Axie not eating, tilting to one side

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tara

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Tara
Our big gentle giant Charlie is not eating (day 4) in all the months we have had him, he has never refused food. He shares the tank with 3 others, the water readings are all 0, the temp is 19c, we have sand in the bottom with live plants. He just sits in the corner of the tank and doesn't move. I know this may sound silly but.....he's just not himself, Shall i put him into a different tank? or put him in the fridge?. I must admit putting him in the fridge scares me!!!!. There does not appear to be any bite marks or fungus on him. I just know there is something wrong with him. Any advise is greatly appreciated, Thankyou.
 
You could separate Charlie into a container/bucket, if you're concerned, lower the water so he's not tilting or floating and see how he fares over the next week. Change the water daily (I know you're used to frequent waterchanges after your long cycling period!). I understand why you're concerned considering what happened to your first axolotl, in the peak of summer and having had an uncycled tank then.

Other thing is how long since you introduced the 2 new editions, and I assume you quarantined them" :D

Our adults are eating about once or twice a week, with winter setting in, and tankwater temperatures around 12-16C on some of our tanks.
 
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Thanks Kapo, yes we quarantined the others for 2 months before we put them with Charlie & Snowhite. They have been with Charlie for just over 2 weeks and they all get on so well.I will remove Charlie and put him a container and see how he goes. It's so upsetting not being able to help him, or know what's wrong with him. I will keep you posted. Thankyou.
 
pooing gravel

Hi Kapo, well overnight Charlie passed two rather large pieces of gravel. The container that i have him in has an airstone and is a lot colder than his tank, do you think the cold water helped him pass the gravel? I tried to tempt him to eat this morning but no luck. I have changed his water and i have kept the level just above his back, so that he can touch the floor. Is this the correct thing to do?. His tankmates are all fine, so i don't think it is the large tank, as i said earlier the readings are all 0. Shall i keep Charlie in his container for a few more days, to see if he passes more gravel. Now i understand why we are advised not to have gravel in our tanks, as you know we haven't had gravel for months now, it must hurt them so bad to try and pass the gravel. Thank you. Your help is greatly appreciated.
 
Keep him cool, and that will help pass the gravel. This is probably the cause of the weird angle.

Keep offering food, but know that they eat less as the temperatures cool. Once he's stopped passing gravel in bulk, try putting him back in the big tank and seeing how he does.

Be forewarned, some axolotls continue to pass gravel even after they've been off gravel for over a year.
 
still not eating

I tried to tempt Charlie to eat this pm with no luck, he is just not interested in food, he walks away. There has been no more gravel passed today, but he is still not himself. There is no response from him when i walk up to the container, usually he follows me everywhere when i am near his tank, but he is walking around the container. I think this is in God's hands now. Thank you.
 
4 days is not long to go without food. In fact, a month isn't a long time for them to go without food.

Try leaving a small, wiggly piece of worm in the bucket when the lights are out and there's no outside movement. Leave him alone with the worm for an hour or two, and see if he eats it.
 
putting him back

Thanks Kaysie, i tried the worm he didn't eat it, my hubby said maybe the water is to cold for him to eat, so i am putting him back with his mates in the big tank and see how he goes. Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thankyou.
 
Charlie ate!!!

Well after putting Charlie in his big tank i gave him an hour to settle down, then i fed him some white bait and he ate it straight away! . Thank you for all your great advise, i am so glad you people are here, your help is always appreciated. Thankyou.
 
That's good news. Just keep an eye out for any returning issues.
 
gravel issues?

Well Charlie is not eating again, he has been in his big tank for a few days, he is walking around, not floating or tilting, he tries to eat but it seems he doesn't have the strength to bite it, then he walks away. I don't know what to do, leave him where he is or put him in a container again??. I'm just worried that all this moving him from tank to container is stressing him more. Do you think the problem could be more gravel in his tummy? When i do move him to his container he goes mental!!!! even after a few days, it's like he is scratching to get out and swims so fast, it's scarey to see. Any advise is appreciated. Thankyou.
 
They don't necessarily need to eat every day. In the winter, I feed mine once a week. In the summer, three times a week. And sometimes they refuse food. Sometimes they go a month without eating. It's not uncommon. Keep trying, and if he starts to lose weight or look sickly, then you might need to do something about it. But if the only issue is that he's not eating, that doesn't necessarily require any action. Have you removed the gravel from the tank?
 
what can i do ?

Thanks Kaysie, yes he hasn't been on gravel for months now, his back end is very swollen, i noticed it this morning, ( don't know what you call that part of his body) but he really looks sickly, i have moved him to the container again, with colder water than his tank, it's just covering his back, if it's gravel in his system what can i do to help him pass it? Thankyou.
 
swollen on one side

Charlie is now swollen on one side of his body, any ideas as to what is wrong with him, he is in his container, with just enough water to cover his back.I really need some help with this. Thankoui.
 
tilting

hi there,
sorry your axie is not well,
Is it possible he ate some stones or something to cause an obstruction?
 
gravel obstruction ?

Hi frilly_Fan, yes Charlie ate some gravel (haven't had gravel for months now) He passed two pieces the other day, but his back end is swollen and he won't eat, i don't know how to help him if he is compacted with gravel, except to put him in the fridge ( which i have done) but it's not helping! he's still swollen. I don't know what else to do to help him poo. Thanks for your kind words.
 
still not eating

Charlie has not eaten for a week now, he is in a container with sand and an airstone. He doesn't do much of anything! just sits there, i had taken him out and put him back in his big tank for a few days and tried to get him to eat but no luck. So i put him back in the container by himself where the water is colder, he is not tilting, or swimming near the top , or floating. He just wont eat. he has been like this since he passed 2 pieces of gravel 9 days ago. I have tried giving him... frozen bloodworms, beefheart, frozen brine shrimp, frozen white bait, he won't eat any of it!. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
 
Not eating...

Hi again- sorry the wee man isn't feeling hungry-maybe there are still stones in him- i am not sure there is anything you can do other than what you are doing already- its so worrying when they don't eat- maybe one of the more experienced folks will have some advice- :) mary
 
Hi Tara -- have you tried something live, like slaters, slug, earthworm or even pellets (I noticed one member also fed his houseflies [that would be okay as long as you don't use any sprays], I wouldn't feed flies, as our house is too close to the neigbours and they use flyspray.

As a matter of interest, is his rear still swollen?

As he swallowed stones, Mary is right he will probably still have some in his body - considering our 4 adults have taken 18months to poo out pieces of pebble and gravel (thankfully haven't seen any in the past week or so).
 
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Tried live worms

Thank you Mary & Kapo, yes i have tried live worms from the garden ( washed them first) he was not interested. Yes his rear is still swollen, hasn't got any bigger.I will see if i can find some slaters in the yard. Anything elase you think i could try ? Your help is greatly appreciated. Thankyou.
 
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