Sicking up gravel and floating

Hi i wonder if there was any advice going... i have looked through the forums and not found an exact match to my problem.
I have had Juan 2 weeks. He hasnt been a huge eater.. he eats half a cube of bloodworm or a centimetre or 2 of earthworm a day. I looked on the forums and came to the conclusion this wasnt a big problem...he's eating and active. Since i have had him i have found a couple of pieces of gravel when cleaning the floor of his tank. Today i found 9 pieces of gravel in his tank :uhoh:
I was just sitting watching him and i saw him retching, and eventually sicked up ANOTHER piece of gravel.
While i thought he poo'd the other pieces out im now thinking he sicked them up to since it looks identical to the other pieces i found (not poo like - just gravel with whispy bits stuck to it)
Now he is floating and cant sit on the floor. Is this because he is sicking up gravel or something else?

He has worried me since I got him, and this forum has been great in answering any questions I have had, but now im totally stumped :sad:

edited to add I dont keep him on gravel... he has sand in his tank - the gravel is from his previous owner

I am new here and there are many others who can tell you far more than me. Have you checked the Frequently asked questions page? Question 29 deals with axolotls swallowing gravel and may be of some help to you. The other suggestion is to maybe refrigerate him and that info is available in the axolotl area as well.

In case you don't know how to get to the FAQ page, click on Caudata.org above, go to the axolotl section and once there, across the top you will see different options, one is FAQs. Hope this helps, but as I said, I am sure others will come to your rescue! This group is wonderful!

Best of luck to you and yours!

thanks for the reply... I have checked the FAQ and they just seem to say "pass the gravel" which im taking to being 'pooping it out'.. I'm just wondering if it's the same for sicking it up as this isnt something I seem to be able to find on the forum and am hoping someone has some info on puking axies

Okay, have you done this? Have you tested your levels in your water? What is the temp? The fact that he is floating is indicative that he has some trapped gas and perhaps still more gravel. You may want to consider fridging him to encourage the passage of the gases and gravel.

Lower temps discourage gas buildup and the fridging technique is supposed to encourage him to pass the gravel. I have not fridged mine to date, however, several out here have. Do a search within this forum as there are plenty who have used the fridge technique to get rid of gravel, fungus, etc. Perhaps that is why no one else has responded to your question. I know gravel is a common problem and everything I have read says to hit the fridge - directions for that are available on the site as well.

Hope this is helpful. :happy:

By "sicking it up" are you referring to the Axolotl throwing it up from its mouth?

yes, he retched a 4 or 5 times then threw out a piece of gravel from his mouth.

Dragonlady..his water test was fine and his temp is at 18 degrees.

here is a pic of him taken a few days ago... I know I havent had him long but I have become very attatched

All you can do is wait for it to pass, if the gravel is small enough, it will just go through his digestive system. Was your axolotl kept in a tank with gravel prior to you purchasing it?

i'm unsure as to his previous residence..all i know he was kept in a pet shop that had its stock removed due to non-payment.
so the fact he is vomiting the gravel rather than pooping it is nothing to be concerned about? sorry to keep repeating myself, i just dont want to make a mistake and do the wrong thing for him

I dont think Axolotls are able to "vomit". When they spit something out, it is something they have sucked into their mouth and realized is inedible. If it appears that the Axolotl is expelling it from its mouth, it's likely the Axolotl hasn't actually swallowed it, but is merely holding in it mouth, or has just previously gulped it up.

thanks
i'll keep an eye on him and remove any more gravel i find.. 11 pieces and counting today. He also looks slimmer - he had a rather rounded stomach
I'll post again if there are any changes

Have you noticed and pooh from your axolotl?
Axolotl will vomit up food (gravel in this case) if things are not quite right. It sounds like you are keeping a close eye on him. Check that the water parameters are fine, and that the tank is cool. If he any further signs of stress I would fridge him.
Axolotl Sanctuary
Regards.
Julia

never seen any 'poop' as such but when i clean up any mess in his tank there are dark brown kinda disolved lumps that i was assuming was his poop.
I have also just found another piece of gravel.. how much more can there be?

fridge will help recovery ive never used gravel but i put my mr axolotl in the fridge and he passed 2 peanut sized peices that must have been in him years.

Just thought I would post an update.. I didn't find any gravel today from over night. He seems much happier. I fed him late last night (2am) and he ate his half cube of bloodworm and sat in his feeding dish looking so i gave him the other half and he ate that to!! After hoovering the bottom of the tank this morning he went right to his food dish.. so right now I have a whole cube defrosting for him. Now he actually has some room in his tummy he is making up for lost time and food!!!
Thanks everyone for the advice and reassuring words

Just wanted to say that I think he is super cute! I am glad he is feeling better. You obviously care about him a lot...

Your axie is very precious I'm glad he is feeling better and hopefully that is the last of the gravel.