Appropriate food for the Appropriate Pet. (Blog #6)

Firstly let me clear somthing up. I do not own axolotls anymore, they died, they're gone, and i do not plan on getting any new ones. I have refurbished my tank with new fish and some HD photos will be coming soon when i explain all about it in a few days. What i'm doing at the moment is copying all the old posts about axolotls from my old blog to this blog. What you see in white is some information i researched and am lecturing to you, what you see in RED below that is an update from a year ago about how my axolotls are doing. I plan to follow the same structure one i run out of these old axolotl post's.

This blog post was from Tuesday Feb 15, 2011.

Axolotls are carnivorous creatures. Out in the wild they learn to eat anything from smaller fish to some insects. In pet stores or at the home aquarium, Axolotls diet vary depending on there age. It is important to keep a mix and variation in diet, so the axolotl does not get bored and puts off eating.
Ive started my little guys off on half a frozen blood worm pellet a day. Basically you keep them in the freezer, pop one out, cut in in half and hand feed half to each of them. The axolotls snap the delicious food out of your hands. But usually some blood worms tend to swim away and not get eaten. They will only eat the whole chunks of worms and if individual worms break off they will not get eaten today, rather, rot inside the tank. Axolotl also eat Frozen Beef Heart, Sinking axolotl pellets, other meal worms and brine shrimp. An important thing to note is: Axolotls might become food for other fish! Some fish look at the pretty frilly gills of an axolotl and cant help themselves but give it a little nibble. *Note* Axolotls dont have teeth and for the first couple months of there lives they go through a cannibalistic stage where they can not be kept with other axolotls!
**Update**
Day 3.
Aristotle seemed fine last night, but when i came home today i noticed he was floating around the top of the tank. Usually he swims everywhere as fast as he can and then rest a little bit, but then jumps back up and swimming. Today he was floating at the top as if he lost his boyancey.
Sagee is lazing around and i dont even worry about her anymore.
All she does it stand at the bottom of the tank for hours at a time, And when i walk out of the room she will move position.
I fed them both half a blood worm pellet and Aristotle ate it right and quick.
Sagee had some trouble, i think it was frozen on the middle and hard for her to swallow. She spat out little bits of worms here and there. Man i got some cleaning up to do.
Untill tomrrow guys
-Josh

THESE THINGS CAN MORPH

THESE THINGS CAN MORPH!

This post was from Monday, Feburary 14th , 2011 when i discovered that axolotls can metamorphosis.

I have a bunch of updates to tell you. Long story short is that i have a refurbished my tank with ALOT of new jazz and i will explain them in future posts.

Hi guys, so im going to split my blog up into 2 sections from now on. The Red section will be about daily news on my own little axolotls and the blue section will be just about facts or cool things about Mexican walking fish you didn't know. So you can skip the facts and find out about how my pets are doing or vice versa:Note: These colours are subject to change, but the facts will always be on top.
 Some Axolotls have a wierd little ability. Usually when there out in the wild lakes of mexico, the Axolotl can develop lungs, harder feet and walk out of the water and become full land creatures. Kind of like a little lizard.
About 1 in a 1000 will do this in a fish tank, but there are some ways to try and force the effect.
The most common myth on metamorphosis  the Axolotl, would be to lower the water levels slowly in the tank and force the fish to morph. Although 90% this does not work and you end up killing the fish.
Some people believe that exposing Axolotls to an element. I.e. Iodine would help it that extra step, but because it is extremely poisoners, i do not recommended you do this to your little guy. Just enjoy him the way he is, but one day when your not looking he may decide to morph on you. And that 300$ Tank is a waste of everything.
Oh well, just another way these little guys are so awesome.
**Update**
Day 2:
The Axolotl's are settling into there new habitat with minor worries.
Aristotle *The white one* has been non stop swimming around and bumping his nose into the side glass of the tank. I think hes either really excited to be in a bigger environment then that of the crowded aquarium tank. Or maybe he just wants to get out. At least hes getting heaps of exercise and its better seeing them swim then laze around being the bottom dwellers they notoriously are.
Sagee: Sagee *the grey one* has been mopping around at the bottom of the tank. Ive been feeding them both daily, and i hope to not over feed them. Sagee looks sick but it may be just home sickness, or fright of being in this new big cage. (Damn, She looked active in the aquarium) Hopefully she stays steady and bursts into energy in the following days.
None of them seem to swim inside the 20$ log i bought them and Ive been keeping the water temperature at a constant 19-22c. with frozen water bottles.
Im trying to maintain 19 degrees Celsius 100% because temperature fluctuation are worse then it being too hot. I hope Sagee is not stressed.
Some people asked how much all up was the expenses. If you look in the paper or online you will find breeders sell there axolotls cheap. Around 10$ or so.
But anyhow
Hiding log, plant, gravel, tank, filter, 2 axolotls, food.
All came up to about 200$ (Australian)
But the tank was a bargain at a private seller. Aquariums are expensive i only suggest going to them for plants and food.

They're here! They're Finally Here! (Blog #5)

Hello. This post was from Feburary 12th, 2011. It was the day i got my axolotls and because of the hype
i created myself in with the blogging and everything, it was honestly one of the most exciting and rewarding days of my life. At this point, my blog was really looking up. I was getting more and more attention every day.
I exclaim that the axolotls were not even 2 months old, but i later learned that the axolotls actually reach 6 months of age before they are even shipped to the fish aquarium shops, placing these axolotls at at least 7 months old.
Enjoy :)

Aristotle my first albino, axolotl.

What your looking at is front row pictures of my new fish!

Today i managed to pick up 2 Axolotls at an aquarium!

They were 32$ Each and are 1.5 and 1 month old, respectively.

I am to believe that Ari is an Axanthic Axolotl. Im not sure on the genders of both of them though. I also bought a thermomintor to test water temperature, Axolotls (In the summer) need to be kept at a constant temperature ranging from 16-20 degrees Celsius.

With water bottles frozen to ice, i keep placing bottles in to thaw out into the water and reduce the temperature. They both seem extremely playful and they Snap the food right out of your hand. as the week goes on i wish to handle them a little more and teach them fully how to Snap the food so they can learn how to eat live earth worms i place in the tank. I also bought a plant for $4.50 and a huge log to hide in for 20$

 Axolotls have poor eyesight and so there getting use to there new eyesight. They're also very excited they are in a new, much bigger, gravel infested. Caves and places to hide ridden, Tank. Will post more good pictures as i see them, until then guys.

-Josh

Below is a picture of the 2nd axolotl, Sagee.

This is Sagee. My wild type axolotl.

Blog #4 "I'm Off to the shops"

Hello. This blog was from Friday February 11, 2011. This was a very exciting time for me so please excuse my spelling.
Also; I wish everyone a safe and relaxing New Year.

Thanks.


As those who have been following my blog are aware
Today is the big day
In an hour il be off to the aquariums in search of my new albino axolotl!

I am going to get 2 axolotls, One white and one black.
Im hoping they won't fight and are playful and mate with eachother :D

My setup is a 3 foot tank by about 1 foot width. Ive thrown in some gravel as well as feeder fish and 10 Cray fish. Erm, Make that 4 cray fish. One of my brothers fish i let into the tank sort of ate the other 6.
But hey thats what there there for. So with no real news to give you guys until a couple hours, here are some fun axolotl facts
1. Axolotls or Mexican Walking Fish are a type of water salamander commonly found in mexico.
2. They are a great pet for teenagers or people who want somthing different.
3. Axolotls come in different colours, but mainly WHITE, Luestic, Gold, albino and black. Expect various shades of these types.
4.When an axolotl is deprived of water to live in, it goes through a metamorphosis in which they evolve into a lung, air beathing salamander
5. Axolotl is the juvenile or young form of a salamander. They remain in this form there whole lives and can even breed in this form.
Thanks for taking the time to read this blog, Check back next time where il upload pics of the new little addition to my household.

-Josh

Blog #3

Hello. This post is from Thursday,  Feburary 10th. I don't know why i said i was going shopping the next day, thats a lie. I went shopping on the saturday.
For those asking for pictures of my Deceased axolotl, i'll include it at the bottom :)

Hehe i go axolotl shopping TOMRROW. Cant wait

Tonight I:
Got my brothers Oscar fish and placed him into my tank.
Just for the night, My new fresh bigger habitat will be a treat to that fish while my brother starts his full cleanup of his murky old tank. I also get a little more safer environment in the tank untill MY fish comes.
So in the tank i have
20 Feeder fish
6 small cray fish :O
and 1 medium sized oscar!
Cant sleep tonight im so excited, as always, il see you tomrrow when il be able to post ALL my fish pics.


-Josh

(Sagee, wild type axolotl)

Aristotle, Albino type axolotl

Both at about 7 months of age

Blog post #2

Hello. An introduction to this post:
This post was originally posted on Tuesday the 8th of Feburary, 2011.
This was 4 days before i actually got my blog, although it talks about nothing and has no pictures, i feel that these early posts were a strong part of establishing what i hoped to acomplish on my blog, and this one, so i've decided to post them, however mispelt and gramatacally incorect as they may be. Enjoy.

One day closer, baby.

My axolotl is only 3 days from arrival! Today i let in 4 small feeder fish into my 3 foot tank.

This is so that they can release ammonia into the tank and set up the biological filter. They (produce amonia when they sucesfully pass out digested food through the other end)
They will swim happily for 3 days until ARI comes in and eats them all up. Or mabey he will be a nice axolotl and let them be, but i doubt it

Oh well, untill then guys. See you soon

-Aristotle the Axolotl 

-Josh

Before i bought my axolotl:

Hi. Just an introduction to this post: This was from Early February of 2011, Before i actually got my axolotls. The post recalls the tale of a Saturday when i purchased the fish tank. Enjoy!

Axolotls

Hey guys. So heres a little intro blog
I just recently purchased a tank for 89$ australian dollars.
I got gravel and a filter for 50$
And my new 3 foot tank is set up and running.
Tomrrow i will be adding in FEEDER fish into the tank to help set up the bilogical filter, and this saturday i will be purchasing 2 albino Mexican Walking fish
"Aristotle and Destry"
Ari and des as i will refer to them will be my first ever fish i have taken care of on my own, And this weekly blog will feature tips tricks and pictures of the cute little guys.

Thanks, and see you soon with my first update.
-Josh