Illness/Sickness: Red spot in Axolotl larvae stomachs? :(

I fed them late yesterday evening, and was pleased with their nice full orange bellies when I cleaned out their water cups before I went to bed (a few hours later).

But now this afternoon when I got home from class to check on them and see if they were ready for their next feeding, some have a very worrying red spot on their bellies!

Is it possible that I overfed them and their tummies are rupturing?? I haven't been able to find any other instances of this happening on the web that is the same as my issue.

Other than the spot, they seem to be okay--no curled tails or floating or upside-downess. Also most of them still seem to be full/have orange bellies, so should I just wait to feed until I see them less rotund?

I have been changing 100% of their waters everyday, since I keep them in separate, small containers and brine shrimp are super messy when they die. I only feed them 1-3 drops (depending on if I spill a few drops out of the baster) each day. Temperature of their water is probably about 70 degrees Fahrenheit or so.

I am new to raising axolittles, and yes I know I've chosen a large group to raise, but it is in my nature to give them the best care I can, and I have the time and ability to raise them, so no I will not be culling them unless it is medically necessary.

Please let me know if I'm just being an overly worried new mom!!

It's normal. You can see their internal organs through their skin until they get bigger and their skin less transparent.

That's the heart. Hold them up in a clear container and watch closely, and you'll be able to see it pumping. It's easiest to observe from underneath on light colored larvae. Super cool, in my opinion.

keiko said:

It's normal. You can see their internal organs through their skin until they get bigger and their skin less transparent.

Click to expand...

Okay, but I can only see it on some of them, and admittedly it is the lighter colored axolotls where the spot is most prominent, but I thought the heart was supposed to be more superior to the rest of the organs not medial?

I believe the red spot on the left side is the spleen. The heart is closer to the neck and can be seen from below with a magnifying glass.

Yeah, I may have misunderstood what you're seeing. The heart looks like it's almost in the neck from below. The spleen is on the left side.