Confused!

OK, for those of you who don't know, I have 2 adult axolotls, male and female and two of their offspring who are now 6 months old. Also in the mix is a small wildtype who is around 4 inches long.

Right, yesterday I noticed that one of the 6 month old babies has a more swollen cloaca, so I think finally I can separate them all into sexes! Until now I have had the adult male in a 2 and half foot tank with a little bit sectioned off for the wildtype as I believe he's male (though HIS swollen cloaca may have been because he had ingested some gravel before I had him, which he has now passed)
I had the adult female in the four foot tank with the two six monthers.

So today I put the adult female and the 6 month old without a swollen cloaca into the two and half foot tank and the adult male in the four foot tank with the six monther I believe to also be male, with a portion sectioned off for the wildtype. You following this? Confusing huh?

I watched the axies in their new homes to make sure they settled in OK and noticed the 6 month old 'male' pushing the adult male under his tail as males do when they are trying to get the female over the spermatophore. I thought weird, male doing it to a male. Then they swapped and the adult male was doing it to the 6 month old. The adults cloaca was open as though he was about to drop a spermatophore, so I quickly moved the smaller one over the divider into the other side, just in case my 'male' is a swollen female!

So does anyone know if females would display this behaviour? Or is a territorial thing between two males? The two of them haven't been together in the same tank before so I wondered if they were showing dominance over each other?

Sorry if this has been such a long post, I hope you managed to follow it. If you want me to clarify anything just ask! Thank you.

Hi Kerry,

I had to giggle when I read your post, because it´s so funny.

Maybe your 6 months old "male" is a male, who´s reaching sexual maturity. At this time, they will push each other (male or female, that doesn´t matter) under the tail for "learning/playing" the display.

-Tina-

I agree with the previous post, however I chalk it up to some male axolotls being "not too bright".

I had a male in the past that would spend hours trying to get a pvc log to mount his spermatophore.

Today I have spermatophores! So I'll know for sure whether the little one is male or female as I put him back in with the adult male yesterday.

No eggs! Phew! Guess they're both rather dumb males then!

Hi,

maybe the 6 month old axie is too young for laying eggs. Normally axies will get sexual maturity when they are 9-12 months old.

Could you post a photo of the cloaka?

-Tina-