I don't think I should keep axies anymore...

Because my new boy, Patrick, isn't doing too well.
His tank was cycled before I got him three weeks ago. He is way, way skinny, but he ate the first night I got him home. All was fine.... At first.
Unfortunately, he's now floating. And also, I noticed a lack of poop. I've never been sure of exactly how long axies go between pooping, but I doubt it's three weeks. I've tried not feeding him- It's been almost a week since his last meal. Still passed nothing. Before I got him, his tank did have pebbles, so maybe that's the issue.
When I went to look at his tank tonight, to check for poop, I noticed he was still floating. Difference now, is his entire top half of his head was poked out of the water. And I mean sitting out of the water, as if he were... Breathing or something. He also has really tiny little gills.
Can anyone shed any light on why he's so... weird acting? I'm so confused. I'm also a little reluctant to fridge him, because Duchess died while in the fridge. She seemed to have the same kind of symptoms, but I don't see how a disease or something could have been cross-contaminated- Patrick is in a different tank, Duchess's old one broke.
Please, please, please help if you can. I'm so worried right now. I do not want to lose this boy.

Definately sounds like a water issue to me.
Pop your axie in a seperate container with dechlorinated water, fridging is best but if you are reluctant to do that pop in the coolest darkest part of the home and cover the container.
I would then check your water for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates.
Post your results here and someone will give any advice you may need.

That's just it- If it were a water issue, I wouldn't be flipping. My readings are ammonia-0, nitrite-0 and nitrate- 5ish. All done with in date liquid test kit. I'll change some water tomorrow anyway, though.
Also, he burps. A lot. Like, full on underwater burps. Is that normal? It's a real freaky noise to hear in the dead of night, trust me!!

Do you have a filter running in the aquarium?

just an idea!
whats the temperature like?
it wouldn't explain the pooping!
but it would explain floating and the head!
floating to the surface to keep cool and inhaling air which him floating?

just an idea!

Oh btw tiny gills, head out of water , think theres any morphing going on?
again just an idea XD.

Urgh said:

That's just it- If it were a water issue, I wouldn't be flipping. My readings are ammonia-0, nitrite-0 and nitrate- 5ish. All done with in date liquid test kit. I'll change some water tomorrow anyway, though.
Also, he burps. A lot. Like, full on underwater burps. Is that normal? It's a real freaky noise to hear in the dead of night, trust me!!

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Hi Urgh,

Okay, if the water parameters are fine...

If Patrick is still floating and not eating it may be impaction. You mentioned Patrick had previously been on gravel, axolotls can retain gravel for a very long time and perhaps the gravel has shifted in the gut and is now causing a blockage.

The floating may also be caused by stress.

Is there any water movement at all in the tank that could be stressing him?

Are there sufficient hides in the tank so he can get away from light and observation if he needs to?

What is the tank temperature? If the tank temperature is above 24 degrees celcius this may stress the axie and he may float.

Gills will tend to shrink if there is a lot of oxygen in the water.

I would put him in a container of fresh dechlorinated water - just enough water to cover his back so he cannot float. I would seriously consider fridging as this will help him pass any stubborn gravel and will ease his discomfort in passing it. Fridging will also keep him calm and relax him if he is stressed.

If you are reluctant to use the fridge, then as advised previously find the coldest place in the house and place him in a covered container there.

Urgh said:

I've tried not feeding him- It's been almost a week since his last meal. Still passed nothing.

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I'm sorry, I am not quite clear on why you were not feeding him? Was he willing and able to eat at the time?

This won't be much help, but one of my sick Axolotls (fungus) were showing the same symptoms (floating, with top half of head poking out of the water). Maybe it is a another sign of stress.

With him not having a poop - it's probably some gravel or something causing him some discomfort; as Jacq says.

Do you have an air stone or oxygenating plants in? wondering if not enough oxygen could be a factor (just a thought).

There is a filter, but the flow is non existant- It was the least powerful I could buy, and I covered the outflow with a sponge and a plant.
He has several hides- a cave, some fake plants, and even a plastic lilly floating on top to shade him even more.
The temp hasn't changed much, it's averaging 17 degrees, occasionally swinging to 19, or down to 16.
There's no fungus, I have checked and checked and checked again.
I wasn't feeding him because I read somewhere that not feeding could help with constipation. I'm not sure if this is true, but he refused food tonight. I feed him earthworms, and I think the one I tried him on was too big.
There isn't too much oxygen in his tank, as far as I can tell. I don't have an airstone, and no oxygen is going in from the filter, as far as I can see.
I wouldn't be so worried about a lack of oxygen, but he seems to not only go to the surface and gulp air, he stays there. What got me tonight, is that I went over to his tank, and I dropped the lid behind my chest of drawers. It banged a little, and he swam down, fast as anything. And he wasn't floating back up! He sat on the bottom for a little while, then swam back up, sitting on the tops of the plants. He pushes himself up on my plants, which are barely below the water, and sits there.
Oh! And another weird thing(suprise, suprise). You know how there is a 'fin' extending up the back of an axie? (the one from the tail). Well, he doesn't have one. At all. Is that something else I should worry about?

I will put him in a container in the garage tomorrow. It's cold and dark in there. If all else fails, though, I guess I will have to fridge, and hope for the best. I really appreciate all your help, guys!!! Hopefully we can work out this mystery soon, and Patrick can live happily.

It sounds like its starting to morph to me.Are the gills starting to shrink?- although i gather it takes a while!!
Are you sure its definately an axolotl, im not doubting your identification of it but could you take a picture



Ben

photo please..............this will also help ascertain it is actually an axolotl!

He has tiny little gills- Really, really small. He always has.
He's definately an axie- It's illegal to sell any other salamander in Australia. I will get a photo in the morning.

Unfortunately, I really don't think he will make it through the night. I moved him into another container, with only enough dechlorinated water to cover him, about an hour and a half ago. I just checked on him, and he was bleeding from his gills. I'm really not holding out hope for him now. I did move him back into his tank, because the gill bleeding didn't seem to occur till I changed tanks.

I'm just so devastated right now. If Patrick doesn't pull through, I'm done with axolotls. I really am. I can't deal with them continually dying on me.

Im sorry I cant be of help with your axie but You shouldnt completly give up on them. Research research research and completly start over. It might help some.Good luck:smile:

I found a few photos. They're from when I first got him, so they're about three weeks old, but he looks basically the same as then. I know his tank isn't great size wise, but it's all I have right now- My old larger tank broke.

Can he lift his head above the water in the container if he needs to?
How big was the tank you had him in?

He could, I even added one of his plants just to help if he wanted out of the water.

The tank is 30cm long and 20cm wide, not huge. It hold about 20ish litres of water, but I only have it filled with about 15 litres. It's not huge, but like I said, it's only really a holding tank till I can get a larger one up and cycled for him. He's only just at about 13cm, maybe just over.

I just checked on him, he's hanging on, barely. He's quite lethargic, but on the plus side, the bleeding has stopped since I put him back in his tank. His gills are very dark red, though, which I'm sure isn't a good sign.

So I walked in my bedroom today, and I found Patrick floating on his side, not moving. He died.
I wasn't as shocked as when Duchess died, but it was still really, really upsetting. I buried him in my animal graveyard(next to Duchess) today.

Thanks for all your help, guys. It just sucks we couldn't save him, he was so adorable.

So sorry to hear that, you have been very unlucky. I hope you WILL try again with axolotls, maybe give yourself some time to think it through before you make a final decision, once again so sorry about Patrick, Kerry.

That is a shame, sorry for your loss.