Axy Attack!

Q

qwidge

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Just looking for a little advice. Noticed today that Smokey had attacked her tankmate The Bandit. He was already in the process of growing back his left hind foot from an incident before i got him - today he's got no toes on one of his hind feet and the end of his tail is missing. He also has a few little red marks on his other legs. This deffo happened today as he was seen swimming around fine this morning. Have taken them both out of the tank as it was due a clean anyway, should i fridge him, do i need to watch for infection. Should they be kept seperately now? What can i do to help him get better quickly and what can be done to stop his previously friendly tankmate from being a giant *** to him?

Many thanks
 
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Can't get a decent pic of him at the moment but here's one from my phone.
 

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The set up is a 2 foot tank with 2 axolotl with sand substrate and large large rocks to form caves. I feed them trout pellets twice a week and they're fed using chopsticks and each axy is fed individually from the other - i only ever feed when they're at opposite ends of the tank. Never had any feeding related snapping before. Although she has snapped at me before now when i was moving their floating log.
 
2 foot is too small for two axolots.

How big are they?

The best food is earthworm.
That one looks a little skinny to me.

Mel
 
Maybe it's little food and the attack was because they were hungry?

my axie is almost 18 cm and he eats 5-6 days a week (earthworm or pellets)
sometimes I get closer to the tank and he jumps to me and tries to bite me, so I know clearly he's hungry... could it be something like that happening to the axie I guess...
 
I think its probably lack of space away from each other.

If they're full grown 2 in there will be cramped.

Mel
 
They get earthworms when ever i can convince my partner to feed them - i won't do it cos i can't bring myself to do it. The guy who i got them from said i could feed them much less than i actually do. Do you think i should feed them much more than this then?
 
You need to get them a bigger tank.

You need to make sure their stomachs are as wide as their head when you look down on them.

Mel
 
OK thanks. Will look into a bigger tank and feeding them more. How often/much do i need to feed them do you reckon?
 
I feed mine every day except for a day or two and his tummy is quite as wide as his head looking from above...

but I'm not entirely sure if there is a rule, just to measure his body from above should be as wide as the head...
 
Thnkyou everyone. Any ideas about what to do with stumpy The Bandit to help him heal up a bit?
 
I think a short vacation in the cold dark fridge should keep him stress free and let him heal up a bit. Just be sure to change the water daily and keep it pretty clean to prevent fungus or infection. :)
 
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