My Axolotl has gotten really fat...

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vermithrax

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Hi there,

over the last 2 days, we have noticed that one of our axolotls Has gotten really fat, as in twice the size all round including it's back legs and butt...

Any idea what is going on?
 
ok the first question i'm asking is what kind of substrate have you got it on, as if it is gravel then this could be a possible cause (due to swallowing it). The next question is what do you feed you axolotl and how often?
 
Ok, we have only had our axolotls for a few months, got them from an aquarium shop in Perth.

We are keeping them on a gravel base, if it's swallowed a rock, how can we help it?

I was told by the people at the shop to feed them once, maybe twice a week if they are active and have been feeding them frozen beef heart.
 
Can you post a picture of your Axolotl? When an animal gets "fat" so fast it usually is not normal but there maybe something wrong with its osmoregulation (can't find the right word just now - it takes in water into its cells which may mean that it has problems with its kidneys).
I would definitely separate it from its companions and put it into a quarantine-tank, a clean bucket or something similar. And please try to make a photo!
 
if it has swallowed gravel then a spell in the fridge may help, it can help them to pass obstructions, but this obviously depends on the size of the obstruction.
Dietwise beef heart is not really a good food to feed on its own, your axolotl will not get all the nutrients its requires for a healthy life. I feed mine a variety of foods , earthworms, slugs, woodlice(slaters) and prawn, fish and liver (cut into wormsized strips).
 
I'll try and get a pic in a few days (Dont have a camera) but yeah, I have quarantined it away in our fish-tank bucket
 
Yea, using gravel as a substrate can lead to problems of this sort. I would recommend keeping your axolotl in the fridge for a while as that can help if it is impaction from gravel. Just keep the temperature 5C or higher and do 100% water changes each day.

Also, I think you should remove the gravel asap and use sand or a bare floor instead.
 
Hi Vermithrax,

Sudden size increase could be impaction, constipation or bloat. It is difficult to gauge what with out a photo.
Good Luck
 
The same thing happened to my axie when i kept it on gravel so I think it has porbably just eaten the gravel. You can only fix this by getting rid of the gravel. If it was like mine all the gravel should eventually pass through.
 
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