Axolotyl not eaten in 8 weeks !

[Anoushka77]

Please help
My axolotyl Champ , hasn’t eaten in 8 weeks ! I’ve had Champ for approx 3 years .

Ive checked water parameters several times , using a good kit , all fine .

The only physical changes , are that his mouth is constantly slightly open & his gills are a little curled forward .
What’s peculiar , is he doesn’t appear to look as if he lost much weight .

I fridged him for 4 days @ 6 degrees, but became concerned as his gills became very pale ( I thought he was dead ) .. after a few moments , he showed signs of movement & I slowly returned him to the tank ..

He is still refusing any food .

Do I fridge him again , for longer ? Are the pale gills ok when fridging ?

I don’t know why he isn’t eating . I’m completely baffled .

Slate on floor of tank , no substrate .

Very grateful for any advice .

Thank you

 

[wolfen]

what are the water levels?
what are you feeding him
a picture of torso and head please.

 

[Anoushka77]

what are the water levels?
what are you feeding him
a picture of torso and head please.

what are the water levels?
what are you feeding him
a picture of torso and head please.

Good - Hikari sinking carnivore pellets
These seemed to suit him better .
He ate earthworms previously , but he always seemed to end up floating & having issues .
Ive tried tempting him with Earthworms - not Interested & moves away .

Just about to fridge him again .

 

[Anoushka77]

Food - Hikari sinking carnivore pellets
These seemed to suit him better .
He ate earthworms previously , but he always seemed to end up floating & having issues .
Ive tried tempting him with Earthworms - not Interested & moves away .

Just about to fridge him again .

Water -
0 - nitrite & nitrate & ammonia
6.0 PH
7.4 HR PH

 

[wolfen]

your ph is bad, I assume you have soft water.
go to Axolotls - Requirements & Water Conditions in Captivity and use holtfreters with magnesium sulphate the same way as the author.
when testing ph use the normal ph test, if it is at the limit ie.. 7.6 then the high range is used, this gives a total test range of 6 - 8.8.
axolotls prefer moderate to hard water.

 

[Anoushka77]

your ph is bad, I assume you have soft water.
go to Axolotls - Requirements & Water Conditions in Captivity and use holtfreters with magnesium sulphate the same way as the author.
when testing ph use the normal ph test, if it is at the limit ie.. 7.6 then the high range is used, this gives a total test range of 6 - 8.8.
axolotls prefer moderate to hard water.

It’s strange as we have hard water here .. I’ll do this at once . Thank you ..

Another question - is it ok for gills to be very pale while fridging ?

TIA

 

[wolfen]

when inactive it isn't unusual for the gills to go lighter.