The Axolotl Diaries

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muffywrx

muffywrx

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 15, 2011
1,912
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lincoln, NE
Hi, everyone! I recently decided that I wanted to acquire an axolotl. I was inspired by JK47's super cute gfl green axi. :)
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=404668

I got in touch with a breeder who has tons of colors on the caudata forums. He is picking out the brightest green gfl axolotl he can find, and he should arrive on wednesday. I am so excited.

Currently I have a small setup much like JK47's, inspired by the pothos as well.

I put the pothos in tonight along with a couple of fans, which have already cooled the water down from 72 to 66. It may cool down more, as I just added the fans, but I have it on the ground level, no windows nearby, with a screentop. Only a small filter as filtration is not mandatory though helps keep the tank clean. I cut out holes for the filter and the pothos.

I need some aquascaping ideas from here on out. I was thinking about grabbing some pool filter sand or leaving it bare bottom. I don't know of a good place to get larger river rocks in a decent amount, so these were my two options. I also was thinking about getting some plants to put inside the tank, but without a light on the tank, am worried that they wouldn't do well. Any ideas out there?

I was also wondering about black lighting ... does it get very hot? I don't want it to heat the water if I decide to get one. Also wondering if black light benefits plant growth at all, or if it doesn't work.

Here is the tank so far:
IMG_5607.JPG

Thanks for looking :)
 
Hoping for some aquascaping ideas ... come on guys :) Need low light plant ideas (or I can just go fake I suppose!) and such


Water temp down to 64. :)
 
muffywrx;5024139; said:
Hoping for some aquascaping ideas ... come on guys :) Need low light plant ideas (or I can just go fake I suppose!) and such


Water temp down to 64. :)
Click to expand...

Yay Jessica!! Well I vote sand. NO GRAVEL. My guy seems to love the smooth sand (see below close up of sand). Also I would move the filter closer to the plants section for max flow and add some top covering plants like a thick layer of duckweed and water lettuce. They love cover and are more confident with it. I have bight LED's over the tank to grow the plant layer thick but that isn't as important. Duckweed will propgate at pretty much any lighting level. Honestly with little or no loight there are not many plants that are going to fair well inside the tank. Keep in mind any plants are going to be cometing for nutrients with the pothos so you may have to dose ferts if you add too many plants. I have to. Go for wood. No stacked rocks either.

04.JPG
 
Hm, okay that is a good point about nutrient competition. I may opt for some driftwood and fake plants then ... and where do I get some duckweed?

Eeee I love your axi he is so cute :)
 
muffywrx;5024185; said:
Hm, okay that is a good point about nutrient competition. I may opt for some driftwood and fake plants then ... and where do I get some duckweed?

Eeee I love your axi he is so cute :)
Click to expand...

Any LFS will have duckweed and I promise they will give away hand fulls. That stuff usually takes over tanks (in your case you want it to) but most people don't want it. Can I suggest you look into picking up some silk spider plants? It will look good and give some hiding places you can still see with. I soak mine to make sure there are no inks leaching but have been using them for years. They flow in the water better than those hard plastic plants at the LFS. I have not scaped it but my 300g has lots of silk spiders in it below.

02.jpg
 
I like that quite a bit. :) I knew was spider plant, but figured it was real, when I saw your other thread. Where can one acquire silk spider plants though o.O
 
muffywrx;5024231; said:
I like that quite a bit. :) I knew was spider plant, but figured it was real, when I saw your other thread. Where can one acquire silk spider plants though o.O
Click to expand...

I buy mine at the arts and craft store (Michael's on the west coast) for abnout $3.99 each for a hug one and cut it into pieces. Safe yourself some cash. Also, you can pick up REAL spider plants at Walmart for <$10 and they will grow in the tub with your pothos. I am growing some out for my 120g right now ;)
 
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