Question: What am I doing wrong?

[siona]

I am now down from 20 larvae to 2.
Now suspiciously, all the casualties seem to have happened when I've been away for a couple of days and left them in my mum's care (it couldn't be avoided but I left full instructions!). She seems to be doing everything right (hatching BBS, rinsing salt water away, feeding, changing water etc.).
My theory is that when I go away it's the weekend - therefore people are in the house all day, therefore the heating is turned up, and it got too warm for them. That's all I can think of anyway. Especially since it's a much smaller volume of water than the main tank and easier to heat. All week they were fine - big orange bellies and everything. Then friday I saw one of them that couldn't seem to right itself. Every time it stopped swimming it was turning on its side. It kept swimming to correct itself but the rest were fine. I didn't actually take the temperature but I did put a small ice pack in there last night just in case. They've lasted the night at least! I really want these last 2 to make it. I won't be going away anymore at least.

[Eric]

There are lots of seeminly mysterious reasons why larvae will die. They are very fragile and even small issues can be fatal. Was this the first spawn of the parents?

[Meredyth]

I'm so sorry

Was this the pairs first spawning? 1st time usually has a very high mortality rate I had ONE hatch out of about 100 eggs from my guys first attempt. He's still going strong so I guess I can be happy for that
I'm hoping their second batch will be better. Most of them hatched this time at least but I've lost quite a few since. I'm wondering if the hot Australian summer is too much for them. As hard as I try I can't keep their water temp down and stable it's getting much higher than I would like, and they are in a 3ft tank
I believe, from what I've read that the babies are more susceptible to high/unstable temps so It's not unreasonable to think the heating being turned up and the warmth from the extra bodies could be effecting them.

I really hope these last 2 are real fighters and make it through for you.

[siona]

thanks mereB, so do I :)
@Eric, yes this was their first spawning, and I know that they can be more fragile, but I was hopeful as they'd all done so well so far (all the eggs I kept developed and hatched with no problems) - and I know one guy who bought 20 still has 20, which makes it more likely to be an environmental thing... Hopefully these 2 will hang in there - I'll redouble my efforts to keep the water cool now I think I know what the problem was!

[Kaysie]

There are also some genetic combinations that make for weaker individuals. Non-albino axanthics will survive for a few days to a few weeks, and then just kick the bucket for no apparent reason.

[Meredyth]

Originally Posted by Kaysie

There are also some genetic combinations that make for weaker individuals. Non-albino axanthics will survive for a few days to a few weeks, and then just kick the bucket for no apparent reason.

WOW That would go some way to explaining why my white looking non albinos seem to be the ones that are kicking the bucket more than the others. Most of the ones that I've lost have not had any visible yellow pigment.

Thank you Kaysie.

[ax]

Sorry to hear
Hope the others survive, sounds like you're doing a good job with them anyway

[Kaysie]

Mere, I had the same issue. My male and female were both evidently Ax/ax (and neither a carrier of albino), and so 25% of my offspring died pretty quickly every time they laid eggs.

[Meredyth]

Originally Posted by Kaysie

Mere, I had the same issue. My male and female were both evidently Ax/ax (and neither a carrier of albino), and so 25% of my offspring died pretty quickly every time they laid eggs.

Oh no poor little things still it's good the have at least one other reason for their demise.
I guess both of mine would have to be AX/ax to get ax/ax offspring which is possible in a wild and golden albino. I've got albino babies as well so Daddy, the wild, would have to be A/a I've been trying to pin down they genotypes for about a week now so that gets me a little closer
I shall stop panicking about them then. Not much I can do if it's genetic especially since the others are fine so far and the water params. are all good and weather has cooled a little so temp has dropped a bit as well


How are your 2 looking today Siona? I hope they are doing well.

[melfly]

Hi Siona
My axolotls 1st spawn made it about 4 weeks and started weakening, i ended up with 1. (the one in my avatar) and i didn't think she'd survive actually.
I thought my axolotls were genetically weak and producing weak young but more recent spawns are stronger.



Mel

[smudge100]

Hi Siona,

Sorry to hear about the problems you are having raising the youngsters. The eggs you sent me are developing well so I will let you know how they turn out.
I hatched two larvea from a different batch of eggs at Christmas, they are from a golden albino cross with a dark type (unsure of technical colour term as I am new to this) they are eating brineshrimp every day but they are kept in a cool place. I just hope you can keep the last two going.