species like blackworms, and (particularly) earthworm. The latter is low in fat and high in nutrient content, especially when gut loaded beforehand using the nutritious pellets mentioned to a higher place.

Equally an added bonus, a worm lacks a hard exoskeleton or the power to hurt your Axolotl. Simply chop upwardly larger worms to prevent bug and they make an platonic Axie food source.

In addition to pellets and worms, you lot tin can try feeding live guppies or minnows (home-bred to forbid disease and parasites), small insects, or some types of raw fish such as codfish.

Remove A ny U neaten Axolotl F ood

Keep in heed that Axolotls are very messy eaters that tin can miss food that's right in front of them, ignore food if it's not wiggly and seemingly alive, and will spread pieces of food all over the aquarium.

Always remove any uneaten nutrient within a few hours to avoid water quality issues! Leaving uneaten food in the tank volition cause a lot of h2o quality problems (which is something that you definitely want to avert).

Axolotl Care: Troubleshooting Bug

Unfortunately, problems can arise in any area of the aquarium hobby and things are no different with Axolotls. We'll talk over a few of the more usually reported bug here.

My Axolotl is Overheating

As explained in the section on h2o values, Axolotls are not tropical creatures and won't respond well to high temperatures at all. A heat stressed Axolotl will prove white patches of mucus, especially on the head. Additionally, it might vomit food back up or end eating birthday.

Once an Axolotl has overheated all you can do is carefully bring the temperature dorsum to the acceptable range, wait and hope whatever damage is non permanent. All-time measure, thus, is to avoid overheating altogether. Consider whether the room yous want to place your Axie tank in gets hot during summer and cull a cooler room if necessary.

Use chilling fans and air stones during the hotter months or fifty-fifty consider investing in an aquarium chilling system or air conditioning to bring the room temperature down.

In extreme cases you tin fifty-fifty add together ice cubes or frozen water bottles to the tank to assist get through a stiff heat wave. Just be sure you have a thermometer to keep the tank from getting too chilly!

Axolotl Aggression and L ost L imbs

Axolotls are predatory and not at all picky about their next repast. A beau Axie's leg or tail tin look very much like a tasty worm and in cases of overcrowding or keeping juveniles together these salamanders might end up taking a seize with teeth out of each other. Injuries can be fatal, then avoiding these situations is manifestly best do.

In cases of lost or damaged limbs that don't seem grave, your best bet is to separate the Axolotl in question and maintain very high water quality in the quarantine tank until the wound has healed.

Axolotls can regenerate trunk parts like legs, tail and gills, which means that in most cases a lightly wounded specimen will be fine. Its new limbs probable won't expect equally good every bit the old ones, merely it'll be able to alive normally.

If your Axolotl has been severely damaged by i of its tankmates, you'll have to take information technology to a vet. Not all vets will see aquatic animals, so be sure to notice one and take their contact info ready before buying your Axie.

If your vet tin can't encounter the wounded Axolotl right away, place information technology in a tub in the fridge to irksome downwards its metabolism until it's fourth dimension for its appointment.

Compaction in an Axolotl

As discussed in the department on substrate, Axolotls are prone to eating small rocks and gravel, which can cause compaction. Additionally, compaction can occur if insects with difficult exoskeletons are fed and the Axolotl's digestive system is unable to deal with these.

What tin can yous do in case of compaction?

Your best bet is to place the affected Axolotl in the fridge (surprising, I know…but hear united states out). This slows down its metabolism, which results in its body attempting to get rid of whatever leftover foods as speedily as possible. This can work well in immigration its organisation.

You should start seeing pieces of poop in the container inside a few days; if this is not the case you'll unfortunately take to make a vet date to run into what can be done.

Can Axolotls Go On Land?

Although Axolotls are neotenic (which ways they don't metamorphose in nigh cases), the switch can happen.

The Axolotl in question will slowly lose its gills and fins. Its eyes bulge and develop eyelids; it changes from being entirely aquatic to land-domicile and air breathing. Its care requirements go similar to that of the terrestrial tiger salamander, some other species ofttimes kept by amphibian enthusiasts.

So what'south the deal with metamorphosed Axolotls? If it'southward non supposed to happen, then why practise we occasionally see it?

In very rare cases, an Axolotl volition metamorphose naturally. Usually, though, the process is the result of either hormonal handling or living conditions that are so bad the Axie becomes land-dwelling to escape them.

Although irresponsible hobbyists are increasingly trying to forcefulness their Axolotls to metamorphose, information technology's not something you should attempt. Individuals that metamorphose after reaching machismo are commonly short-lived and the 'forcing process' tin can be fatal (or at least unnecessarily stressful) in itself.

If y'all find your Axolotl irresolute, take a long and hard look at the conditions you lot're keeping it in. Although freak incidents happen, most instances of metamorphosis are the result of less than ideal aquarium set-ups.

Axolotl Tank Maintenance

Axolotl aquarium maintenance is similar to 'regular' maintenance, and so we won't go as well far into this.

The most important tasks are substrate vacuuming (after feedings and during h2o changes), water changes (weekly depending on your water test results) and filter cleaning (bi-weekly). On top of that, you might desire to prune plants and do algae scrubbing where necessary.