This rare animal, which lives in natural conditions in the waters of Lake Exochimilco (Central Mexico), is unique for our latitudes. Axolotl is under protection, as the species is considered to be dying out. But lovers of exotics should not be upset: for the maintenance of axolotl at home they are specially grown.
To say that the Mexican axolotl is a beautiful animal is difficult, because it looks strange, to put it mildly: a puffy face, a long body and a translucent tail. Those who decided to keep the axolotl in the aquarium, the information given below is useful.
Care and maintenance rules
To begin with, we note that males from females do not differ in appearance. You can learn the male only by the characteristic thickening of the cloaca. Female axolotls are thicker and puffy.
Axolotl needs a relatively small aquarium. Only 20 liters of water are enough for an adult axolotl. In the aquarium it is recommended to maintain a twenty-degree temperature. Note that if the water temperature rises above 24 degrees, the animal may die, so do not place the aquarium near batteries or other sources of heat. Water hardness is medium (up to 7.5 pH). To maintain and maintain the axolotl, you need an internal pump, filter or filter-waterfall. The use of an external filter is also acceptable. In the aquarium, the bottom must be sanded or gravel, and the plants are suitable for anubias, cryptocoryns and echinodorus. You can populate a mini-pond and freely floating plants. These animals are usually kept in a group.
You do not have to puzzle over what to feed the axolotl, since it is quite unpretentious. Suitable water invertebrates, which these animals eat in natural conditions. The pet will not refuse from earthworms, bloodworms, pipe growers. Adult animals gladly fish with fish, mice and meat. Larvae and young growth must be fed every day, and adults - once every two or three days. Once a month, you can feed the animals with a concentrated vitamin preparation.
Axolotle breeding
To reproduce the axolotly are ready already in a year after leaving eggs. If you put the mature in a single aquarium, the male actively begins to excrete the spermatophore into the soil. The female immediately selects it or grabs it with cloaca. Within the next two days she lays eggs on water plants. It is better to plant the male in this period, and when the whole caviar is swept out, then the female. The fact is that these animals eat their own eggs. Effective reproduction of axolotls is observed when there are three females per male. In two weeks there will be larvae. At this time, care for axolotls requires special attention: it is necessary to remove dead larvae from the water in time. Within a week, grown-up larvae are ready to eat independently. In this case, and each other, too, so they need to be calibrated, seated.
Diseases and treatment
Aksolotli is cannibals, but bitten limbs and organs are capable of regeneration. The injured animal must be evacuated to full recovery. Among the diseases of axolotls the most common are salmonellosis and scoliosis. In these cases, axolotl treatment does not give positive results.
If an axolotl has a fungal infection, salt baths are prescribed twice a day (25 grams of salt per liter of water). More than 10 minutes to keep the animal in this solution can not, as the skin will be damaged.
These animals often eat pebbles that disrupt the normal functioning of the digestive system. Axolotl should be planted in a separate aquarium with a water temperature of about 15 degrees - a week or two pebbles will come out naturally.
When keeping these animals, consider an important detail - the compatibility of axolotl with other species of animals and fish is zero.