"This has been the most difficult experience" *flashbacks* to iguana whipping face,scratching alexs arms and hitting his groin. *flashbacks* to rosie hissing like a demon *flashbacks* to dead cactus
tried it but worst is when you try to pick it up, and the lotl comes looking if you bring food, and chombs the sausage to piñata in your fingers XD a true mess
It's really refreshing to hear someone talk about the mistakes they've made (and overcome!) when caring for a completely new animal. Aquatic pets are no joke, and how some people can say that fish require no effort still blows my mind. Cycling a tank is probably THE most important aspect of fish keeping, yet a lot of people (even experienced animal keepers, such as yourself) don't know much about it. It's cool to see people learn. :) Your lotl is adorable, by the way.
@@avawhitehouse3839 A month should be ok but i recommend getting a water testing kit and doing a little research on how to know when an aquarium is fully cycled.
Ava's Land! Ik it's probably too late lol but for anyone else looking through the comments who might find this useful Get 100% pure ammonia from the store, add 1/3 of a cup per 10 gallons. Then wait for the ammonia to be turned into nitrite, nitrite to be turned into nitrate, and then change the water and add some aquatic life
@@avawhitehouse3839 Sorry! I didn't see your comment. You need to dose the water with pure ammonia and test the water with a liquid test kit (like the API Master Kit) until the parameters read Ammonia: 0, Nitrites: 0, and Nitrates: 5-20. Then your tank is cycled.
Water weighs 8.34lbs per gallon, so while Idk what that aquarium weighs by itself, but the water alone in a 20gallon is the better part of 170lbs. I am not at all surprised you can't move it when it's full. With a quarter of the water, I imagine it still weighs close to 100lbs with equipment and filters and decor. You're not a weakling Alex. You're a buffed ass stud and manly man. Your masculinity is safe with us.
Wow so your telling me I can carry like 30 pounds or something?I didn’t realize I was somewhat strong.Maybe all those times moving my 3.5 gallon that was filled with water helped me when I was helping my dad move my turtles 40 gallon into the house.
Can confirm. Recently upgraded my axie's tank to a 20gal, had to move the old 10gal with a tiny bit of water in it and promptly peed myself from lifting it.
@@DurtyDickJesus I actually didn't know that, thank you for telling me! I ran out of bucket room and didn't want to lose too much of the cycled water so I left in maybe a gallon or two. If I have to move tanks in the future (hopefully not) I'll make sure I have a big enough bucket so I won't risk breaking the tank.
3:17 That is a much better kit than the strips actually, not because it's fancy but because it is accurate. 4:41 You can use a turkey baster for poop. 12:30 Get like 1 or 2 more java ferns on driftwood. Plants can take in the excess "nutrients" and help with the ammonia.
You can also get extra long gloves off of amazon!!! If your afraid of reaching in the tank!!! I used them when I was afraid of my copepods in my betta tank!
Those detritus. They aren't harmful, they cant do anything to the axolotl, they cant do anything to you. They just exist. *And I hate them.* (With a burning passion)
Axolotls are close to extinct in their natural habitat, scientists are working on ways to get their numbers up in the wild and with the help of these Mexican nuns that are experts in caring for axolotls they are making some progress.
I'm happy we've atleast managed to keep the species alive despite the loss of habitats. Yes the numbers aren't what they were but they atleast have a chance
I understand the frustration of figuring this all out and getting a tank fully set up. As an axolotl owner with several other fish tanks (all have been established for 2+ years), I hope I can still offer some helpful advice. - First of all, you should never need to do 50% water changes twice a week. That might be causing more problems than good when it comes to the bacteria to set up the cycle. If you need to, she can live in a smaller tank doing daily water changes while you focus on cycling this tank. - There were some comments saying an HOB filter isn't good enough and you need a canister filter... An HOB filter is ABSOLUTELY FINE for the tank you have. You DO NOT need to get an expensive canister filter for it, since it is such a small tank. That being said, I do suggest getting a different filter. A sponge filter won't hold enough filter media to keep the tank clean enough, never mind cycle it. To fully cycle it, try to have a variety of filter media in the tank (bio beads, a sponge, and charcoal). Every month or two, replace ONE of them (and honestly, we go longer than that without replacing the media and the tank is fine). This will keep enough bacteria in the filter to keep the cycle going. On top of this, absolutely never rinse your media out in fresh water and try to only rinse it out in the tank water (while you're doing a water change, put some tank water in a cup) when the media is really gross. - Is your turtle tank cycled? If so, just take some media from the canister filter and move it into the filter for this tank. This will automatically jump-start the cycle on this tank and the bacteria will spread to the other filter media. This is also a great way to quickly cycle any future tanks! - If you're going sand-less because you like the way it looks or because maintenance is easier, just ignore this part. But it sounds like you liked the way it looked more with the sand. Unless it is a very thick layer of sand (more than an inch) with air pockets and poop buried in it, the sand really shouldn't cause problems. I use a turkey baster to suck up the poop and it doesn't disturb the sand (which means you don't have to rinse the sand! :) ). Honestly, the sand will probably help cycle the tank faster. We have always had sand in with our axies and we haven't had any problems. - You may want to consider putting a baffle on the tank to block some of the flow using a 2 liter pop bottle, rather than a paper towel. Here is a link to a similar one using a water bottle. We just used a pop bottle because it looked a little nicer. It's super easy to do, and it lasts a while. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-IOkh_BB_OLc.html - Curling gills are definitely a sign of stress, but a curled or ruffled tail can also be a big sign. Mine don't always curl their gills, sometimes only their tail curls. - Topping off the tank is FINE as long as you aren't using it as a replacement for water changes. A water change is still necessary once a week or once every other week. In the meantime, topping the tank off is okay. The problem comes when people are using it to keep their tank full for a month or two, thinking that is good enough to keep the tank clean. I hope this helps! We first got our tanks when we were in college dorm rooms and it was definitely a learning curve to get them set up! If it helps, you sound like you're doing a great job trying to figure the cycle problem out! I think most people would have given up by this point so it is really nice to see you still trying! :)
I would also suggest that floating plants like frogbit and dwarf water lettuce would be great to add. Fastest growing to remove ammonia etc fastest, and would filter the lighting a bit.
Hi! Don’t know if you’re still here after a year or so, but this Sunday I’m getting a pet axolotl. Can I have some advice on what to get, do, and how to maintain it?
my axolotl likes to sit directly under the filter flow and actually gets upset when i cover it up so she cant and tears everything down just so she can sit under it
And like this is why you can’t take what the internet says for heart. You have to see what the individual animal likes. I’ve gotten yelled at for keeping animals a certain way and it’s really annoying because I’ve the research and did it the “correct way” the first but found out that animal didn’t like it, so I changed it.
same with mine!!! only my older black one though, my younger albino doesn’t like it but doesn’t mind it. they love looking out the window or watching me do things hahah they’re so cute
Yes, my boy loves the flow of the filter, when I take the filter off to clean it he goes all sad sack, put the filter back and he's like a hyperactive puppy, hates light though but the room he's in is light enough that I can still watch him
If you've got algae and lighting is an issue, you could also try a floating type of plant like duckweed or frogbit. They would give your tank some shade and absorb the nutrients from the water, slowing down the algae growth. Plus since they float they wouldn't get in the way of poop cleanups.
Dylan Lockwood My goldfish tank runs around the same as his tank and my duckweed is insane! Fortunately one of my male fantails Dave likes to cull it back for me!
As an aquarium person, I have one vital question to ask, that may solve the mystery of the ammonia problem (because sand doesn't cause ammonia): How are you taking care of your filter media? Rinsing it? Changing it?
Miss Minka It coulda been trapping junk in it, which could cause some minor ammonia spikes. He did say the poo pods would break, so it could have contributed somewhat, seeing as it’s harder to clean sand than a bare bottom.
@@somuchluv89 he says this, which is basically the most telling thing. "the tank probably wasn't fully cycled." This is the end of the mystery for me lol. He didn't give it enough time to cycle, plus not really understanding the Nitrogen cycle to begin with seems like the culprit.
Those up close shots are beautiful... you never notice all the detail until you look close. (Edit:) Oh yea the axolotl up close is cool too *badum ching*
"She convinces me she's dead at least 5 times a day." Same with my oldest rat😂 I could throw his cage and he'll still be fast asleep but let me bring some treats in and suddenly we've had a resurrection.
"She convinces me that she is deceased like 5 times a day." Oh, I feel your pain. My husband was at work one night and I came in to find Pickle floating around. I freaked out and called my husband in a panic crying. He's trying to calm me down and the little squirt starts swimming around 🤦♀️
Thank you for all that you do. Your videos are great. I’ve learned so much from you thank you. I’m a 74-year-old grandmother who loves learning everything you have to teach us
Detritus worms usually go away in tanks with fish cause the fish eat them like candy. The worms work like springtails in a bioactive to break down waste into stuff your plants can use. If you're having filter issues, I recommend getting a canister filter (fluval is great) or just another smaller secondary filter. I rip out the cartridge and replace it with a bag of bio rings/balls and a couple hunks of filter floss/polyfil. Whatever you do, do not wash or replace your filter media, that could be the reason behind your cycle issues. Your current filter is a HOB-Hang on Back, not a sponge filter. A sponge filter is a sponge with a air pump blowing air through the middle, creating a low flow.
Your videos are super cool!!! Just so you know I'm 45(I mentioned it because I'm sure I'm not your target audience!!!) And your videos are totally turning me on to reptiles!!! Keep up the great work!!!
Dude, your videos are fantastic! Your topics are good and varied and you're clearly transparent about your opinions and how you care for your animals. You're one of the best animal/pet youtubers.
I have had 2 axolotls (in separate tanks) for 18 months and I find them so easy to keep! It’s crazy how people have totally different experiences. I have done a 20-25% water-change bi-weekly since day one and fed them a variety of food (mainly different kinds of worms) and have been really fortunate to have kept steady water parameters without any issues. I don’t really mess with the temperature of their tanks half as much as most people advise and they’ve been absolutely fine. I find the community of fish keepers and keepers of aquatic pets in general can often over-think the hobby and make it more complicated than it needs to be. Good insightful video you have shared with us though and I wish you all the best ✌🏽
To help cycle a tank before receiving an aquatic animal, you can put a frozen uncooked shrimp in a tank and let the filter run. It releases the ammonia from the dead shrimp and starts activating the nitrites and nitrates. Eventually the ammonia will be zero while your nitrates boost.. give it about 2 weeks or more if you can. I love that you stretched out into unknown territory! You did good 👍
I realize this is an old video, so you may know now. But it took me FOREVER to find the best way after googling and having to try it out myself because everyone kept saying something new and contradicting to others. Gahhhhh. But I'm glad you stuck with it 😁
You’re doing great!!! You’ve got great instincts and seem to be very proactive, caring, and responsible. I’m impressed! Don’t let the haters get to you. 😊
I used to have 5 Axolotls, but sadly I had to rehome them due to my health. But a couple tips: if you see ammonia it means your tank isn’t cycled, or that the cycle is stalling. You can add liquid bacteria to help with that. Also, use a turkey baster to remove the waste. It’ll save you doing so many water changes, which doesn’t help with cycling the tank. Usually a 25-30% water change once a week is enough when you manually remove the waste. Also, if you don’t want a bare bottom tank and are still against having sand, you could try slate tiles.
Alex if you end up getting another axolotl and you want to keep them in the same enclosure make sure they are similar in size. Woobeewoo WILL eat a smaller axolotl and a small axolotl WILL bite woobeewoo. Take it from someone who's experienced it. My big guy ate the smaller guy and then became impacted and died. Haven't been able to keep axies since.
Actually axolotls don't really reach a full size. They grow to the space they have, so if an axie is kept in a massive enclosure they can grow up to a foot long on some cases. Keeping your axie where she is is by no means bad, though. Also, you can totally pet them! You just have to wash you hand first
I am currently looking into getting an axolotl because an owner in my area had 2 axolotl's who had babies. This was very helpful and informative! Thankyou!
i had one of those tiny aquatic frogs a few years ago and it floated around so much that every day i was convinced it was dead right up until the day it actually died. ironically, his name was ryuk (deathnote), so i guess it was fitting that he did that.
Dude you’re super chill, wouldn’t mind an afternoon tea and just chatting about your adventures. Hope you and your babies are doing well during pandemic
She’s super pretty! :) I think I’ve only ever seen pictures of babies. I’m glad you made this video because I know a lot of people who find these guys adorable and would love to keep them but I don’t think any of us fully understood how much care and work goes into keeping them.
@@cookiecraftfriend1051 i actually had a Wooper as my pfp, my channel was called WooperMedia at that time but I changed it to something more original after a month
options: at some point, if you wish to rescape: -sponge filter: way easy; can get a quiet air filter. -fans: silent computer fans do the same job cheaper; lots of easy DIY's out there for whatever amount of effort you might want to extend. -silicone slate tile to the bottom: nice visually, good traction for the Axy - floating plants or dwarf water lily or two in a pot; gives cover; she doesn't need much light; better w/ not too bright anyway. as long as she doesn't have difficulty coming up for air. `hope some of that's useful, or gives some ideas.
we got ours on accident and have had just as many/the same problems you have had and the worse mistake we made was listening to so called experts on a so called axolotl website .. we took the same approach you did we quit listening to them and did what worked for us.. now our baby is healthy and huge and looks better than before she got sick (ammonia problems too) she even had a burn in her tail that went all the way through and is completely healed now .. we have albino (pink with pink eyes) her name is swim shady (we though we had a male at first) but has bar none been the hardest but most rewarding year but now she is thriving and beautiful... thanks for the vid .. made me feel good knowing i did right for my axi
Axies are great 👍 I’m glad that you have found a system that works for your animal and situation. I have three of them, and my oldest is turning three in a couple of months. The only advice I would give, and something that worked well for me when I started, would be the use slate tiles (like from Home Depot) for a substrate/floor. They look good, are an inert stone, and are a lot grippier than bare glass. Glad that it’s worked out!
You seriously made the right choice with your test kit. A TDS meeter will also help you save money on your test kits. I love mine and I have saved a ton. I have 16 tanks running. I am glad you posted this video. My buddy wants some. He never kept a anything in life as a pet. I told him he was diving in deep. He plans to research the animal before he gets one and sets up the tank. He will be paying me to maintain his tank. So thank you for some of the what not to do's with this animal.
Axolotls can be pretty curious creatures, so if you move/add an extra hide you'll find them "checking them out" a lot. The same way a cat likes to lay on furniture if you just moved it.
I love axolotls! I have one. It truly is such a rewarding experience. I’ve found it’s one of those animals that as much research as you do, you know nothing until you start caring for them yourself.
Good for you ignoring all the negative opinions of others! Most keepers know their animals, love them, know their specific needs and do what's right for them. A lot of people seem to feel the need to disagree because they just want to talk, and/or think they know what's best for YOUR animal based on their own experiences or only base their opinions off of a single articles first few sentences. People are stupid. We know what's best for our animals and if we're concerned, we ask questions to people who can give us legitemate feedback. That's what differentiates us from them
Omg I just realized I did a thing where I watched like all of your videos in a row, but you just showed up in my suggested videos and homepage so much that I never realized I never actually subscribed 😂 oops!
13:40 I love this. I been Keeper of exotic animals for 20 years. Care guides get you started, but that’s it. Do what works for you. My biggest tip for any aquatic system is to keep your hand out of the tank. Stop messing with stuff and let it be.
One can have a reaction to detritus worms. They make my arms itch, requiring Benadryl! Wear gloves during water changes if you have to. I learned the hard way.
I have sand in my enclosure and do not have ammonia spikes. The difference is my tank is heavily planted and I have a cannister filter with a wide spray bar that it directed towards the glass. Only one plant is a 'real' aquarium plant (anubias I think). The other plants are actually water rooted pothos, spider plant, and monstera adansonii that hang out the top. Good job taking care of her!!
They are not extinct in mexico, but their population has decreased dangerously. They are native to most lakes in the valley of Mexico. In the cities around these lakes (Mexico City for example) there's a big conservation effort being made :)
If you wanted a terrain that’s easy to clean and control ammonia with but is more aesthetic I think you can put certain types of tile on the bottom! She’s very cute!!!
Turkey baster helps with spot cleaning the evil turd sausages! And ghost shrimp are a yummy snack and also take care of all the micro bodies! Mine eat the copepods and the ugly non parasite worms. Your girl looks super happy! I call the gills on the head floofs. My little boy floofs everytime I call him beautiful. Great job!
Yep, there seems to be little fact and more opinion in the axolotl community. I have 5 myself. Things I have noticed about mine is they love to swim. I have a 400/liter tank 1.5 meters long. Also it's a myth that they don't like light. They don't like sudden light. So if you have a timer they will be just fine. Warmer temps are also ok depending on the axolotl and keeping some fish depending on the fish. Water changes are your best friend. I have a friend that keeps his at 69-70f. One of his actually evolved because he provided land. I keep a zebera high fin fish with mine because it eats everything they don't. Pellet wise mean. It's also nice and keeps to its self never bothering the axolotls. But your axolotl is very cute. And your doing a great job.
The only advice I can give is test your water parameters once a week (minimum). Besides that you're looking good. They are super sensitive to water conditions (including dissolved O2 in the water).
Fun fact: the /tl/ is called a "glottal stop" in linguistic terms. Also I gave my axolotl a Nahuatl name... I like to give my animals names from the culture of their native lands.
I prefer to pronounce it that way, but I'm used to the way English and Spanish speakers speak it phonetically (pronouncing it the way the spelling suggests in their language).
“We have very few similarities, we both have eyes” DYING 🤣 love this whole video, I just rescued 3 of them and had a lot of learning curves, 100% I’d love to see more videos about her💕
When they float upside down that usually means they aren't getting enough O2/Oxygen (which floats up to the surface). They cope by pulling O2 from the surface, if their gills curl back towards the body it means that they can't get enough O2 even by pulling from the surface.
All creatures are different, what stresses or upsets one, won’t bother another in the slightest and vice versa. Don’t listen to all the people bitching that there’s only one right way to do something. Your animals seem happy and healthy and that’s all that matters, and you obviously care a lot about the animals and have educated yourself well. Personally I’m a bird person and although many people hate seeing birds in cages, some birds actually love being in their cages! My birds are free as they please- one only ever went into the cage at night to sleep, another loves her cage so much and would prefer to be in it most of the time, she comes out for cuddles but after 10-15 minutes will want to go back and play in the cage- it’s her territory and she obviously feels better protected and more comfortable while in it, and I don’t care as long as she’s happy- she’s still playful and has a great personality, she just prefers to spend most of her time in the cage- it’s no different from a young teenager who might prefer to hang out in their bedroom most days lol 😉 Great video- I’ve been really loving your channel 👍
I got detritus in one of my fish aquariums when I was in grade school and I lost my mind! They were everywhere and I thought they were hurting my fish so I took all my fish aquarium and called PetSmart to ask them what to do. I had to get transferred four times before someone knew what I was talking about. First thing the lady said was "don't take your fish out of the aquarium." So I'm like, "well I already did."
I'm not sure if it's a general thing, but I had one for years and he was a male and I never had issues with him. He lived to be I think 10 or so and he was the greatest! We cleaned his tank at least once a week and he adored his log we had in the tank for him. There was some special food that we fed him and he really liked it but we also sometimes switched it up with live feeders.
I’m glad I found your channel. I like this Axolotl and I think it’s because she has freckles like me lol. Keep updating and yes, trust in YOUR knowledge of YOUR animal. You’re on the right track.
I didn't know that. Dammit. I've been wanting one for YEARS. We are so crazy with our environmental laws. I mean, we have a lot to protect, but we don't allow domesticated ferrets because they are afraid of them becoming invasive species. Have they MET a woozle? Omg. If you didn't give them food and peanut butter they would die waiting for a fridge to show up. And for that matter have you seen our feral cat problem? We put our resources in some really ridiculous spots. I also keep reading that hamsters are illegal, but they sell them at my local Petco.
@@mazterfranky4041 I actually just looked it up after I made my above comment....it isn't environmental protection like I assumed. It is because they are endangered in the wild and CA has laws against owning endangered species.
Your just real with your experiences. And im more in the hobby of aquariums so its so dope to see you make this video! I feel you on everything youve gone through for real 😂
I have four of these! Gurt, who is about 15 and 9 inches long, HT who is about 12cm, Bucky who is a rescue, and Baby Stig who is just 3cm! They're really cool pets.
I'm happy you changed out the sand! I remember last time you were considering doing so. The ammonia has been SO much better in my axolotl tank ever since I removed the sand. A lot of people will tell you that having no substrate whatsoever for an axolotl will stress them out but as you've probably noticed with yours, it really doesn't. Mine has been completely fine without it. And if you ever do decide to get another one, I would recommend keeping them together when they're close in size. My two girls stayed separate for the first few months I had them and once they were big enough, I slowly introduced them together and it's honestly one of the best things I've done. They love each other and I often find them cuddling up next to each other. It's definitely an adorable sight to see. I'm so happy your girl has been doing so well and I really hope things get a lot easier!
