Weird Axolotl behaviour?

So, so i'm not sure if this is an illness, but my Axolotl Aiko gulps for air often, swims to the surface often just to be at the surface, and a lot of the time when we have a look at her, she'll be laying on the top of the filter, with her gills BARELY in the water, my fiancee and i move her often as it worries us, but she continually climbs up there, the water levels are great, everytime i test the ammonia is 0, i do water changes frequently, so it's not like they're lacking oxygen or anything, we've got a filter running...anybody have any ideas what's going on?

Ps, i noticed a little black dot, just next to where her arm starts on her belly (She is leucistic, so a black dot is weird)

Joeser777 said:

So, so i'm not sure if this is an illness, but my Axolotl Aiko gulps for air often, swims to the surface often just to be at the surface, and a lot of the time when we have a look at her, she'll be laying on the top of the filter, with her gills BARELY in the water, my fiancee and i move her often as it worries us, but she continually climbs up there, the water levels are great, everytime i test the ammonia is 0, i do water changes frequently, so it's not like they're lacking oxygen or anything, we've got a filter running...anybody have any ideas what's going on?

Ps, i noticed a little black dot, just next to where her arm starts on her belly (She is leucistic, so a black dot is weird)

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By move her, i mean we move her off the filter so she's back at the bottom of the aquarium.

If you look through a few threads, you will see all sorts of weird behaviors! It's just what makes an axolotl an axolotl. If she's still a juvie, then yes, she will float a lot and stay near the surface. As for gulping air, they do have rudimentary gills so unless she's doing this constantly, I wouldn't worry.

I have one who enjoys the light from a tank under her so she digs holes in the sand to get to it! Another who attacks the vacuum every single time. One who does repeated head stands...the list goes on!

If all of your params are good, the temp's good, her appearance normal, and her appetite is good; then I wouldn't worry too much. Just enjoy her quirks and make sure she gets some nice nightcrawlers on the regular.

As for the spot, you can post a pic to make sure it's nothing or you can keep it under observation. If it starts growing, then there might be an issue that will require a vet's attention.

My axie doing almost exactly the same. Tank fine, water fine. Eating fine. pooping fine. have done fridging and made no difference. Think it is just where he likes?? Do you think they have possibly learned this behaviour because they have been fed on the surface in a pet shop? How many night crawlers a day should they have? Gave mine three the other day and then he finally moved towards the bottom. There is 2 in the tank now but because he not going down to bottom of tank he not realize they there. Might have to pull them out and re offer by hand