Swimming madly at the wall of the tank.

K

keiran

Guest
I've had my axolotl Bill for two weeks now. He was a birthday present, and the tank I was given was too small to keep him permanently. Got a new tank, let it run for week and now I've put him in it.

He had this habit of swimming up to the tank wall and then madly swimming with his nose pressed against the glass little arms flailing, and he is still doing it even though the tank is three times the size of the original.

Any ideas - or is this normal.
 
maybe water levels , cause one week it´s not enough to get your tank cycle.
Try to check your levels.
 
Sounds like normal behaviour in my opinion, assuming everything else is OK. Mine often does that.
 
Mine does that too, but usually only when the water temp is a little high.

Joáo is right though, one week isnt enough to have a cycled tank, they usually take about 4 weeks.
 
Thanks.

Water temp varies between 16 - 18 degrees celcius. Plus I had kept him in that tiny tank for far too long already - and it was tank was a rush job anyway.

He seems to be having a good time swimming around now.
 
Keiran - Did you cycle the tank before you put the axolotl in it?

Check the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings.
 
hi guys,
i have got two axies, a couple of weeks ago my older axie attacked him. he has three legs, half a tail, some toes missing and skin has been torn off one leg. now sometimes when he is just sitting in another tank he starts to swim really fast and bang into things and try to jump out of the tank. Could he be thinking his reflextion is after him? because he looks up then does it.
 
Just to pre-empt anymore questions along these lines. I've read all the information in this Axolotl site and several others (like the Indiana Axolotl colony) forwards and backwards several times.

I test the water, I know what the temperature is, I collect any uneaten food, scoop out any waste, and I have a good mostly non swallowable substrate.

And yes I cycled the tank for as long as I could!!!!!!!! I took the filter from the old tank and used it on the new one after I had moved him as well as leaving the old filter in (switched off).

He was a gift - I wasn't prepared. The tank I was given is tiny, the ammonia was sky high, the temperature was hard to control. Daily partial water changes weren't helping. I got a new tank quick smart and set it up. Let it run for a week and then got Bill the heck out of his prison.

So I come here and ask a simple question and what happens? Three people ask me the same question one after another!
 
Keiran calm down! We're only trying to help.

Any unusual axie behaviour is usually due to either water levels or temperature, which is why everyone was so concerned with those things.

Anyway, has he stopped doing this now?
happy.gif
 
Keiran, in response to the post you made, others posted their responses, their opinions. It is nothing to get upset over when you post a question seeking responses and more than one person responds. No on is attacking you, people are trying to help you and you are taking it too personally.
If you have a small plastic container like a plastic storage box, you can keep him in their with daily water changes and stress coat added to the change water while you let your new tank cycle for a few more weeks. If you can't get a water testing kit, most pet shops will test water for free. I take my water in to get it tested when I don't have the time to test it my self and I am at the pet shop and it is convenient. I hope this helps, and good luck with your new little Axie friend.
 
My apologies.

Funnily enough, the wall swimming behaviour has stopped. He just swims or walks around the tank, or hangs off the plants! The behaviour I now see most is the standing expectant, head raised waiting for food!
 
Lol that is so funny! My axies do the same thing! Especially my two little babies and they love coming to the glass and invesigating me. Axolotls make wonderful little companions ^_^
 
Mine has done that before how big was the tank a pic would be nice
 
Hi there- just a new mummy- what does cycle your tank mean?- obviously i haven't doen enuff research!
 
he could have been speeding around the tank due to unfamiliar surroundings and now he's got used to them.
 
my axie did that when she was young but now that she has aged a bit she prefers to just sit around lol. do her thang.
happy.gif
 
my poor little guy did that for a while- i now think it was because he was hungry!! i feed him more now.the other Axie- same age never comes to the top and was never frantic like him. quite different.
 
when ever i come in the room my axies do that thing were they look up waiting for food to come lol.
 
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