Axy floating and won't eat

GROWMEZ · May 28, 2008

My Axolotl has refused to eat today for the first time ever so I'm a bit worried. She also seems to float when she isn't moving, although she sits on the bottom as well. Did a 20% water change yesterday and cleaned and re-arranged her tank, so I dunno if that's stressing her out? She's always been pretty hardy in the past. I've tested the water and it's fine.

lazymut · May 28, 2008

what about temperature? its getting really hot over here ive had to take alot of measures to keep mine cool and if it gets hot they can float at the top to cool down ? dosent explain the eating (but its only a day i wouldn't worry yet)

all the best!

blueberlin · May 28, 2008

Hi Will,

I don't know much so please don't take me at my word, but I've read here that when an axolotl floats in such a way as to concern its owner, it has perhaps swallowed something that is sticking in its belly, causing an air bubble which makes it float. In very young axolotls (as I understand it) the air bubble can come from not eating enough (don't we all know that feeling); in older ones, it can come from having swallowed something which is now obstructing its digestive tract.

Does your girl look different than she looked yesterday (i.e., fatter, bloated)? Do you have, say, pea gravel as flooring in her aquarium, little rocks that she could swallow but that might be a bit more difficult to fit out of the other end of her?

Or is the floating not the concern, but that she didn't eat?

-Eva

GROWMEZ · May 28, 2008

It's the floating and the not eating really, there's only ever been very fine sand in the tank, the trapped air thing sounds more like it, but what are you supposed to do about it? Water temperature is ok, I might be worried over nothing I don't know

blueberlin · May 28, 2008

I hesitate greatly before recommending some kind of solution for a problem that I am not sure exists. The fact that you are asking says to me that something must be odd in her behavior. Is it possible for you to upload a picture of her here?

Kaysie · May 28, 2008

Sometimes they just refuse food for no apparent reason. If it's once, it's not something to worry about. If it refuses food for more than a couple days, there may be something amiss. If it's floating and cannot get to the bottom, that may be a problem. But if it floats, and then 'burps' a bubble of air and sinks to the bottom, it's just normal breathing.

GROWMEZ · May 28, 2008

Yeah, thanks, it has only been a day. She does burp bubbles out but her backside seems to be floating up in the air while her front legs stay down. She looks okay, I'll see if she eats tomorrow, she's just never refused before

philbaker76 · May 28, 2008

Hi Will, I have a couple of Axolotls that just like to float. As Kaysie says - wouldn't worry about it mate.

Only time I've had bloated/floating Axolotls was when I gave them some maggots (before I realised they were a little too fatty and hard to digest) - I just didn't feed them for a couple of days.

GROWMEZ · May 29, 2008

Thanks everyone for the help, she's scoffing again! This morning she had regurgitated a small white glob about the size of a penny and had a massive poo. She still refused food, but this afternoon she's back on form. I notice you say maggots are hard to digest? Is seafood ok? I've been feeding her cockles alternating with earth worms, will that be anything to do with it?

philbaker76 · May 29, 2008

Hi Will, glad to hear she's back on form.

Not sure about cockles mate - although I do feed them the odd prawn every now and then.

A variety of food is best, worms are great. I feed mine, worms, slugs, woodlice (and anything else that I can find that won't bite or sting them). I have trout pellets on hand for when I can't get in the garden.

As a treat, they get a bit of liver, pinkies (baby mice), prawns and fish.

Terri9967 · May 29, 2008

As a treat, they get a bit of liver, pinkies (baby mice), prawns and fish.[/quote]

Wow, you feed yours baby mice???????

lazylilsnoop · May 29, 2008

hmm, my axies float all d time... he refuses to go down... i tried blocking the place with floating plants and even made him go away, but after a while he just go back to the same spot.
eats well, reacts to food. but just like to float. is it normal???
water temp 15deg, every other chemical lvl checked

GROWMEZ · May 29, 2008

Baby Mice?! That's a new one.....I don't even want to know how you get them....
I have to hand feed Gromez or she doesn't eat, is that usual? Might be a struggle getting a woodlouse into her.......

philbaker76 · May 29, 2008

You can get frozen pinkies from most pet shops; I must stress - they only get them as a treat - once a quarter or something. They're not really a recommended food.

Once they know something is food they'll eat it, try and introduce new food slowly. Either that, or starve them for a few days - they'll take your hand off

Kaysie · May 29, 2008

GROWMEZ said:
I have to hand feed Gromez or she doesn't eat, is that usual?

Yep. They're pretty lazy.

I've fed mine pinkie mice on occasion (maybe 1-2 times a month). They're an excellent source of calcium (bones), but are pretty calorie-dense, so should be just an occasional food.

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