Illness/Sickness: Swollen Stomach?

I just got him yesterday, and I didn't feed him yet (was told he needs to adjust to the water). I did put water conditioner before I put him in. The PH level is under 7.0

Here's a photo

Do you know what substrate he was on before you got him? What do you have him on now? In case you don't know, gravel is not recommended for use with axolotls as they can attempt to swallow anything that is not larger than their heads. Other parameters would be good to know too - ammonia, nitrite/nitrate, temp. Is your tank cycled? If not, you will definitely want to keep a close eye on all the parameters until the cycle is complete.

My first guess would be that he has swallowed some gravel as the stomach is very dark and swollen. If you shine a light through his stomach area, you should be able to see if those are stones, gravel, or something else. Depending on the size of the gravel/stones, he should be able to pass these over time.

If this is the case, you can fridge him for a while to help him pass the stones/gravel. If the stones look large, you will want to consult a vet.

If it's not something he swallowed, it could be an infection or possibly the beginning of bloat - a better pic could help in determining this. If this is the case, you should consult a vet. However, if it is bloat, I'd contact your seller as to the best of my knowledge, there isn't a real cure for bloat.

Hey there,

Thanks for the response. I have checked the water temp, and it's currently at 70. Ammonia is 0. I currently do not have a filter on the tank.

He was fine when I got him, this happened over night. He was born in a bare bottom tank. The rocks in my tank are big, much bigger than his body.

Here is another picture.

The No2 is 0 ppm and the no3 is 0 ppm.

If it isn't gravel inside, then I would guess it's fluid build-up. It could have been a result of the sudden change in water parameters from his old tank to his new one. Was the previous owner using salt in the water?

Hey everyone,

I went to the place I bought it, and they said he was in gravel before they moved him. They said that they've found gravel in the bare bottom tank because they're pooping them out. I hope he'll be okay.

Any suggestions to help him? His tail is has a curve, it seems he's stressed.

I also got this filter, I was told it would be perfect for him, I would like to know what you guys think.

bumpp

He does look a lot like he's full of gravel, if the store where you got him said he'd been pooping it out, chances are there is still quite a bit to go by the looks of him. Fridging is supposed to be good for moving gravel through their digestive tracts. There's an article about that process on this site.