Axolotls are one of the cutest but messiest animals I’ve ever kept in an aquarium, which
means you need really good filtration to keep their water clean.
But axolotls also get stressed out by strong currents, so what is the best filter to use?
Stay tuned to find out more!
Hi, this is A Gamer’s Wife, here to share relationship advice and pet care tips – so
you can take care of ALL the members of your family.
So if you’re new here and wanna see more, consider subscribing to the channel and clicking
that notification bell.
Today’s topic comes from Lacey who saw my basic axolotl care video (linked in the description)
and wanted me to elaborate on what kind of filter to use with a pet axolotl.
So just in case you’re new to keeping aquariums, let me quickly cover the 3 basic types of
filtration.
Mechanical filtration is like a coffee filter, but you use a sponge or filter pad to strain
out any debris in the water.
Biological filtration refers to beneficial bacteria or live aquarium plants, anything
that can consume the toxic ammonia and nitrogen compounds that come from axolotl waste.
“Biological media” refers to bio rings, lava rock, and other stuff the beneficial
bacteria can grow on.
And finally chemical filtration, such as activated carbon or Purigen resin, isn’t necessary
but can be used to remove medications or other impurities from the water.
Okay, now that we’ve covered the basics of aquarium filtration, what exactly do axolotls
require?
Because they produce so much waste, they need really good filtration.
However, bigger, more powerful filters usually have very strong flow, which axolotls hate.
I mean look at those delicate gills.
Too much current can cause your axolotl to get stressed or even sick!
The trick is to get just enough water turnover in your tank so that you don’t have any
stagnant areas for debris to collect.
And you also want enough biological filtration to consume the ammonia and nitrogen coming
from the axolotl’s waste.
So here are the top 3 filters most commonly used with axolotls:
A lot of axolotl owners swear by sponge filters, which I can understand because it’s cheap,
won’t break down on ya, has very gentle flow, and provides both mechanical and biological
filtration.
I would say the cons are: it takes up a lot of room in your tank (since you’ll need
a big sized sponge or even two sponges to handle an axolotl), it won’t pick up the
smaller particles in the water, and you’ll have to clean the sponge very regularly to
remove all the waste it collects or else it’ll clog up.
Hang-on-back filters like the AquaClear series are probably my top vote for a beginner axolotl
keeper who is just getting into the aquarium hobby.
You can completely customize the media compartment with anything you want – sponges, bio rings,
activated carbon.
And they’re really easy to clean because most of the filter is outside the aquarium,
and all you have to do is remove the filter media, swish it around in some tank water,
and put it back!
The AquaClear filter has an adjustable flow rate so you can set the current to all-the-way
slow.
If you want it even slower, you can put some decoration right underneath the waterfall
output area or even attach a DIY baffle using a water bottle or sponge like some betta fish
owners like to do (links in the description).
On the good, better, best scale, most people think canister filters are king.
They’re a lot more powerful, they’re customizable like the AquaClear, and you can baffle the
outflow using a spray bar.
Plus they’re super silent like a ninja.
The only downsides are they’re usually more expensive if you get a good, UL-rated one,
and they can be a little more hassle to clean than a hang-on-back filter.
Final note: don’t be afraid to add some fast-growing beginner plants, because they
can suck up ammonia and nitrogen like nobody’s business!
Now you will have to account for lower temperatures and lower light, but people have had luck
with anubias, java fern and java moss, aquarium lilies, and floating plants.
If you want to try an easy plant that grows outside the tank, stick the roots of a pothos
plant into your HOB filter, and it will work wonders for your water quality.
There are a ton of other filters I didn’t cover, like under-gravel filters, sumps, UV
filtration, etc. so just do your research and I’m sure you’ll find something that
works for you.
Question of the day: what filter do you like best for axolotls and why?
Comment below to share your experiences with the community.
Thanks for watching this video, and subscribe and ring that notification bell if you haven’t
already.
Best of luck with your axolotl and I’ll see you guys next time!