How to start an axolotl tank?

[Aqua315]

I have a 28g bowfront fish tank that I will soon be restarting. One idea I've been toying with for a while now is getting 1-2 axolotls. I've done some research and am fairly sure I've got their basic care down except for one thing. How do I start the tank? I went to my lfs that sells them and talked to someone there. Her suggestion was that I do a cycle with inexpensive feeder fish and once the tank is cycled, add the axolotl which will then eat the fish. I've previously used Tetra Safe-Start with much success when cycling tanks in the past. She insisted that none of those products work and that unless I cycle a tank doing daily water changes for a month or more, it will never be ready for an axolotl. She insisted that I'd kill the axolotl with ammonia spikes otherwise. But I've never had any issues with ammonia spikes when using Safe-Start, in fact I've never had ammonia period. The way she was talking made me seriously scared to even try getting an axolotl. I'm used to doing weekly water changes, not daily and with my busy schedule, I don't think I'll have time for daily changes.

In the past using Safe-Start, my tank was ready for fish in a few days. I was planning on doing the same to restart the tank for an axolotl but now I'm not so sure. Does cycling work differently when dealing with axolotls? Is there no way to avoid the daily month-long water changes?

 

[tangs27]

I was also looking at setting one up and no where did I find anything about cycling the tank any different than usual. I also spoke with a breeder and he informed me as long as I choose products that do not increase the slime coat then the setup I chose would be good.

 

[froggygirl37]

A cycled tank is a cycled tank. Some people just have personal opinions on how to cycle best, and that is likely what the lfs employee was passing On to you. I too have used cycling products with great success. As long as you do water tests during your cycle to make sure it is complete, it does not matter how you do it.

I may suggest that you buy a pack of API water test strips to monitor levels in the tank for the first few weeks with the axolotyl. There should be no need for daily water changes unless you see abnormal levels in the tests (which I don't think you will have anyway).

 

[jordon]

i have a axolotl in my tank this is what i did
1)never use gravel as the stones will get stuck in the digestive system and will slowly die
2)make sure he has somewhere to hide from the light as they do not have eye lids
3)i use fake plants for my axolotl as the can ruin your live plants easy
4)use sand or large aquariam pebbles that is bigger thank his mouth
5)my axolotl eat bloodworms and tabimin tetra tablets
6)axolotls dont like a lot of flow in the water so i put something in front so it stops the flow a bit (opionial)
if you follow them you should be fine

 

[preyas1207]

Well when I cycle I put in a few danios so less likely to have disease than feeder fish and I also put the bacteria starter danios are pretty hardy

 

[JessJesting]

Like people have previously stated just cycle the tank as you normally would just keep an eye on the water parameters and you should be fine. Another thing I would like to add is if you get a baby keep it in a long Tupperware dish until they are bigger. If you put a little baby it your big tank it'll be hard to feed the little guy! Earthworms is the best staple diet for lotls although most will readily accept salmon pellets and bloodworms. And don't put make sure they are relatively the same size when you house them together! Anything that moves is food to a lotl so they can and WILL bite off the limbs of a smaller axolotl. I know OP asked about cycling but I thought I would put my 2 cents in. Good luck and have fun! Keeping them is a great experience! They have such big personalities!


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