Your thoughts on aquarium sharks?

[MaxTremors]

So hard to choose! I love all your suggestions! Can you keep pond nates with axis. Maybe some axis and skeleton shrimp with some minnows.

Axolotls would likely eat the shrimp and minnows, plus in the summer you’d need a chiller if it’s going to be kept outside.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Also when it comes to rosies, they can be kept in large schools, about 20-30. The best part is that they’re sold for a couple of cents each, so you can spend only a couple of bucks on dozens.

 

[Obsessed with fish]

Thats true, 8n a

Axolotls would likely eat the shrimp and minnows, plus in the summer you’d need a chiller if it’s going to be kept outside.

Australia it can get to 45 degrees celcius in summer.

 

[Obsessed with fish]

That's good because I'm on a tight budget

Also when it comes to rosies, they can be kept in large schools, about 20-30. The best part is that they’re sold for a couple of cents each, so you can spend only a couple of bucks on dozens.

 

[Soren]

So hard to choose! I love all your suggestions! Can you keep pond nates with axis. Maybe some axis and skeleton shrimp with some minnows.

No, you don't want fish with an axolotl as a general guide. Fish smaller than the axolotl's head will be eaten and fish too large to be eaten will often pick on the axolotl, especially on the feathery gills. An axolotl might work with a similarly-sized or larger algae eater such as a plecostomus, but this would not be recommended in 20-30 gallons. You also will likely not have room for more than one axolotl in a tank that size. They need some space and are messy eaters/heavy on bioload.

I kept an axolotl for 5+ years a few years back, though I still am no expert on them... they are extremely unique and fun creatures in my opinion!

 

[Hawaii hobbyist]

I can’t.

I felt this

 

[Soren]

Thats true, 8n a

Australia it can get to 45 degrees celcius in summer.

Axolotls need water temperatures at or below 70 Fahrenheit to thrive, ideally. Mine survived at water temperatures up to 80 Fahrenheit, but would become stressed at anything over 75 Fahrenheit.

 

[Zoa_Fanatic]

There are NO true freshwater sharks. There are saltwater sharks tat can survive in freshwater. 180 gallons is to small for any adult saltwater shark.

Do a quick Google search before you try to correct someone.

There are freshwater sharks. The gliphys genus in australia lives exclusively in freshwater.

 

[Obsessed with fish]

Axolotls need water temperatures at or below 70 Fahrenheit to thrive, ideally. Mine survived at water temperatures up to 80 Fahrenheit, but would become stressed at anything over 75 Fahrenheit.

Ok, I'll definitely get a cooler

 

[Soren]

Ok, I'll definitely get a cooler

If you are going the route of getting an Axolotl, be sure to research care sheets and pay close attention to details, as they are mostly hardy but can be somewhat finicky.

Though I don't have it with me right now, I have a text document of Axolotl care that I saved, read, and utilized back when I got/had my Axolotl.

 

[elorablue]

Anybody else have a bad feeling about this?

 

[Soren]

Anybody else have a bad feeling about this?

...only if the questions and research do not continue or advice is not followed.
Everyone starts in ignorance, but a willingness to ask questions and learn before trying something should be a big help. I'd rather help in this way any day than trying to help save an animal someone bought without research.

...though, this is dependent on continued research before acquisition and the understanding that it will not be easy for any extremely tight budgets.

I kept my Axolotl in a 20-gallon aquarium (that I falsely assumed was a 29-gallon) with a HOB filter for 5+ years, but I did a lot of research and tried to do everything I could to provide the right environment following the care sheets. I was out of college when I got mine and feel that I had a pretty good grasp on how to learn and comprehend useful information.
I still lost my Axolotl, though, and don't know why (his mouth just seemed stuck open and I could not discern what to do about it, though this was before I used online forums for aid...). My care and husbandry could have been better, so I will not recommend to anyone else anything less than appropriate care.

Edit: By the way, I feel much more confident in recommending an axolotl to someone with relatively-low aquatic pet experience than a reef (or even marine FOWLR), not forgetting the other points in this post.

 

[Soren]

Ok, I'll definitely get a cooler

Do you realize how expensive a cooler will be? I don't know of any cheap ways to cool an aquarium as much as will likely be needed for an axolotl outside in Australian summer. There are a few maintenance-heavy methods that might work without expensive equipment, but I do not recommend such practices (like ice bottles... too much work for too little effect outside).

Is there a reason you will have the tank outside other than for aesthetic/interest? I would not recommend an outside enclosure for an axolotl, unless, perhaps, you live underwater in Mexico city.

 

[Obsessed with fish]

Anybody else have a bad feeling about this?

I acctally kinda do to. Don't worry I have 2 thriving aquariums. I'm accyally going to my lfs in a few months to get 6 neon tetras and a dwarf goumari to add to one of my tanks.

 

[Soren]

I acctally kinda do to. Don't worry I have 2 thriving aquariums. I'm accyally going to my lfs in a few months to get 6 neon tetras and a dwarf goumari to add to one of my tanks.

Just make sure you take it slow and research, research, Research! Though it can be absolutely tantalizing, multiple-tank-syndrome is difficult to manage!

 

[Obsessed with fish]

Just make sure you take it slow and research, research, Research! Though it can be absolutely tantalizing, multiple-tank-syndrome is difficult to manage!

How do you cure multi tank syndrome?

 

[Soren]

How do you cure multi tank syndrome?

The most effective cure seems to be extreme budget limitations or life catastrophes, neither of which are ideal... just remember the dangers of letting it run wild and remedy the urge for more tanks with more research about one specific tank instead. Note the stress on this last part. After reading through your other recent threads, I feel this warning is necessary.

Take one tank in mind, plan and research as much as possible, and see it through to success for a year or longer before starting another.

I have been trying to keep patience in the reefing hobby to avoid failures of my past. When I was about 12 years old, I got introduced to keeping reptiles, specifically bearded dragons. Over the next few years, I very quickly expanded my interests into many different reptiles/amphibians and soon had tanks of geckoes, armadillo lizards, tree frogs, tiger salamanders, iguanas, toads, maybe I am forgetting some? Most of these ended in catastrophe for the occupants due to my lack of adequate species-specific research as well as too little time for such a wide array of maintenance and care needs... now I limit my passion within reasonable bounds that I can actually maintain so as not to selfishly cause the death of my pet animals.

Most died due to lack of understanding on my part or proper research, some died because I was too cheap for proper care, some died due to lack of emergency measures, some died due to neglect when my time was spent on other interests, some died when I was away from home at college and my family knew even less than I did about their care... there are just so many ways that we can inappropriately keep (and likely lose) animals. I don't want the mistakes of my childhood to ever occur again.

 

[Obsessed with fish]

The most effective cure seems to be extreme budget limitations or life catastrophes, neither of which are ideal... just remember the dangers of letting it run wild and remedy the urge for more tanks with more research about one specific tank instead. Note the stress on this last part. After reading through your other recent threads, I feel this warning is necessary.

Take one tank in mind, plan and research as much as possible, and see it through to success for a year or longer before starting another.

I have been trying to keep patience in the reefing hobby to avoid failures of my past. When I was about 12 years old, I got introduced to keeping reptiles, specifically bearded dragons. Over the next few years, I very quickly expanded my interests into many different reptiles/amphibians and soon had tanks of geckoes, armadillo lizards, tree frogs, tiger salamanders, iguanas, toads, maybe I am forgetting some? Most of these ended in catastrophe for the occupants due to my lack of adequate species-specific research as well as too little time for such a wide array of maintenance and care needs... now I limit my passion within reasonable bounds that I can actually maintain so as not to selfishly cause the death of my pet animals.

Most died due to lack of understanding on my part or proper research, some died because I was too cheap for proper care, some died due to lack of emergency measures, some died due to neglect when my time was spent on other interests, some died when I was away from home at college and my family knew even less than I did about their care... there are just so many ways that we can inappropriately keep (and likely lose) animals. I don't want the mistakes of my childhood to ever occur again.

That's sad... sorry for your loses.

 

[Soren]

That's sad... sorry for your loses.

Well, I think I lived and learned and have some use in helping encourage others like yourself to do thorough research before buying an animal.

I'm not sure I am completely disappointed for my part in those experiences, but I would certainly do things differently today (and am putting this into practice with my foray into reefing). I want no failures due to ignorance or lack of maintenance, but this is a tall order!

 

[ConvertedSalty]

No, you couldn’t put a rainbow shark in a 30 gallon tank. They need at least a 55 gallon tank for one fish, and that would be the only fish that would be able to go in the tank. Rainbow sharks are extremely aggressive, and will pretty much attack any fish you add in with it. An even larger tank is required for multiple rainbow sharks.

I have a Rainbow shark in my 150 with some very large cichlids, smaller cichlids and giant danios. He's never attacked anyone, but can definitely hold his own. He hangs out with my Jack Dempsey most of the time.