Illness/Sickness: Nim Throwing up =( PLEASE help!!!

Okay, well my axolotls (Nim and Onyx) have not been eating properly for a while and each time I feed them they only eat a few pellets. (5 at most) As a result they have been getting really thin Also their gills have shrunk heaps and I'm wondering if that's related. Last time I had a water check it was fine and I ALWAYS add dechlorinator when I change the water. This morning I fed them and they both ate 5 pellets. I got home this afternoon and Nim has thrown hers up. I wondered if it was because they don't like the food or something else? I am going to see if they will eat some liver later on tonight. So here are my concerns/questions:

- Is gill shrinking serious and how can I help them go back to normal??
- What reason could there be for Nim throwing up?
- Is lamb liver okay to feed axolotls and if I can find some worms in the garden will they be okay to feed Nim and Onyx?

Thanks in advance, Alex. :sad:

I'm not sure about the throwing up sorry, but to answer your other questions

Lamb Liver isn't a good food, mammalian meat tends to be really fatty. I feed my axolotls beef heart very occasionally as a treat, but foods like that really shouldn't be any more than that, an occasional treat.

Worms from the garden are great and the best food for them as long as there are no chemicals in the garden

Thanks, if I give them a little liver tonight would that be alright?? I just really need them to start eating properly again. I'm worried sick about how thin they are! I will go out and try to find some worms in my tiny garden. ='/

If it will encourage them to eat you can try it ^^

Good luck and sorry I couldn't be of more help with the throwing up, I haven't experienced this problem

shrinking gills are usually a sign of a water quality issue.

check your temperature and ammonia and then double check it and make sure your test kits are accurate. the strip ones are notoriously in-accurate.

how big is your tank and how old/big are your axies?

I tried feeding them worms but they refused to eat them. Then I tried the liver and Nim ate a small bit but threw it up a while later. The temperature is around 15oC and I haven't been able to test the ammonia. I have to take water into the aquarium shop for testing and I'm not sure when I'll be able to get out there as it is in the next town.

I would assume from what you are saying it is the water, so in the mean time to a little change of the water with dechlorinator and then get it tested asap.

Axolotls normally eat fine when the water is fine, unless they have a hidden disease or fungus or something.

If it is your water which is what it sounds like the chances of fungus and other nasties and highly increased, so i see no harm in doing a water change right now.

If they are skinny and accept a bit of liver then do give it to them whilst your waiting for the tank to settle back down as it will fatten them up, but the earthworm should be continued after they are eating well again.

Test for ammonia and nitrite asap and do water changes as much as you can.

How long will it be for the tests because i dont want to suggest one water change and they be suffering in potentially harmful water?

Little changes everyday should be good to keep it going for now , scoop up any uneaten food as it will make the ammonia rise and scoop out poops.

Hope your little buggers will be okay !

I am awaiting test results at the minute. I will just go do a small water change. Onyx has kept her pellets from yesterday down which is a good sign. I am rethinking the aquarium set-up and thinking that plants might help keep the water parameters better. Would this be right and can you suggest some good plants?? (Once I've gotten it back to normal, that is!)

Plants are good, as long as your axies aren't destructive little monsters and uproot them. I've had success with elodea, mossballs and what I think are probably amazon swords. Invest in a water test kit, they're very useful.
I haven't experienced axolotl vomit (mmmmmm) but I guess put them in the fridge and don't feed them, then anything in their stomachs will come out and if it's an infection it'll help too. Fingers crossed!

I've had the water tested and apparently there is a little ammonia and nitrite and the water. I will keep doing small daily water changes and attempt feeding them every few days.

yeah i'm sure they can't resist a nice juicy worm and yeah i would just continue to do water changes to make sure the levels go down to acceptable range and take it to the aquarium shop to get it tested again in a few days to a week to see if there's improvement. when i first got my axolotl his gills looked a little strange and someone said it could be ammonia burns so you really got to watch out for nitrates, and ammonia, and nitrites. definitely invest in a kit or two when you are able.

i started a worm bin for my axolotl and so i always have food cause they just keep reproducing like mad and i just throw some food in every couple weeks. personally i am using "red" worms as they are easiest to keep a culture of. But most people recommend feeding earthworms, black worms, night crawlers and these can usually be found at bait shops or even some pet stores. also if you look through some of the threads on here you can see what other people feed their axolotls. and definitely don't feed your axolotl lamb liver that often if at all because I've seen someone's axolotl on here that they fed only lamb liver and it was the size of a bus and wasn't healthy for it. just stick to worms if you can :] it might take them a little bit to get used to them but then again some axolotls are just picky eaters.

I think mine must be VERY picky eaters because they wouldn't eat the worm and Onyx refused liver too. I'll keep trying though. Maybe when I change my aquarium set-up (going to put in sand and some live plants) they will be happier and go back to eating normally??

For plants I have some Java Fern and Anubuis (sp) which I found is very hardy and easy to keep. My axies love sitting in it, and it will help keep the water levels good. :happy:

Also my axie went through a phase of being picky and wouldn't eat the worms. I found that if I pretend I am 'fishing' for him, he will come to the surface and gobble them up!

All right, thanks. I'll keep trying to feed them but Nim is looking really bad. Do you think it's possible she will metamorphose?? ='( I just want her to get better and start eating normally again