Question: Feeding

Hi

I have recently aquired two axolotls, both wild type and about 6 inches long. I believe that i have a male and female. I began by feeding strips of beef which both ate in the first feeding but since then only the male will feed. The local aquarium suggested beef heart which the male also eats but again the female will not. I have tried hand feeding, feeding with tongs and dropping the food but she always shows active disinterest by pulling away. She hasn't eaten for over a week now. Is this likely because she simply doesn't like the offered food or could something else be going on?

thankyou for your time

Tim

Well my axie is very fussy, it won't eat pellets and when ever i feed it beefheart it only eats about 1/3 of it. So now i only feed it blood worms with beef heart maybe once a week or something.So that axolotl might not like beef heart.

Just a point, beef heart isn't recommended as a stable food diet, only as an occasional treat.

You should try and get your axies on a mostly worm diet. Not only is this better for them but the wiggling also acts as an appetite stimulant. As mentioned earlier, beef heart is only good as an occasional treat.

Here is a great article on food choices for axolotls.

hi tim
earthmorms are the best food for axies as greatwtehunter said..... i feed my abby 3-4 earthworms a day and bloodworms for a treat.
lea

Hi

She still won't eat, have now tried earthworms, whitebait and live cloud minnows, she follows the minnows around the tank but won't snap even if I hold one near her nose. I also caught her gulping for about a minute for no apparent reason at the bottom of the tank then she resumed following the minnows like before. Not sure what else I can try.

Thanks for the advice so far, just wish she would eat something soon

Hi,

Do you know the parameters of your tank - pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate? Temp? What kind of substrate do you have them on?

Sorry for all the questions, but any of the above can contribute to a loss of appetite. Also, the size of the worm may be a factor, you could try soaking it for a bit, and/or cutting it in half.

I know how worried you have to be, I have been there. Hopefully, we can find a solution for you.

Hey tim, I have a fussy eater as well, I have found live bloodworm the only thing he will always eat, buy mixing pellets and earthworms in the bloodworm I have managed to get him to eat anything most of the time, however I have noticed he really only has a large feed every 3-4 days and just 'snacks' most days, just keep persisting with the earth worm it may take some time, the general rule is look if your axies bodies are as wide as there head

Hi Shannon

Pet shop said nitrogen cycle was fine today, same as it was when the axolotls were first put in after the initial cycling. PH is neutral (7), temperature ranges between 19 to 21 degrees and the substrate is river stones (50 to 60 mm / 2 to 3 inches) diameter. I have three live plants, two 'caves' and a large external filter. The water is very clear. The males eats every second day and both male and female are active and apart from not eating she seems to be happy and inquisitive.

Thanks

Tim

Hi Tim,

That's all they told you?! Wow. That doesn't give a clue to anything. What concerns me is that your ammonia level could be a little up and maybe your girl is sensitive to it. Mine once registered .25 and my female stopped eating until I got it back to 0.

Okay, well, all I can suggest is to try super small earthworms, frozen bloodworm, or sinking salmon pellets. I have a male named Sphynx who is afraid of most worms so I feed him small, 2" red wigglers because he doesn't like the thickness of an earthworm. He will eat the pellets too.

She can go weeks without eating, I know how frightening that sounds, but Sphynx went on a 3 week long hunger strike for no apparent reason, scared me half to death, believe me!

I would suggest holding back for a couple of days before trying again. Maybe, you've become a little aggressive (well meaning, I know) trying to get her to eat so if you give her a break, maybe she'll come back around. If she still won't eat, let us know. You said she's still active and alert so that's good, if that changes, let us know.

I wish you the very best and hope she comes back around quickly! Sorry I don't have a better answer for you.