Question: Axolotl developing to wriggling stage and failing to hatch

Hi. I have had a excellent batch of eggs that developed really well, larvae moving around and well developed. However they have failed to hatch from eggs and died witnout hatching.
I am in a softer water area than previously and wondered if this WA the issue. I have tried hardening the water for those that were still moving by adding calcium carbonate, crushed oyster shell to the water and coral gravel. None of which seems to be having any effect. Temp is set at 20c and water is aerated. I have previously hatched axolotle eggs with a ninety five per cent hatch rate in a harder water area.
Any experience of this anyone?
The last larvae I have found alive in an egg I have physically freed and monitoring to see if it survives.

Re: Axolotle developing to wriggling stage and failing to hatch

The only time i have had developing axolotl eggs die off was down to heat one summer

Re: Axolotle developing to wriggling stage and failing to hatch

What are you dechlorinating with? I lost the first two batches I hatched due to (I believe) using too much of an ammo-lock product. (They hatched, but never ate.) (I misread the direcctions). Since I switched to either aging or Prime to dechlorinate, I haven't had a problem.

Is there any chance that this is a "bad" batch? I know of someone else who had gotten "bad" eggs. They died off like that, not just the one she was hatching but the ones other people tried too.

Re: Axolotle developing to wriggling stage and failing to hatch

The water I am using has been ages by pumping air through and leaving to aerate for at least 24 hours. I may try de chlorinating also to see if this helps as I have always de chlorinated previously. This is the second batch of eggs. I have two females. First batch I suspect were from the other female and didn't do well at all. I have a third batch witch I believe are from the first female and these once again don't seem to be developing very well. No fungius but eggs just not really looking like they are developing.
With the second batch it just seems the larvae were just unable to get out of the egg once developed.
I would be interested in giving a batch of eggs from someone else a try if possible. Not many of course if anyone has surplus eggs they will otherwise be discarding. This may tell me wether the problem is water related etc or a problem with my breeding stock. I had no problems previously so I know I can hatch and raise them to adulthood. I am keen to work out where the problem lies so I can move forward with successful breeding.

Re: Axolotle developing to wriggling stage and failing to hatch

I don't know how it is over there, but over here, some cities use chloramine instead of chlorine in the water. If you have chloramine, you need to use a dechorinator that neutralizes ammonia. Chloramine is more stable than chlorine and does not readily aerate out of the water. I do not know if chloramine would cause the specific eggs failures you are having, though.

You could try helping them out of the eggs once they reach the stage of having good gills, and see what happens? I've had them survive when I've accidentally damaged an egg at that stage.

If you figure out the issue, I'd love to know the cause. Good luck!

Many thanks for the ideas. I have checked data from the water company before and they certainly don't admit adding chloramines. We are hatching eggs from our fish, catfish ok. Might be worth trying treating the water though just in case. The one I released from the egg manually is still just spinning around. Will keep experimenting and hopefully find a solution.

I'd be surprised if water was the problem........just use a basic dechlorinator...tap safe etc.
Sounds more like an issue with the structure of the eggs themselves........I've had whole batches of non hatching eggs, or dying at various stages.......but not through me doing anything different

Yes. It seems to be the case. Outer seems quite tough and still containing a lot of fluid. I have released seven more manually but they are still swimming in circles.