Axies In The Fridge

Ok so thankyou to all of you for responding to my 'salt bath' thread.
I only did the salt bath for about 3 or 4 days and it was gone,however Nubsy appears to be bloated and frequenting the surface quite a bit as he's gills are small from the fungus.
He hasn't eaten for a few days now so starting to push the panic button.
Just wondering what you guys think I should do,I do have a gravel tank,I've had these guys for almost 12 months and had no problem to do with gravel as well as the other axie is fine.
I think it's air but if I am to put it in the fridge what temp is safe and all the details etc.
Thanks

As long as your temperature is above 4degrees celcius. If unsure place a glass of water with thermometer at back of fridge and leave for half an hour then check it.

If it's ok. Use 2 containers, 2litre square/rectangular icecream containers shud work.
* Fill both containers with dechlorinated water. Place one in the fridge. (This will be your waterchange for the next day).
* Place Nubsy in the other container.
* If he floats then take some of the water out - usually to just above his top fin, so his feet rest on the bottom and he doesn't float.
* Place a lid on top (no need for holes as colder water has more oxygen, and this is to stop him jumping out - there have been the odd story where an axie has managed to get out of container)
* Wrap this container in a teatowel (to cut down the light flashing and temperature spikes as the fridge door opens)
* Axies may not eat if temperature is lower than 8-9 degrees celcius as their metabolism slows down.
* Next day, move Nubsy to the other chilled container, put on lid, wrap with teatowel and place back in fridge.
* Throw out the old water, rinse and fill with dechlorinated water. Place back in fridge next to Nubsy's container ready for following days 100% waterchange.

You may not have had problems with the gravel but chances are they will have swallowed some. Our axies had been on gravel/pebbles for 3 years with previous owner, thankfully never had any major blockage problems, but they have pooed out a considerable amount of pebbles and gravel since January this year when we bought them - we have sand. Very hard to spot gravel when its pooed out straight on top of existing gravel.

Hope the fridge helps him.

Also, do you have any problems keeping your tank temperature down?

Thanks for the advice much appreciated I'll look to doing it tomorrow.
Yeah I'm thinking about switching to sand but I dunno I'm unsure of sand bacteria wise.
Maybe nothing would be a better solution? I guess we'll see.
I just think because he started appearing bloated around the time of when I was treating him for fungus points to the air in his belly theory.
Then again,he could just be fat...I feed him quite a lot but he isn't eating lately which has worried me and yeah.
It's been a week tomorrow night.
I do have problems keeping my tank temp down,living in QLD doesn't help.However if I get it low in the first place it's ok to maintain,just when it rises it's hard to bring down.
I use the water bottle technique,it works ok but I'm constantly switching the bottles,I'm really into looking for a cooling device somehow.
By the way I'll try and post some pics asap to see what you guys think.

(Message edited by emmy on December 15, 2006)

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>Quoting emily nielsen on Friday 15 December 2006 - 10:56 (#POST114679):</font>

Then again,he could just be fat...<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

or he could be a she!

Have you tried the fan method? If you can get a pedestal fan (the ones on the pole that you raise and lower and can also angle fan head). One of our pedestals didn't quite reach the level needed to blow across surface, so we moved the tank to lower cabinet; but if you don't have one and if its possible to put tank on the floor might also be an idea.

Another axie owner had trouble trying to keep her axie tank at a constant temperature during summer so placed her axie in the fridge (think it was at 10degrees celsius) so was able to feed it. If you can afford a bar fridge or 2nd hand fridge that you could keep at a low temperature for your axie/s, might be a help till you can afford a chiller.

a bar fridge!!! why didnt i think of that????????!!!!!!!! great idea

Yeah that's what I'm putting Nubs in,it doesn't get any lower than 8 so that's ok?
She? That would be a pleasant suprise!

Also....2 litre ice cream container,no way is my Nubsy going to fit,I've got a smaller tank that can fit in the bar fridge,is that ok?

I Have learnt the hard way that u shouldnt put gravel with axis and that sand is better or bigger rocks (what i use).
My axi used 2 have gravel and the poor things stomach got huge and he managed to poo it all out (i was really lucky because i have read about blockages)

if it fits in bar fridge then do that bearing in mind the daily water changes. Whatabout a bigger plastic container if you have one.

The small tank is working,he's in there now I have to resist the urge to keep checking on him.
So how long,until I see results...I hope this is the right thing to do.
It's ironic that Spot(the other axie) is thriving!

Until he looks like he's improving, probably take a couple of days! I know what you mean, even now when we fridge ours, I have to stop myself from running to check them every hour, in case I stress them more with the temperature fluctuations if I keep opening cotainer. Try feeding him b4 waterchanges, he may eat.

Well he's pooped,but it was just normal no suprises...I cleaned it and left him be.
It's down to about 10-15 degrees,so it's pretty warm he seems comfortable.
I'll try and feed him tomorrow fingers crossed he eats.

Update:Well he seems to be producing a lot of waste(still nothing in there though).
I want to clean the tank and do a water change now,however it's only been about 14 hours as opposed to 24...should i wait or do it now.

As long as its the chilled water, which I'm sure you'd use anyway. The waste is probably bolus/vomit - which is perfectly normal. When our first ones went in the fridge all this yucky stuff was in the container and I panicked, got on here then changed it after receiving a reply from Joan.

Yeah that's what it appeared to be,the fridge goes very cold over night and was dangerously cold when I checked the temp in the morning so he stayed in there for 24 hours and was taken out.
(Dangerously cold being under 6)

He seems to have gone down back to his normal size again,I guess it was air.
But he's still not eating,I'm thinking that would that be normal coming out of a pretty cold temperature.
Hopefully he'll eat tomorrow,any hints on how to get an axie to eat?

Update:So Nubs is still not eating,water is clean,pH is between 7.0-7.4 to my knowledge that's ok,water is at a temp of 20.
I've attempted to feed him,he acknowledges it but that's about it.

As long as temperature didn't drop to 4 degrees. Ours have been in at 5-6 degrees with no problem. Though am not sure about the drop in temperature depends on if its gradual or sudden fast drop whether that would be stressful.

Just keep offering he may not need anything yet in his body, then when he does decide will want a big scoff! I thought ours would pick up their appetites with the warming temperatures but they seemed to have slowed down - haven't eaten in just over a week, they usually eat every 3 or 4 days, tank temp also 20-21 degrees and water parameters ok.

they don't seem stressed but hoping nothing will happen in the weeks we're away. I'll leave this website for them to access in case anything goes wrong - touch wood!

Yeah that sounds like mine,I think I have to ease up and stop worrying,a week or so isn't really alarming is it?
"I'll leave this website from them to access".
Won't they wet the keyboard *Sorry really lame joke* lol

Update:Still not eating,tried to eat a few days ago but he spat it out he's still going to the surface to gulp some air maybe 3 times a day.
May have to go back to the fridge option...hopefully not getting too cold.

LOL Very funny Emily! Sorry meant to say leave my sisters this website address, they are sharing axie sitting duties while we are on holiday and I'm a bit anxious since they haven't eaten.

If you're worried about the bar fridge temperature are you able to put him in your normal fridge, if the temperature is above 4 degrees?

Also, have you tested your water for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates recently?