1st owner of mexican walking fish

Question
Hi! I'm a proud owner of my 1st axolotyl. I have a couple of questions. It looks like he wasn't cared for properly & his tail has a little chunk missing exposing a vein.I'm worried about it rotting.Also at the moment i've only got rocks in his tank.It's been suggested i put an oxygenating plant in his tank or a filter?Either,or both? And does the water have to have a certain temperature? I've only had him for 2 days.Any help is appreciated, Thanks.
Bree

Answer
Hello,

To care for his tail, I recommend treating him with an antibacterial. Melafix is a good one. This should help speed up the healing of the wound. You can decorate a tank with rocks only, or you can get some plastic plants if you want. Live plants aren't necessary. They are nice, but they require special light bulbs and extra light. You should always have a filter on a tank. The only time you don't need filters is in fish bowls, and even then it can cause problems. I definitly recommend that you look into getting a filter. As for the water being a certain temperature, I usually recommend around 78-82 F. Anywhere in there is suitable for most tropical fish.

I hope this helps. Good-luck with your new fish!

Regards,
Stephanie