How to Keep an Axolotl? A Detailed Care Guide
The axolotl is a pet fish that has become quite popular in recent years. It has six small horns on its head, which is why people call it the "six-horned dragon fish." This fish comes in colors ranging from pink to dark gray, and it looks especially cute. That is why it is so favored by pet fish enthusiasts. For beginners, how to keep an axolotl well is a very important question. So, how do you keep an axolotl? Now let us learn about the axolotl care guide.
1. Preparing the tank. The Mexican axolotl can grow to about 25 cm, while the individuals commonly sold in shops are about 10 cm. However, they grow very quickly; if food is supplied in sufficient amounts, they can reach 12-14 cm in a month. When you first start keeping them, an ordinary-sized plastic pet box is enough. Once they grow bigger, they must be moved to an aquarium so there is enough space to appreciate their unique behavior patterns, and they may very well breed. The basic equipment for keeping them is an aquarium. To keep 1, a 45 cm aquarium is enough; to keep 2 or more, prepare an aquarium of 60 cm or more.
2. Setting up the fish tank. For keeping axolotls, it is best to use a square tank at least twice the size of their body; round tanks are not recommended. Do not lay sand or gravel on the bottom of the tank; accidentally swallowing too much sand while fighting or eating can cause gastroenteritis and even death. If you must lay stones, they must be larger than twice the size of the axolotl's head, otherwise they are easily swallowed. There was once a case where an axolotl ate a stone the same size as its own head and nearly died. For aquatic plants, it is recommended to use fake silk plants; real plants soften the water, while axolotls prefer hard water.
3. Pay attention to water changes and filtration. The Mexican axolotl is a famous big eater, and correspondingly the water becomes cloudy faster, which easily breeds Aeromonas hydrophila and causes septicemia (sensitive to norfloxacin and ceftriaxone). So do not forget to install a filter. Whether it is a submersible filter, an external filter, an undergravel filter, or the top-mounted filters and power filters sold as complete sets on the market, any filter that can do the job of filtering and keep the water clear will do, but it is best to choose a filter with better performance.
4. Checking and adjusting water quality. If the Mexican axolotl lives in alkaline hard water. First let the water sit for a period of time, and add NovAqua water conditioner (a kind of aquarium product) to the water to remove chlorine and heavy metals. This kind of water is also the best at preventing disease; many axolotl problems come from unclean water. Also, be careful of the water flow from the pump, and remember never to put in stones or sand. Most axolotls will swallow gravel and die, and too strong a water flow will stress them.
5. Water temperature. The water temperature is best kept at 10-25 degrees; it is used to living in colder water. After keeping male and female Mexican axolotls separately for a period of time, put a pair of Mexican axolotls into a container of shallow water (the male will stick his spermatophores to plants). The male will caress the female with his nose to “court” her. Within 24 hours of taking up the male's spermatophores, the female will lay eggs; she likes to lay her eggs on floating plants. After the female lays eggs, take them away, otherwise they will eat the larvae.
In the process of keeping axolotls, the things to pay attention to are the fish tank, water quality, water temperature and so on. These are all very important issues, especially water quality. Water quality is crucial in the process of keeping fish; if the water quality is poor, the fish will often get sick. Therefore, pay special attention to it.