Drop dead axie <IMG SRC="http://www.caudata.org/forum/clipart/sad.gif" ALT=":-(" BORDER=0>

Hi Guys, my Bruce all of a sudden died overnight! I dont know how this happened as his PH was 7.1 and nitrate/ammonia 0. The temp of the tank was 21 degrees. He was eating well and active and everything - he seems quite happy. He wouldnt have swallowed any stones cos he only has huge pebbles in his tank and some plastic plants. I have no idea what could have happened! I feel so terrible!

Camilla

if nitrate was 0 then your tank may not have been cycled? Did you mean nitrite rather than nitrite? If your water was ok /cycled your ammonia and nitrIte readings would have been 0, and nitrAte readings would have varied between 5-80ppm/mg.

How long have you had Bruce and how long has the tank been established, have you added anything recently? Any other tank companions or recent additions?

Also, just a thought has anyone used a spray of sorts round your tank; as a friend phoned me this morning to say three of his axies had died, completely healthy/cycled tank etc, he was upset, mother is visiting and sprayed flyspray last night after he went to bed in the room their tanks are in which must have killed them.

sorry! I must have wrote the wrong thing I cant remember the nitrite reading but as per the label it was correct.
I cycled his tank before I got him. I had him for 4-6wks. I havent sprayed flyspray near the tank and its also a non-smoking house too!

Was he on gravel before you got him? I'am vary sorry

yeah he was on gravel for about 4 days or so. I dont think he ate any because he would have been floating? Besides, the for 5-6 days he didnt eat because I guess he was stressed from the move, new tank etc - but Ive been very careful in taking care of him ... I sipher his tank out weekly and do the tests weekly as well. The water quality was excellent.
I had an under gravel filter with an air rock which it seemed he didnt mind?
I was talking to friend who suggested he may have had a parasite or been sick before I got him from the pet store? I didnt have any fish or other axolotls in the tank - the only thing were big pebbles and a few big plastic tank plants.
I couldnt see any visible signs of stress either - his gills we back (not forward) and his tail was straight and he was quite active as well

They dont all ways float when they eat gravel and it can take a year for them to pass all of it. Mine is still passing some. he was on gravel 7 month ago.

Karrie's right about the gravel, 4 of ours were on gravel for 3 years then we bought them last year and from day 1 have been pooing gravel out over 13 months. Ours didn't float at all but looked really chunky in odd areas of their stomach. After about 2 months, their stomachs were noticeably slimmer, even the females but still managed to contain pieces of gravel and pebbles in their bodies, poor things, that we still find in the sand. You could be right though he could also have picked up something at petshop or previous place, but you won't really know for sure unless you could get a vet or someone to autopsy his body and find out why he died.

Other than that I'm really sorry for your loss and hope you don't get put off having axies. They are wonderful interesting little creatures!

Thanks for all your help - I'm not put off at all, I love them, I'm just worried now if I get another one and it will die as well. Its not a nice feeling - you tend to grow very fond of your little friend ....