axolotl info

[mygabriella]

So, im going to get some axolotls. Ill keep them separately. No one around here has any, so im going to have to order some. I found one site thats $40 plus $40 shipping. But another site thats $10.00 and $5 shipping. Whats the deal there?

Is there a huge difference in the babies vs the adults to make them that different in price? Or is it just like a snake and people dont like to wait for them to grow?

Also what are recommendations for food. Ive read newt bites, sinking fish pellets, feeder fish, worms, mealies...

I like the leucistic, but the black and orange ones are adorable too :)

[smy_749]

If you have the money and don't NEED a baby, I would say to buy a well established adult. Also if its 5 dollar shipping, its not going to be overnight...

[Starbuck]

i raised an axolotl from bout 4 inches (total length) to +10 inches, currently, and still growing. They are not that difficult (surprisingly easy, actually).
You can keep them together, provided they have plenty of food and a very large tank, as long as they are the same size. They can bite eachothers limbs, but they will grow back; this is why its important to feed them plenty.

I feed mine sinking newt pellets, frozen blood worms, frozen beef heart. I tried frozen daphnia but that was a nightmare... my axie was too big to eat them and they clouded up the water, it was pretty gross. I also tried a few varieties of floating prey, but he never really figured them out.

The most important thing is to keep your tank COOL (seriously, it cant really be too cold, over 45 degrees and under 70), place it near an air conditioner or in a basement, but definitely away from windows. Also, you will want to buy a very small filter because axolotls dont like water flow; i have a mini filter rated for 7.5 gallons in my 20G long, in a corner and pointed to the nearest wall.
I've read that you can keep them in 10G their whole lives, but that seemed pretty small to me, so i use a 20.

Best of luck, let me know if you have any more questions (there is also a very helpful amphibian forum if you run into more serious trouble, caudata or something).