Moracai
Archachatina degneri
Posts: 959
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Post by Moracai on Aug 23, 2006 19:29:29 GMT
Any one here keep them? I have been wanting one for months now and might finally get one this weekend. Was wondering about anyone elses experiences with them.
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Post by section8angel on Aug 23, 2006 19:39:16 GMT
We used to keep them. They're lovely.
They weren't much trouble 'cept when it came to taking pics of them lol
Most of them didn't like fast moving water, but a few didn't actually mind lol. They weren't all bad with the temp changes either.
They used to eat a good variety of foods. Cockles, mussels, shrimp, prawns, bloodworm, worms and crickets.
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Moracai
Archachatina degneri
Posts: 959
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Post by Moracai on Aug 23, 2006 19:45:28 GMT
Thanks I have spent the day re-building them a tank. Just got to seal it tomorrow. I took the bottom off a tank that had a vent hole in the side near the bottom and moved the bottom to the top. Searched everywhere in town for aquarium sealant today so will try the aquatics store tomorrow. They are so cute, I can't wait, but need to make sure I have a proper setup first.
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Post by craftysnails on Aug 23, 2006 19:49:50 GMT
May I ask what they are? Cos I never heard of them.
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Post by section8angel on Aug 23, 2006 19:51:01 GMT
Lol. I got a big tube of it from ebay, was much cheaper than our lfs. What are you using for the substrate? We used smooth gravel, it was smaller than people/sites recommend but as we hand fed ours most of the time it wasn't too bad. The rest of the time they had slate "tables" that we put the food on lol I've seen some lovely setups with big pebbles in, they look amazing. I want piccies when it's all done! ;D Craftysnails - www.axolotl.org/
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Moracai
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Posts: 959
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Post by Moracai on Aug 23, 2006 20:05:21 GMT
I was thinking sand as it's supposed to be easier to clean.
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Moracai
Archachatina degneri
Posts: 959
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Post by Moracai on Aug 23, 2006 20:08:49 GMT
Yours was ok with gravel? i suppose if you hand feed then no chance of them accidently swallowing one. Was thinking maybe some large pebbles on one side, then I need floating weeds as they apparently like to float on them. And apparently they like to play with moss balls. better make a list to take tomorrow!
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Post by craftysnails on Aug 23, 2006 20:47:30 GMT
AAhhh that nice thanks for link.
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Post by section8angel on Aug 23, 2006 21:51:17 GMT
The majority was probably 1cm with the biggest pieces being about 1.5cm. We made sure they ate the food while we were watching as well as hand feeding and using tables.
Sand is easier to clean 'cause everything stays on the top of it lol. Just watch it with your filter, the way ours used to move around the filters woulda been clogged up with sand in no time if we'd used it lol.
We had some floating plants in with ours and they ignored them but they did like mossballs, ours were always being moved! My newts do it now, saves me having to turn them lol.
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Moracai
Archachatina degneri
Posts: 959
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Post by Moracai on Aug 23, 2006 22:04:48 GMT
I will bear that in mind with the sand clogging the filter. maybe I should just go for the big stones?
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Post by section8angel on Aug 23, 2006 22:16:57 GMT
I'm not sure whether certain brands clog easier than others. Is it an internal one you'll be using? If you put it up high enough it might be ok. Or as you said about large pebbles on one side you could put the filter on the side of the pebbles then it's away from the sand. And/or maybe put an ornament or something in front of the filter to block any sand that might get stirred up? Obviously wouldn't stop all of it, but might stop enough. I do know people who use sand with internal filters but they're not online at the moment to ask what they do lol. There's some pics here of tank setups, not all for axolotls but might still give you some ideas. The first one has sand but still uses internal filters so yours might be ok? www.caudata.org/cc/articles/setups1.shtml
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Moracai
Archachatina degneri
Posts: 959
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Post by Moracai on Aug 23, 2006 22:47:31 GMT
Thank you for the link I had looked through that site earlier today but missed that section with setups. Lots of ideas there. Forgot to mention the filter. It's going to be a fluval 1 plus internal. I understand they don't like much current so thought this one would do the trick. Besides it was sitting unused in a box. ;D
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Moracai
Archachatina degneri
Posts: 959
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Post by Moracai on Aug 24, 2006 12:04:38 GMT
Been back to the aquatics store and have reserved one to collect on saturday. Should have the tank ready by then. A lovely white one. Too young to tell if it's a male or female, but it's beautiful.
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Post by (¯`·._.·[Samm]·._.·´¯) on Sept 4, 2006 22:05:41 GMT
Dont no if your still reading this... But they tend to like 1/3 sand, 2/3 gravel, with some plants and like a hide thingy
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Moracai
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Posts: 959
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Post by Moracai on Sept 5, 2006 18:29:06 GMT
problem with regular gravel though is that they accidently eat it, then can't digest it. I have used a layer of crushed gravel, very small pieces that could easily be passed, with a layer of sand on top of that. total depth is about the depth of my little finger nail. Lots of plants, and a cave I made myself out of pieces of slate glued together with aquarium sealant. There is a pic of the setup in my thread in the other pets section.
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Post by (¯`·._.·[Samm]·._.·´¯) on Sept 5, 2006 18:57:47 GMT
um, Mine were fine with the gravel, cause they sorta snaped at the food, and sucked, but it blew the gravel out of the way.. make sense? Ill take a look at your Set up now
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Moracai
Archachatina degneri
Posts: 959
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Post by Moracai on Sept 5, 2006 19:10:33 GMT
Think it depends on the gravel size, at least thats what the people on the Axie forum say I know what you mean about the blowing it away, when mine snap at their dinner a big cloud of sand sprays everywhere
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Post by (¯`·._.·[Samm]·._.·´¯) on Sept 5, 2006 22:44:32 GMT
hehe ... kinda fun to watch them feeding
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