Axolotls With No Filter?

[ellena]

One of the teachers at school has 2 with no filter and she doesn't clean the water out very often. She says when she researched into keeping them she found they don't like the current so that's why they don't have a filter.
I've had a quick google though and it seems they do need one.
Anyway, I took a water sample to test and it was
NH3-8ppm
NO2-0.25ppm
NO3-10ppm (don't know what the tap water at school is, although I'm closeby and mine is 10ppm)
She's had them for just over a year like that-how are they surviving? The tank is about 3ft long, rectangular which my quick google seemed to suggest was adequate.
So would a filter be OK and which type would be best?
Thanks for any advice

 

[Colin_T]

Axolotls should have a filter to keep the ammonia and nitrite levels at 0ppm. If the ammonia levels go up and the pH of the water is above 7.0, then the Axos will suffer and probably die. Her Axos are probably kept in acid water with a pH below 7.0. Then the ammonia isn't a big problem.

If she is feeding them once or twice a week that will help to keep the ammonia levels lower.

Her nitrite reading is probably 0ppm as there won't be much beneficial bacteria converting the ammonia into nitrite and then nitrate.

Her nitrate reading is probably from the tap water.

Air operated filters are the best for Axos as they won't produce too much current but should help keep the ammonia levels down. An undergravel filter is a good choice but corner sponge filters, or plastic box filters will work just as well. If you get a box filter then buy a piece of filter foam to go in it. Try not to get filter floss/ wool as it doesn't last that long and will cost you more in the long term.

A small external canister or Hang on Back (HOB) filter will also work but a sponge should be fitted over the intake to prevent the Axos getting sucked onto it. An internal powerfilter sponge usually fits on the intake of most external power filters and are quite cheap to buy.

 

[ellena]

Thanks for the tips Colin
pH was the one thing I didn't check. I am fairly sure it's 7 from the tap at school-I'll check the water in the tank tomorrow.
So basically, there's no nitrogen cycle going on in there at all?
I'll look into filters and see if I can suggest one at a reasonable price.

 

[ellena]

Woah! There are a lot of filters out there! Searching for HOB or air powered is bringing up nothing. I'd be v.grateful if you could suggest a specific one that would be suitable, just to get me started?
Thanks

 

[Colin_T]

So basically, there's no nitrogen cycle going on in there at all?

It doesn't appear to have a nitrogen cycle going as there is no real nitrite and the nitrate is most likely from the tap water.

Woah! There are a lot of filters out there! Searching for HOB or air powered is bringing up nothing. I'd be v.grateful if you could suggest a specific one that would be suitable, just to get me started?

Aquaclear 30, 50 or 70 external filter
Eheim external canister filter
Fluval 4 or Fluval 5 series, ie: Fluval 402 or Fluval 502.

 

[ellena]

Thanks Colin, I'll have a search for those. Also, my guesstimate of the tank size was vastly over It's actually only 45x25cm with 18cm of water in it, so 20.25 litres.
I went to the local tip tonight as I'd heard they had tanks, but apparently they're not allowed to save them anymore, they have to be thrown away I'll see if I have any luck at car boots.

 

[3ndl3r]

Axolotls should not be kept without filtration. The fact they don't like current is no excuse.
I recommend a small internal filter. Thye don't produce much flow.


How big is the tank?

 

[ellena]

Thanks for the reply It's 45x25 cm with 18cm of water. I've been offered a tank with a filter which currently has 2 fish in it.
It's apparently 30" long. I'm hoping to get the filter with the fish then come back for the tank after it's been cleaned out.
Any idea how they'll cope with this?
They're sat in quite high ammonia, but as there's no cycle in their tank, they're not exposed to nitrites. Imagine if she's kept them quite happily with no filter for a year-I convince her to get one and they die

 

[3ndl3r]

You'll need to lose the fish. Axolotl's are not compatible with fish.

How wide is this tank? Width is just as important has length for Axie's

 

[ellena]

Yes, I'm rehoming the fish. Just hope their presence means there'll be some useful bacteria in the filter. Not sure on the measurements yet. I'm going tonight to get the fish. I'm going to ask for the filter then too and keep it in tank water till the morning, then add it to their current tank.
I'm thinking I'm going to have to monitor levels very carefully. In fact, thinking about it, I could do without adding the filter till Monday so they're not unmonitored with it over the wekend, but any bacteria will be dead by then won't they?
Hmmm, not sure what to do .

 

[3ndl3r]

Yes, I'm rehoming the fish. Just hope their presence means there'll be some useful bacteria in the filter. Not sure on the measurements yet. I'm going tonight to get the fish. I'm going to ask for the filter then too and keep it in tank water till the morning, then add it to their current tank.
I'm thinking I'm going to have to monitor levels very carefully. In fact, thinking about it, I could do without adding the filter till Monday so they're not unmonitored with it over the wekend, but any bacteria will be dead by then won't they?
Hmmm, not sure what to do .

Bacteria in a filter will be dead in 24 Hours.

Why can't you keep the fish in the tank to keep the filter alive?

 

[ellena]

'Cos the guy who's giving me the tank (random stranger who approached me in a LFS!) wants to give me the fish first then clean the tank out and me go back for it.
I got the fish today and took them straight to LFS.
He kept going on about the filter needing cleaning and it's for free, so I left him to it. The axolotls can't be any worse off than they are already can they?
So I'm going to be doing an axolotl-in cycle I guess?

 

[3ndl3r]

I wouldn't advise it. Read up on fishless cycles.

 

[Truck]

Bacteria in a filter will be dead in 24 Hours.

thats not true, bacteria normally die off at a rate of 10% a day.

fish in cycles are totally acceptable if done properly, theyre all ive ever done and ive never had a casualty or shortened ill health fish from it. all of my fish have been very healthy actually, just keep on top of those 90% water changes and youll be fine.

its only up until recently that people have started doing fishless cycles.

if you go for fish in, add some mature media to kick start it

 

[3ndl3r]

Do you have any other tanks running at the moment? If you do, you can steal some mature media from the filters and use it to instantly cycle the new tank.

James