Curved Tail - Just Temperature?

Sean1364 · Jul 2, 2010

When I got home today, one of my Axolotls had a very obvious curved tail at the end. I checked my levels and they are below. The temperature was found to be 75 F. I immediately turned on the AC and then fed them. They both appear to be fine now. Is the temperature likely the problem? And is my pH fine? I mean, I don't know how I'd even try to change it, as that's just how the water here is.

pH: 7.8 according to in-tank meter, 8.4 according to water test.
Temp: 75 F (Normally 64 F; particularly hot day today)
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5 (I do a water change of 40% every day, it's due in a couple hours)

Sean1364 · Jul 2, 2010

Also, I'm sure this sounds ridiculous, but prior to feeding them, they were both walking around on the ground. I fed them those freeze dried shrimp blocks. One of them will eat from the top of the tank, but the other refuses to swim up. So I have to feed that one by hand. Anyway, after feeding the lazy one a bit of the shrimp (the kind that floats), the Axolotl is having a lot of trouble staying on the ground. Despite clearly wanting to be on the ground, it looks like the Axolotl is full of Helium. Could this be due to the food, or is there a bigger problem?

oceanblue · Jul 3, 2010

Curved tails do usually indicate stress and floating is also not a good sign. Temperature alone may be an explanation. Earthworms are a better balanced food than shrimp and maybe a sinking food is preferable to one containing air which floats.

shoegal · Jul 3, 2010

High water temperature can sometimes lead to floating in certain axies.

Also, it sounds like your tank is not cycled (40% water changes daily). Is that correct?

An un-cycled tank can certainly lead to a stressed axie & a curved tail as a result.

Sean1364 · Jul 5, 2010

shoegal said:
High water temperature can sometimes lead to floating in certain axies.

Also, it sounds like your tank is not cycled (40% water changes daily). Is that correct?

An un-cycled tank can certainly lead to a stressed axie & a curved tail as a result.

I'm not really sure, to be honest. I didn't really cycle it long before getting the Axolotls, but my Ammonia levels have always been 0. To be honest, I've been doing the 40% water changes not out of necessity due to levels, but out of my own fear of losing the Axolotls since I didn't cycle it before. Better safe than sorry, I guess. Thanks for the replies.

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