House of ‘Lotls

08/04/2024

Today we say hello to Mr Tater Tot- he’s having a great “hair day”

08/01/2024

Mrs Waffles enjoying her new log. She found it within a day.

07/30/2024

Hi friends ! It was was water change day here at the homestead

Show me your tanks 🙂

05/20/2024

Say hello to “Finger Guns” we welcomed him back here about a month ago after his family decided he’s be better here after he had some eating issues and Gill/toe damage.
He’s from my first clutch hatched Jan. ’22
So right now he’s just chillin’
Are goals are to get his eating habits more consistant , and continue to allow his gills to recover and grow back 🙂

03/10/2024

Hahaha - this is very true. Ask Anyone I’ve helped cycle their tanks!! 😂

01/15/2024

Hey there! Dijon the GFP Copper wanted to stop in and say hello to all
The rest of his siblings from the Halloween Clutch! 🙂
Share your pics here if you’d like💜💜

12/01/2023

Tater Tot says hello 👋

11/14/2023

Pretty neat what these little critters can do !

Over the 16+ years I've had axolotls I've heard from people who have seen their dark axolotls turn pale or white over a short time, but have never had one of my own do so... until now!

I got this little lady a few years ago, suspecting that she is an "internal mosaic", with homozygous white tissue intermixed with wild-type tissue. Initially, she appeared to be a typical wild-type, with only the bottom of her belly pale. I took to calling her "Frog Belly" (Yes, I know it sounds more appropriate for a New Orleans blues musician, but it fits). Over the last few days she has gradually faded from bottom to top :) If this continues she will be white within a couple of weeks!

The conditions that trigger this effect has yet to be determined, but it is likely that it is due to a change in production of endothelin-3 (Edn3), a signalling protein that tells chromatophores (pigment cells) to migrate from the neural crest early in the embryo's development, then activates them so they produce pigments. White axolotls (leucistics and white albinos) produce very little or no Edn3, so their pigment cells stay put along the animals' back and in their neural tissue. This is why leucistics are white with dark eyes, and sometimes dark gill stalks and freckles on the face and back.

Axolotls that fade like Frog Belly sometimes even change back to their original color later as the production of Edn3 increases again!

10/10/2023

“ Journée “ aka Mushu - AVAILABLE- rescue and rehabbed 🙂 4 yr old Female. This little fighter has gone from deaths door , to enjoying life! She’s got the cutest face and receding hair line look to her lol 😂 I love her so much and want her to go to a lotl experienced only
Home to ensure she has a great rest of her life .

10/10/2023

“Freddie “ AVAILABLE- wild type - male- 10 months old - Freddie has got the GILLS! He’s has very long gill stalks and is starting to show bits of irdophores on them and on his back and legs. He’s very happy and social and looks forward to eating . That his favorite time.! Freddie also would do great in a all male tank 🙂 Pm for more info 🙂

💚

10/10/2023

“Norman” -AVAILABLE- male wild type - 10 months -
Norman is one handsome dude. He’s got the cutest yellow markings under his chin and beautiful gills! He’s a great eater , and would make a great addition to an all male tank 🙂 pm for more info

10/10/2023

“Spook” - AVAILABLE - Male - Axanthic - 10months old - Spook would never leave if I could have a million tanks - he’s super gorgeous is person . Very good eater and social 🙂 pm for more Info 🙂

*

10/07/2023

I feel so bad when I’m trying to explain axolotls and their care to newbies lol 😂

I used to feel bad for the people who’d unsuspectingly ask me “What’s an Axolotl?” as an attempt at polite small talk, unaware that my brain can’t speak small.
Because none of them ever expect the intense and categorized info-dump that will inevitably follow. 😅
Now I just wonder why people ask about things they don’t actually care to know?

Meme Credit: Unknown

10/03/2023

Going to be posting what Lotls I have left looking for homes in the next day or so.
All tubbed animals need homes 🙂

09/27/2023

Safe travels to Buffy, now called Jolene. She’s off to OK to Join Becky , a beautiful Lucy from my first clutch ! I’m so excited ! She’s going to be so spoiled!

09/21/2023

Really important info to consider when talking tank size,
bigger is always better !

A quick note on minimum aquarium size for axolotls...

I am often asked whether axolotls' growth is limited by the size of the tank they are in "like fish."

The question itself is a problem. The belief that the size of a fish is limited by the size of the aquarium it is kept in is simply false. It is a myth that results from the experience of novice fish owners.

The maximum potential size of any organism is determined by the instructions written on its DNA. However, few living things ever reach their maximum potential. The availability of nutrients, the presence of toxins in the environment, the amount of oxygen available; All influence growth.

With proper care, the little goldfish your kid won at the county fair can live for 30+ years, and grow to 12+ inches in a 10-gallon tank! But that is MUCH more likely if the little guy is kept in a 50+ gallon tank. Just to make an obvious point; A goldfish kept in an olympic pool will not grow to the size of a sturgeon because its maximum size is still determined by its DNA.

Please note that domestic goldfish are astonishingly durable and can survive under harsh and inadequate conditions; Mistreat a goldfish with a small tank and inadequate nutrition and you get a small fish that may still survive for 10-15 years. Treat an axolotl the same way and you’ll get a small axolotl that dies young.

Axolotls have a genetically determined maximum growth potential. If they are fed a healthy diet and provided a healthy, stress-free environment they can grow to their maximum size. In that respect it does not matter how large a tank or tub they are kept in, as long as it is large enough to allow them to move freely. Unfortunately, that is not a very realistic scenario. The size of the tank has a strong influence on the health of the axolotl for several reasons.

For example:

(1) An axolotl requires the same amount of oxygen regardless of the size of its home. The larger the volume of water, the more dissolved oxygen there is available to power the axolotl’s metabolism.

(2) An axolotl produces the same amount of waste regardless of the size of the tank. A few grams of waste released into five gallons of water is four times as concentrated as that same amount of waste released into a 20 gallon tank. As that waste decomposes it will produce 4X the concentration of ammonia, too, which will then be oxidized to produce 4X the concentration of nitrite. Those are toxins that slow growth and severely affect health. A brief increase of nitrite to 1 ppm for an hour every day in an aquarium has about the same effect as a human eating a half pound of crisp fried bacon for breakfast each morning. It will not end well. One ppm of ammonia can kill a juvenile axolotl in hours.

Just to be clear on this point; Since the nitrifying bacteria that remove ammonia and nitrite reside in the filter media and substrate, it is unlikely that a tank smaller than 20 gallons (with an appropriately sized filter system) can maintain a proper nitrogen cycle, meaning the water must be changed very frequently to prevent buildup of toxic ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate (among other waste products). That is the principal reason that 20 gallons is considered a minimum water volume for an adult axolotl. More volume is better.

(3) An axolotl in a tightly confined space experiences stress when startled or when it feels exposed because it cannot escape. Hormones released under stress reduce appetite, interfere with nutrient absorption, and generally interfere with normal metabolic processes. That’s why stressed people aren’t as healthy and don’t live as long as relaxed people.

In university labs it is not uncommon to keep axolotls in relatively confined conditions, with much lower water volume than that recommended for our pets. These facilities usually have sophisticated water flow/filtration/oxygenation systems that ensure a constant supply of fresh, oxygenated water, free of ammonia and nitrite, as well as ozone bubblers and UV lights in the water treatment system to kill bacteria and break down organic waste products. Even so, the growth rate of axolotls in these conditions is generally reduced compared to their siblings raised in larger aquaria with less exposure and more space to move away from perceived threats.

Once growth has been stunted by environmental conditions, complete reversal is impossible. Just as a person who is unusually short due to starvation or illness will never grow to their genetically determined height, an axolotl whose growth has been slowed by poor diet, poor water quality, and/or stress will never reach full genetic growth potential.

To get to the point: 20 gallons is the minimum practical aquarium volume for an adult axolotl. Add at least 10 gallons for each additional axolotl. More is better. Use the largest volume of tank you can manage for any aquatic pet.

Also keep in mind that floor space is important for an axolotl because (a) it increases the surface area for bacteria living in the substrate (if there is any, which there should always be for an adult axolotl) and (b) it allows more structure and more areas to escape stress-inducing stimuli like the prying eyes of people or cats. For this reason, a “long” or “lowboy” tank is usually recommended.

09/18/2023

Check them out 😍

GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED

**Giveaway will be done Friday October the 13th at 8pm!**

✨It's giveaway time!✨
At 200 I will do a drawing for the following:

1st drawing- A copy of Amphibian Medicine & Captive Husbandry by Wright & Whitaker

2nd drawing- 2021's bank note of the year, the 50 pesos bill featuring our favorite amphibian!

3rd drawing- A 20oz tumbler from BeCause also featuring our favorite water puppy!

To enter you must complete the following steps:
•Follow the page
•Like & share this post (Make sure it's public so that I can see it!)
•Tag 1 person not already following us

Good luck everybody! I'll see you all at 200!

**Leviathan is not a prize in the giveaway

09/16/2023

Who remembers Journée (Mushu) from a couple months ago!? She’s doing spectacular! Her little gills are continuing to grow and surprisingly she grew a second tail! So she’s like a mermaid!

She is available, I’m planning to only adopt her out to a knowledgeable axoltol /aquarist so she continues to improve and thrive 🙂