Interested in axolotls

[John]

Blood worms are known to be bad for frogs. Because they sometimes contain parasites and such.

Not the frozen kind. I have used them for over a decade.

[Deku]

In my experience, unlike puffers, it hasn't been the territoriality of the Axolotls, so much as they just need room to do their thing. My Golden Albino, Marshall, loves to swim laps, which he couldn't do in a ten. Marshall lives with another Axolotl named Maynard, and, please, someone correct me if this is an anomaly, but they genuinely seem to enjoy each other's company. I keep mine in a 36 x 12 inch tank so they have the full run of a three foot long tank, but they hang out with each other most of the time. When they were little babies (3 inches) they shared the same chunk of food. It really is fun to observe an obvious bond between the two creatures.

I am interested in why you say not to feed bloodworms. I feed mine bloodworms, and have never had a problem, other than the fact they are messy, which I remedied by using a small ceramic reptile bowl in the bottom of their tank for the worms.

The general rule for Axolotls is a square foot per creature, and, in my opinion, a little extra wiggle room. I have my two juveniles (6 inches each) in a tank with 36 x 12 inches of floor space, and I feel that they can grow up just fine in that. I wouldn't add another Axolotl to that tank, although, technically speaking, I have the floor space.

As for feeding your Axolotl, in my experience, and the collective knowledge of the people I've spoken with, earthworms are a solid choice for the brunt of their diet. I feed mine Trout Worms, which are smaller than nightcrawlers, and they have been perfect. My Axolotls have been growing wonderfully since I switched them onto earthworms at the advice of my dear friend Shannon, who currently has 11 thriving Axolotls. I would be extremely hesitant to feed my boys Reptomin. It is a great source of nutrition for turtles, the animal it was developed for. However, since Axolotls and any kind of turtle are vastly different animals, it stands to reason that they have vastly different dietary requirements. The same goes for saying that frog food is appropriate for Axolotls. I've heard wonderful things about sinking salmon pellets, although I have yet to try them. I have only found them available in fifty pound bags, which would be a little ridiculous for my two Axolotls.

My water is about 13 inches deep, and I have never had any sort of problem. My oxygen levels are very good. However, I do use a waterfall style filter which circulates the water. But, the bright side of having deeper tank water is that the water at the bottom is perfectly still. I also positioned their driftwood directly underneath the fall to help combat some of the disruption to the water.

Again, though, in my humble opinion, a 10 is simply too small for an axolotl long term. Along those same lines, perhaps a small variety of newt would be fun? I kept fire bellies, which were adorable and engaging to watch.

I sincerely hope this helps, and, again, feel free to PM me with any concerns, questions, or comments.

Hannah

Not the frozen kind. I have used them for over a decade.

They come frozen? I didnt know that. Well I guess thats not as bad. I was assuming you guys ment live bloodworms(I know stores that sells them, and blackworms).