Illness/Sickness: Floating

Help, my axolotl seems to spend a lot of time at the top of the tank over the last couple of days. Earlier I found him floating around and going upside down, he looked like he had died, after touching him he 'woke' up and went to the bottom of the tank. I then fed him and he ate., but now he is at the top of the tank again.

I am no expert on axolotls, but maybe a picture would help. Also I know you will be asked about your parameters (water quality, ammonia, nitrites and nitrates?) so I'll ask that now as well. These things will make it easier to help you figure out why your poor axie is floating.

and also what substrate are you using?

i think its not unusual to see them floating if they swallow gravel...

how big is the axie?

it sounds to me like there isn´t any problem - your axies is a funny guy. :lol:
He had no problems to reach the ground for a snack and after that he takes a little sleep again.

How old/big is your axie? Young axies like to play - what we in Germany call "submarine".

But to clarify this, please answer the asked questions for the kind of the ground and the water parameters.
What´s the water temp and what are you feeding him?

Hi, Thanks for your replies having had a problems in the past I have removed all gravel from the tank and changed the water filter, and he's been great till now. the weather however has been very hot in London recently so I have done what I can to keep the room he's in as cool as possible. As for the water levels I don't know as I don't have a test kit- I occasionally take a test to the pet shop, and I'm always told its fine. Any advice on water levels, when and how much to change etc would be greatly appreciated as I seem to have been given lots of conflicting advice. I now feed him on bloodworm and earthworms, he prefers prawn, which I now only give as a treat. He's eaten again today, but is again floating, he also looks a little pinker than usual.

maybe buy a thermometer to be aware of the tank's temp?

And for the water parameters, if you can take a sample of your tank's water to a pet shop or aquarium ask them to give you the readings for PH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, if they can.

How big is the axie?

regarding the cleaning, I usually change about 10% weekly (or as I see necessary...) and remove debris and any poop as soon as I see it using a hose to vacuum the bottom of the tank.

It seems others have noticed a change in pinkness after feeding so that sounds normal.As I said I am no Axie expert though, I've just been reading as much as I can because I hope to get one or two soon. I'm not sure prawn is a good food, but as you said it's only as a treat. The earthworms are the best choice so you are doing well there. I suggest getting your own kit to test your parameters. I don't trust the pet stores. Especially when it comes to axolotls. Do they tell you the readings or just say its fine?
From what I have seen, Callina knows axolotls. So she's probably right about your's just being funny. If he is eating and going after his food without a problem he sounds okay.

My little guy likes to bob about near the surface alot hes been swimming back and forth at the surface all day today but its all normal behaviour. Does your axie seem bloated, and does he gulp air from the surface? If he gulps air to stay up there may be nothing wrong but if he's floating up sort of as if he cant swim back down he may have some kind of gas build up or something.

Never caught gomez upside down tho but axies do very strange things ive read a few times of people thinking their axie is dead when its floating upside down but all turns out to be fine, maybe he was having a float about, fell asleep and tipped over without realising it, axies really zonk out when they sleep! Sometimes when gomez really gulps alot of air he finds it difficult to stay upright when floating but seems to stop himself rolling over by adjusting his balance or burps out abit of air to correct it, maybe your axie just hasnt figured it out yet, it maybe all fine and your just worrying (not a bad thing!) or there maybe a problem if the axie seems to be struggling, hes eating tho so things may not be all that bad!

Hope everything turns out fine!

definately get a thermometer asap without cooling my tank would be about 25degrees at the mo and thats way too hot for an axie temperature needs monitoring closely!

15-20% water change weekly if the tank is cycled or daily if still in the process of cycling, daily spot cleaning with at turkey baster is also required!

I would say its either normal or slightly temp related. Thermometers are only about £2 tops.
But i do have a strange axolotl myself. He's slightly deformed and is forever laying on his back or in awkward positions. I used to panic he had died on a near daily basis!!

As for water changes, they need to be done when the nitrate builds up, so you need a test kit to monitor this. Weekly is a bit much on a cycled tank. Especially if its a big one.
But until you know your parameters you might want to be safe.

Mel

Thanks for advice. I'll get a test kit ASAP and thermometer.Changed 20% water this morning, which woke him up and as the swam to the bottom he let out a couple of huge burps!, never seen him do that before, so maybe this is the reason for floating.

Axolotl burps are funny, he obviously swallowed abit of air. As long as your axie is controlling the floating (by gulping air and burping it back out) and not floating against his will, it all could be pretty normal behaviour. Have to admit tho, Id freak out if i saw gomez on his back!

I've been experiencing something similar....

You say you've removed all gravel from the tank, indicating there was gravel there.

It could be that he's secretly excreted some gravel that had been in his belly, and is enjoying the new found buoyancy.

Check the sand, under the surface for any pooped gravel and remove, also check his hidy holes and dark corners, it may be he's been stock piling.

I didn't think my axie could swim. 3 - 4 weeks and about 40 pieces of gravel later he's under the impression that gravity is his enemy now.

I'M no expert, only having mine for about 2-3 days now,
but I bought mine from a store, more of a rescue really, as they ate some gravel, but they poo'ed it out and floated up, researched it and it seemed normal as they have to re-adjust boyancey (sp?) so to speak.

Hope this helps!