Hot Summer

Hi, I live in the UK and we have just had a heat wave. Today I looked in the tank and my axi was on the bottom of the tank upside down. I gave him a nudge and he swam away efficiently, but later ended up in the same position.

I also noted that he had a red cloaca and I haven't noticed and faeces being passed lately, although my filter may have caught it before I spotted it. I do have gravel at the bottom of the tank as this is one of my filtration devices but it is covered by large rocks and I doubt he has eaten any lately, although I only just implemented this method so it's possible he's got stones in him!

Ammonia and pH fine, although no test for Nitrate but changed water only the other day.

Do we think it was the heat, or could the red cloaca be a sign of compaction?

i doubt the heat would cause the cloaca to go red. most likely gravel causing compaction. i would put him in the fridge, thats about all you can do. the heat will just cause more stress aswell as the compaction and it will be very stressful on your axolotl.

My axie isn't that good either. I caught him opening and closing his mouth rapidly, but hasn't done it since yesterday. He's hanging about near the top a lot too- sometimes floating because he's been swallowing air lately. I've put in frozen bottles of water, declorinated ice-cubes, a wine cooler (which he sits inside or next to- acts like a tunnel) and ice packs... and it only brings it down ONE MEASLY DEGREE CENTIGRADE! It's driving me crazy!

Red coloured patches moved to his trunk and base of his gills now. Put in fridge and moving around happily but will not eat. Could it be nitrates, should I put a plant in his tank to remove them?

Should I give him a salt bath and how do I go about that (I know this has been discussed before but the search option on the forum is not working atm)?

Nitrates are not nearly as harmful as Nitrites. How long was your tank cycled?

It probably won't eat while in the fridge. If it is impacted, it probably won't eat from that either.

If he's not showing outward signs of infection, I would avoid the salt baths. From what I caught of the news up in the bush, you guys are having some record heat waves. It's probably the heat and constipation that is causing the red patches. If they don't go away with fridge treatment after a couple of days, then you might want to think about doing them.

On the note of undergravel filters: I would remove it. Unless you clean under it regularly, and have a powerhead on it (which would cause water movement and stress), poo just collects under it, without being removed.

Even though you have large rocks covering the small gravel, you forget the nature of axolotls. They search for their food by nosing through the sand and the muck in their natural habitat. It's nothing for your axolotl to shove its face between the rocks and suck up some gravel.

I need some advice on heat too...

I live in australia, In a tropical climate. temps reach around 36 degrees celcius (i dont know the other ones, but its hot). He is in a very large tank with alot of water we are fastly approaching summer and I need to know what to do if it gets too hot.

Noone I know can tell me anything about them and theres only one store in town that sells axolotls.

Its about 27 degrees celcius at the moment (winter) and he is very active and happy - bar his pot belly.

Hey i live in the uk too. I think the water in my tank became tropical!!! Oddly enough moomin was fine(moomin being my axie). Id really try cooling the water down.

g i sent you a private email about axies in cairns