Help my baby axolotls r dying

Tallulah · Mar 20, 2013

Can anyone help? My babies are dying. The water temp is fine and so is the pH. I have an airstone in the tank as I read it would be needed. They are being fed on live daphnia. The dead ones are being removed. They are now 1 week old and getting very worried as 4 have died and 3 of those were today. Any advice would be more than welcome.

Kerry M · Mar 20, 2013

Do you change their water daily?

Kerry M · Mar 20, 2013

You don't need an airstone if you do 100 percent water changes.

Alkylhalide · Mar 20, 2013

I dont use an airstone with babies i feel like it would be to stressful, regardless you need to do water changes often(100%) and wipe the container / tank unless you are using a filter. I like the idea of small tubs instead of tanks, less water, they are closer to their food easier to clean everyday. Until they are older.

Have you tested the ammonia nitrite and nitrate? If you are doing daily water changes it shouldnt be a problem.

Are you sure they are eating properly? Many factors could be the reason why they are dying but my first suggestion would be to remove the remaining alive into a clean tuperware container with clean aged dechlorinated water until you know what is going on(making sure you do daily water changes, wiping down the container)

Are you buying your daphnia or culturing them yourself?

Tallulah · Mar 20, 2013

No I haven't been doing daily water changes. They have been every other day. The food has been brought from a shop but have been washed before I have gave them to the babies. Had a problem when they 1st hatched, couldn't get hold of any. I was told to give them copepods. Could this be the problem

Alkylhalide · Mar 20, 2013

I dont think that would be why they are dying, unless they are starving themselves.
I dont think much about daphnia but for anything else you should be careful when buying them from a store. Not saying this is the problem but still.
Like i said, take them out of the tank, into a clean tuperware container with dechlorinated water in it, change water daily and wipe the containers down. If it continues id say genetics or the food is the culprit. But first lets make sure it isnt the water okay?

Are you using a dechlorinator and letting the water sit for 24-48hours before usin it?

Tallulah · Mar 20, 2013

Ok will give that a go. I had another 3 die tonight and have noticed some seem to be swimming on their side :uhoh:

Kaysie · Mar 20, 2013

I think this is a matter of lack of food. If you're buying daphnia, you're getting adults, not babies, which are what baby axolotls eat. Adults are often too big for them.

Also, given that we pride ourselves on being a large, multi-national forum, we require that each member posts in proper English so that all may understand. Please refrain from using 'textese'.

Tallulah · Mar 20, 2013

Sorry they are baby daphnia that I have been feeding them not big ones

Kaysie · Mar 20, 2013

How are you offering the daphnia?

Tallulah · Mar 21, 2013

They have been put into a net washed then I have been putting them into the tank and I have been removing the dead ones

Kaysie · Mar 21, 2013

How much are you giving them?

Tallulah · Mar 21, 2013

Quite a few as there were 24 babys but now just a few

Kaysie · Mar 21, 2013

1 week old Axolotls - YouTube

You should be aiming for a density like this. Adult daphnia will make tiny daphnia, so even if they don't get eaten, they should be left in the tub.

Are you getting a lot of die off with your daphnia?

Tallulah · Mar 21, 2013

No if anything they are breading alot

Kaysie · Mar 21, 2013

Then I'd guess it's probably water quality.

Tallulah · Mar 21, 2013

I changed the water last night and again this evening added aqua safe to make the water safe for the babies. I have had another 1 die this time it was 1 of the bigger babies. Really at a lose end now, only have 13 left

Alkylhalide · Mar 21, 2013

Tallulah said:
I changed the water last nyt and again this evening added aqua safe to make the water safe for the babys and I have had another 1 die this time it was 1 of the bigger babys really at a lose end now only have 13 left

Do you have a picture of the babies/your setup.
Do you have water test kit? Like api master test kit? I would check your water parameters. Even if it is fresh water.

Do you have them in a tank? When you do a water change do you wipe the tank down as well? If you dont have a filter this needs to be done.

Hmm i think were running out of options. Maybe pictures/giving us the water parameters can help.

Tallulah · Mar 21, 2013

They are now in tubs and yes I cleaned them down when I did the water change. I don't have a water testing kit but do put aqua safe in which makes tap water safe to use. I'll try and put some pics on but new to this site have no sure how to do this as I'm using my phone.

Alkylhalide · Mar 21, 2013

Click on the "post reply" button at the bottom of the page. Scroll down to advanced settings and go to manage attachments. My phone lets me post 1picture per post for some reason.

A water testing kit i think is mecessary for all axolotl owners. You never know your tap water could have ammonia in it.
Do you know if you have hard or soft water? Is it well water or city water?
Sorry for so many questions but im at a lost but id still like to try to help

Help my baby axolotls r dying

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