Question: Little floating problem. I don't get it.

Morrison · Feb 13, 2013

I have 3 juvies, they are about 9 cm now and had them in an aquarium with sand, filter, hiding spots and plants. They are doing great, eating well but one of them started to float.

I took them all out just in case and put them in a small tub and did daily water changes. The floating stopped.

So I put them back in the tank and a few days later he was floating again. So I thought it had something to do with them being in a large tank and being on sand. Maybe he ate some sand and felt so uncomfy that he started to float. But this is weird.

So I placed them in a tub again and after a while the floating stopped again. I checked the water parameters and temp but everything seems normal. (I use drop tests and they're not too old so I do trust it). I gave them a smaller tank, removed the sand and even changed the filter cartridge. The current isn't too strong by the way.

Everything went well and now that little dork is floating again

I placed only him in a tub but now he's still floating and not feeling comfortable. It's a thin layer of water so that he can reach the bottom of the tub easier to eat... But I don't get it.

What can it be. Why only him?

...or her. Whatever.

FX1C · Feb 13, 2013

Can you take a picture of him floating & the tank as well.

Are you feeding them really well?
I have small ones & I basically force feed them so they are always looking full -
there are live blackworms in there with them as well. It saves accidentally munching on tank mates.

What are you feeding? Do you feed until they won't take anymore or just a little a day? I'd increase food to rid the body of air.

The can float in the rear end if they need to poop - could that be it?

<3 >o_o< <3

gfsward · Feb 13, 2013

If it's just floating then just leave the little guy be. You have sand so it's not impaction. Axies like to float sometimes by swallowing air bubbles just for fun. Your buddy will be ok as long as you don't see a bubble showing through it's skin

Morrison · Feb 13, 2013

I can't upload pictures from my cell phone. But they're eating pretty much. Until they're full and then I have to clean out the rest quickly, or they decide to eat that and then their bellies are incredibly huge, lol.

It's not in his back end right now. Somewhere in the middle and slightly to the side. He can stand on the bottom of the tank, but sometimes still floats. He's not enjoying it. I can tell it by the way he's struggling to balance or move himself. He's eating right now. That's good.

I feed them frozen bloodworms, sometimes large brine shrimp. They love it. Pellets are a little "weird" for them. They don't want it yet.

Morrison · Feb 14, 2013

Not floating anymore, but he sure will when back in the tank. I guess. Or so.

mackinthebox · Feb 14, 2013

both my lotls will randomly float at the top of the tank, it just seems to be something they do
recently they both have taken to perching on top of the driftwood i have in the tank
I think theyre actually waiting for me to feed them... lol
as long as your lotl is eating and pooping and active I wouldnt be too concerned, based on my own experience anyway

Olivia97 · Feb 15, 2013

I find it's pretty common, usually rectified by itself within a week.

Kerry M · Feb 15, 2013

You got me looking at one of my juveniles today. I was wondering why he was doing this and then noticed two large burps and he coasted down again. These little guys are so amusing. I think he was just a little bit too feisty when food arrived and gulped in too much air.

Morrison · Feb 15, 2013

Aww, but still don't know what causes him to float in the tank and not in the tubs. And he's not doing it for fun. Sometimes he's floating on his side and so.

melr70 · Feb 15, 2013

I had a juvenile who did this every time I put her in a tank. The others were fine but she just kept on floating/ struggling to get to the bottom. If you think she's having problems you're probably right, I know exactly what you mean. I did the same as you, removed her from the tank into a large plastic tub and lowered the water level till she seemed okay, then topped the water levels up. As soon as she struggled again, down went the level. I did this for about a month before she suddenly snapped out of it. Back in the tank with the others and no problems since.

Olivia97 · Feb 15, 2013

It can take a few weeks for the floating to stop, even when the axolotl stops floating, it can come back again. What are you feeding and how are you feeding?

Kaysie · Feb 16, 2013

To add to Olivia, how much/how often are you feeding?

Morrison · Feb 16, 2013

I feed them frozen bloodworms, 1 to 1,5 cubes, every day. I rinse them so that all the goo comes off. And I put it in front of them with a little syringe. Or in a feeding jar, but they can't really find it in there.

Kaysie · Feb 16, 2013

At almost 10cm, they're plenty big enough for some chopped earthworms. I suspect it's not getting enough food, which is exacerbating the floating.

jeromeetabuzo · Feb 17, 2013

Morrison said:
I feed them frozen bloodworms, 1 to 1,5 cubes, every day. I rinse them so that all the goo comes off. And I put it in front of them with a little syringe. Or in a feeding jar, but they can't really find it in there.

hmm my axie does this every once a week which they tell me "Clean our TANK!!!" so i cleaned the tank and placed some new cycled water and they stop floating just like that try it... and also bloodworms are messy which the leftover dissolve in the water and turning them to protein or even the spermatophore can cause , is there a bubble on top of the water?? if there then its the protein if not try cleaning the tank (they sometimes normally FLOAT on top of the water , i saw mine swimming every afternoon) clean up the left overs also by scooping it.... Change the water and update us hope i helped...( i really promise it would help!!!)
and also if axie are having hard time finding the worms , hand feed them , cut them to small cubes then hand feed it ( i do this with my axie) and never stopped eating they also get used to it....

Olivia97 · Feb 18, 2013

Jerome, the reason you are told to clean your tank is to keep the water healthy. It's not really too much to do with spermatophores.

wandering · Feb 18, 2013

so i cleaned the tank and placed some new cycled water and they ....[/QUOTE said:
There is no such thing as cycled water. A cycled tank is one which has sufficient bacteria on surfaces (mostly within the filter media) to process the waste products produced by the inhabitants. I think you are referring to water that has had the chlorine/chloramine removed by chemical means or chlorine removed by being left standing for a period. This is a really important distinction (just in case any newby keepers are reading this thread).

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

Morrison · Feb 18, 2013

Kaysie said:
At almost 10cm, they're plenty big enough for some chopped earthworms. I suspect it's not getting enough food, which is exacerbating the floating.

I thought the same about the earthworms. I hope I can bring myself to cutting them in pieces. I can also feed them the really young wormies from my worm bin. Hope it helps when I feed them more often. I'll try it out.

Morrison · Mar 17, 2013

Update.
Don't know why the little one was floating. But he isn't floating anymore after I put them in a bare tank with only a filter and a hide.
No plants. And they're still fine and growing.

Question: Little floating problem. I don't get it.

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