Does floating cause pain?

My Axolotls have been floating now for months and I have tried everything to get them to come down from the surface. Fridging, isolation, cooling the water, heating the water, lowering the water, over feeding and under feeding and nothing seems to be working or having any effect. When I put them in the fridge for 3-4 days they said the float as much for about six hours but then they floated again.

My question is not how to make them stop floating, though if you have any suggestions please fire away. I would like to know if floating will cause them large amounts of stresss and pain.

They always appear terribly unhappy and they don't swm around much at all compared to the one in the tank that isn't floating. I'm beginning to legitimately contemplate euthanasia.

Hey my axie who is very young floats at the top when his tank temperature has had a significant change, hope this helps

He goes back down once the temperature has settled

After this period, he still eats and is a very happy axie so I shouldn't worry too much

One of mine always floats, only occasionally does she make it to one of the hides but usually floats out, she is relatively new so I am not sure if there is an internal problem or that's just her way ? I know it is not what she is getting fed as the others all eat similar diets & are fine. Maybe you could change their diets a little & see if that has any impact on their buoyancy ? My girl who floats misses some feeds & is just not as happy as the others so it does appear to cause stress for her.

Floating is normally caused by...
1) The axolotl gulping in air when it comes to the surface (which is an everyday thing and not to be worried about) or when eating floating pellets. In this case, it is a little like having wind.
2) The axolotl is a little constipated (especially if the bottom of the axxie appears to be floating). This normally passes by itself, but if the axolotl has ingested sand or something indigestible it should be fridged or seen by a vet, as sand can block the intestines and cause impaction.
3) Sometimes it seems to be caused by temperature change.
4) Some axolotls are believed to have a 'floater' gene, which predisposes them to floating. Axolotl larvae can store oxygen in their lungs for up to a year, which may explain the floating as well (oxygen retention).

I am unsure whether floating causes discomfort - I should imagine it feels a little like trapped wind, or as if the axolotl is a little bunged up. I have one axolotl who eats like a trooper and floats nearly all the time, while my other three rarely float. I remedy floating by feeding regularly (for the same digestive reason that humans eat regularly) and by trying to keep the temp on an even keel. You may find one of your axxies just floats, like my Gally. If any other unusual symptoms are present, like twitching, spots or unusual rashes, then you might want to see a vet, but it appears this is usually not something to worry about overmuch.

PS This may sound mad, but the best thing for an axolotl is to get the axolotl as comfortable as possible and then try not to change their environment. Axolotls don't like change or being moved around, so it may just be that all the steps you've taken - while done for a good reason - may well be stressing them out. A water change every week (after checking the filters for damage) and worms every day generally keeps them happy - and once they get into a routine, they'll be (mostly) happy for you to do the necessary bits every week.

Thanks a lot for your reply petersgirl!
I believe my Axolotls must have a floater gene as you say. Everyone else in their batch at the LFS died within weeks. Mine are the only survivors of the batch.
Is your floating Axolotl very lethargic or does she swim around as much as your other axoltols?
All my axolotls reject worms no matter the size. They used to accept them but I went on holiday and told the caretaker of them to feed them pellets so it was easier. Now they spit out the worms and only eat pellets.
I'll try and disturb them as little as possible. How long has Gally been floating for? Was she floating when you got her?

Sorry for taking so long to reply!

Gally is now 2 years old. In all that time, she has nearly always floated. When I first got her, she had no gills at all and was skinny. Now she is one of my plumpest, although she has very stubby gills. She still floats about 30% of the time.

Gally doesn't move much, but she is a fully grown adult, and the adults generally don't move much (Jack, my Leucistic, seems to be the only exception at the moment). I wouldn't have said she's lethargic, but she's generally quite lazy.

It may be that your axolotl prefers the pellets to the worms. There are other foods you can try (for example, shrimp, blackworm or bloodworm) if you don't like him eating pellets, but this is your call.

Gally seems as happy as my others. The only thing she doesn't seem to like is that when her bottom floats she can't 'steer' as well and gets upset when she floats up.