u/Tricky-Discussion574

Hi Everyone !

Today I popped into the aquarium shop in Shoreditch to get a few extra hiding decorations for Miso & Matcha and they gave me these products for the plants. I asked twice if it was alright to put in the axolotls' tank and they said yes. Google Gemini told me that it's extremely toxic so I didn’t use it. Please, I need your opinion. Gemini also told me to send this message 😂:

“Thank you, but I checked the back label and it contains Copper (Cu 0.006%). Copper is highly toxic to amphibians like axolotls because of their permeable skin, even in trace amounts. I won't be using it and would like to bring it back for a refund/return. Thanks”

🫶🏻🫶🏻

My Cookie 🐹 manage to escape or eat every single playpen that I bought . Before I spending £89 , did anyone tried this brand ?? It’s worth it ? Thanks 🫶🏻

In June , when they came home with me , they were really small.At the time ,the shop said they were 5 months old , but I have the feeling that they were younger than that . 🫶

Hi Beautiful People !

I removed from the tank this floating plants. At the beginning I thought it was a good idea, but they become yellow after one month . Can you suggest me nice floating plants that are not messy in the water !

Thanks x

Hi everyone!
I need a little advice regarding one of my juvenile axolotls.
Background & Setup:
- I've had both of them for about a month, and they’ve been growing really fast!
- The tank is fully cycled, and temperature + water parameters are spot on. 
- I'm not entirely sure of their exact age/size, but one is visibly bigger than the other.

The little one: Very active, super friendly, and comes right up to the front whenever it sees me. Huge appetite!
The big one: A bit more shy, prefers hiding among the live plants, and recently has a smaller appetite.

The Feeding Situation:
I’ve been feeding them cut-up Dendrobaena worms twice a day (AM/PM). Each gets about half a worm per feeding, so roughly one full worm a day each. Neither of them likes pellets, so worms are their main diet. 
The Issue:
Since yesterday, the bigger one has been spitting his worms out. Even when I cut the worm into tiny pieces, he’ll suck it in, hold it for a second, and then spit it back out. 
Is it possible he’s just completely full from the previous feedings and refusing to overeat? Or could he be disliking the bitter defense slime that earthworms sometimes release when cut? 
I was thinking of offering a couple of small white worms or some frozen bloodworms as a test to see if he's actually hungry or just being picky. 
What do you all suggest? Thanks in advance!

They are doing much better and day by day I removing the sand from the tank. They are eating twice a day , the water temperature dropped to 19degree . We are getting there !

Hello everyone!

I’m Silvia, and I’m brand new to the world of axolotls. I need a lot of help and am open to any advice. Please don't bash me; I already feel so guilty. This message will be long because I want to include every detail so you understand the situation.

The shop told me they are 5–6 months old. I really wanted axolotls, so before buying them, I went to an aquatic shop in London to ask for advice. They misled me quite a bit, and now I find myself struggling big time.
I bought a 150L (approx. 40-gallon) aquarium with all the starter kits, and they suggested I buy sand and soil for live plants. I wanted to create a natural aquarium because I truly want to give these animals the perfect life. Anyway, I got home and started the cycle. I didn't use the soil because I read online that it was harmful, so I only put down the sand. I ran the fishless cycle for 6 weeks, and the parameters were perfect. (The shop never refunded me for the soil, even though I told them I read it was harmful to axolotls.)
They advised me to buy two axolotls, which I now know isn't ideal for a thousand reasons. I also had to figure out on my own that I needed to use an aquarium dechlorinator/water conditioner suitable for axolotls (like AxoStart) because the shop didn't even mention it.
On Saturday, I went to the shop to pick them up, and they gave me frozen bloodworms and a bag of live bloodworms. On Saturday, I noticed they were doing well—walking on the bottom, eating, and digesting well. On Sunday, I noticed the water was too warm (25°C / 77°F), so I started using frozen water bottles and two fans. I spent so much money setting everything up that I currently don't have the budget for a chiller—which is why I'm constantly swapping frozen water bottles alongside running the two fans.
I saw them going up to the surface frequently for air and coming back down. Plus, the larger one didn't digest the worms properly—they came out whole in his poop.
I got worried, tested the water parameters, and the nitrites and nitrates were through the roof! I called the shop, and they told me to do a 30% water change every day until things stabilized. Yesterday, I changed some water and gave them frozen worms again, which they digested better.
Yesterday, I did some more research and realized my filter wasn't strong enough, so I bought a second filter and an air pump. Today, I installed the new setup and changed 50% water, and the water parameters are good again: ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates are all at zero, and the pH is 7.6.
I haven't fed them today yet because Google Gemini suggested letting them skip a meal to see if the water parameters remain stable tomorrow (I'm desperate, so I'm searching for info everywhere!). The temperature is now 22.7°C (72.8°F). I’m swapping out frozen water bottles every hour—I've barely slept due to anxiety about the water getting too hot.
I must say, they look much better to me now: they are staying on the bottom, walking around calmly, and haven't gone up to gulp air again. I’ll attach some photos ( the light is always off , I just switched it on for the video and pics ) to give you a better idea of the setup.
Any advice would be hugely appreciated! If you live in London, I'd even be happy to get advice in person.

I have a few specific questions:

1. How do I keep nitrites and nitrates at zero consistently?
2. Is it worth buying just one super-strong filter rated for double or triple the tank’s volume instead of running two smaller filters?
3. Should I remove the sand? If Yes , how I do with the plants ?
4. I’m having a really hard time with daily spot cleaning—I struggle using the giant tweezers or turkey baster/syringe to pick up poop, and I make a mess every time. Any tips?
5. Besides frozen food, I ordered pellets (arriving tomorrow) and live earthworms (currently in the fridge). I know young ones need to eat every day, but how should I alternate between live food, frozen food, and pellets?
6. They ate on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, but not today (Tuesday). Should I let them skip today's meal so I can check the water parameters tomorrow?

I think I’ve covered all my questions for now. Thank you so much in advance to anyone who takes the time to read this and support me!

Thanks ❤️