Axolotl

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R

Rain

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Feb 18, 2011
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Arkansas
Hello. I've been considering getting an axolotl long before I knew what it was called, but I need some conformation for info I found online. (I don't have one yet, I want to make sure I can provide an appropriate and loving home first)

According to one site, a 10 gallon is fine for an axolotl, but they get 7 – 14 inches. This doesn’t seem right to me.

It also says not to use a filter because the water flow stresses them out, so I need to change the water a lot. How much is a lot? would an undergravel filter be better?

Do they eat regular fish food? I feed my fish NLS Small fish, blood worms, daphnia, and mysis shrimp.

Would sand or pebbles bigger than their mouths be better? Their mouths look pretty big to me.

Can anyone who has experience with these give me any advice?

Thank you!


Also, the first time I saw one was in Kyoto at one of those machines with the arm that picks up stuffed toys and brings it to the drop, except it was a jar with a baby axolotl instead of a toy!
 
Love em! Don't own any at this time but I've owned them for years. Make sure that it is a true Axolotl or it will turn into a tiger salamander! From what I understand Axolotls can still change to a salamander if dropped or shocked! I kept mine in a 55g with two HOB filters. They were quite dull in the 55 by themselves so I added community fish. They prefer colder water. Mine didn't mind the current but they weren't in a 10g. Check out Caudata.org it's an amphibian forum similar to this one. They love night crawlers! Good luck!!!
 
You are in Arkansas! They sell water dogs in bait stores. They turn into mole salamanders but you can score albinos! Wait til spring and they are about a dollar a peice. WTF was that you said....you saw one in a toy claw machine thing!!!! Whooa
 
10 gallons is too small for an adult axolotl. Not sure about the other questions but I'm sure someone else can provide a better answer

Crotalus Scutulatus;4904662; said:
From what I understand Axolotls can still change to a salamander if dropped or shocked!
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That statement makes no sense.
 
ReelBigFish;4904774; said:
10 gallons is too small for an adult axolotl. Not sure about the other questions but I'm sure someone else can provide a better answer



That statement makes no sense.
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From what I remember but could be wrong...Axolotls are fully aquatic and if dropped can change into a semiaquatic salamander by shrinking the gills and fins over time. An axolotl is a salamander that never really becomes a salamander and lives in a juvenile state unless provoked to change. They have de-evolved if you will by reverting back to life in water! Anyother north american juvenile mole salamander leaves the water. This peter pan water dog resides only in Mexico. Please correct me if im wrong...
 
I've just read that major stress can change them. Raising water temps above 70, hormone injections, shallow water, iodine, and shocking them! It said that axolotls live 15+ Record 25. Once induced to a salamander they only live 5 years. Some of this info I got from Funk and Wagnals. Evolution at it's best....
 
You need bigger than a 10 gallon for one.

Mine have a bare bottom with some slate to attach their spermatophores too. if it was not for needing that they would have just a bare bottom.

I have sponge filters in my tank as they do not like water movement. I use to have live plants in mine but have currently switched to fake ones for them to attach their eggs too. The live plants also do not do too well in the temps they need kepy at.


They need a diet of earthworms and I also feed mine the moist salmon pellets.

I would skip the pebbles on the bottom and go with sand or bare bottom as I mentioned earlier.

I keep 2.3 in a 6 ft by 3 ft by 18 inch container. It is extremely ghetto but they like it. Their water temp stays between 52-57 and they get about 2 hours of light a day.

Hope this helps.
 
kearth;4906182; said:
I doubt what you caught were Axolotls. They come from mexico ( I think) not MN
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Hmm, maybe some kind of salamander then? They were in a river, 10"+, same location where we caught sauger, perch and sturgeon. I swear though, in the native section of a local zoo, they have axolotls.

Here is what wiki says about their sidtribution
Distribution

Necturus, which includes mudpuppies, live in streams, lakes, and ponds in the eastern part of North America.[15] They appear in the southern section of Canada, go as far south as Georgia, and range from the midwest of the United States to North Carolina.[16] In the more northern section they are called mudpuppies, and in the southern portion they are called waterdogs.[17] The mudpuppy hides under cover such as rocks and logs during the day and becomes more active at night.[6] However, in muddy waters, the mudpuppy may become active during the day and not just at night.[18] Mudpuppies can even live under the ice when lakes freeze.[19]

FYI, here we call them mudpuppies.
 
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