Swimming Axie?

n7megan

n7megan

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Megan
Hey, just a quick question. I'm wondering if it's normal that my axie (named Grep) has been swimming a lot. I did just put in some new tank decorations (a bunch of big rocks) and Grep has been swimming around ever since I added them. I added them as a decorative aspect and because I was trying to minimize the current caused by my filter. I'm not sure if they are helping, though, because of how much Grep has been swimming. I'm worried that Grep is swimming a lot because he/she (not sure of gender yet) is trying to find a place where the current isn't bothering him/her or if Grep is just enjoying the new rocks. It's not like Grep has been swimming non-stop but he/she hasn't settled in one place for too long, either. It is night time, and from my understanding they get a little more active at night? So maybe I'm overreacting but I don't know! Help!

*EDIT*
I realized that I left out a bit of information. Grep has been swimming up and landing on top of the rocks, settling there for a bit, then swimming off and to a different part of the tank, stopping there, so on and so forth. That's why I'm not sure if Grep is upset by the current or just playing on the rocks.
 
I'd check your water parameters just to be sure the water is fine. Ph, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and temperature.
If it is the current bothering your axie perhaps try put a sponge in front of the filter outlet. I've seen that one common sign that the current is too strong is the gills start to shrink or curl forward. I hope it's just your axie enjoying it's new set up :D
 
How large is your tank? Perhaps a picture would help us assess the situation.
 
@Beks: Unfortunately I spent all my money getting the tank set up and haven't bought a kit for monitoring the chemical side of my water. I'm working towards that right now, though, so I hope to have that soon. And I haven't noticed any issues with the gills shrinking. In fact, Grep's gills are very flashy and flamboyant compared to when I first got him/her. I rearranged the tank and Grep is still swimming a lot, but also holding still a lot more, too. So I'm thinking it was just Grep's interest in the new rocks/playground.
@Eric: I have a 10 gallon tank right now with a bunch of large rocks arranged around a PVC tube. There's a couple of pictures attached.
 

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The tank wasn't cycled before I added the axolotl. I took a lot of the cycled water from the tank that I bought the axolotl from and used that water primarily when I first got my axolotl. Gradually I added more water until the tank was full. I've been watching Grep pretty close the last couple days and he/she may just be more active at night because he/she holds still most of the day and then gets really active at night.
 
What I'm learning is, using water from a cycled tank won't mean your tank will cycle faster. The beneficial bacteria live on surfaces — in the filter, or on ornaments, plants, substrate. They don't live in the water in sufficient quantities to kick-start a cycle.

And until you can test your water, you don't know whether it's cycling, or at what stage it might be at, so your Axolotl could be in a potentially harmful situation. The general advice I've seen given is, at this point, to remove the Axolotl to a tub of aged, dechlorinated water, and change that every day, giving the tub a scrub out every two days with a mixture of bicarb and salt. (Having two tubs makes this easier!) Then you can get your test kit and get your tank cycled, or well on the road to cycling, before adding Grep back to the tank.

It's a bit of a faff, but it's better to be safe than sorry, surely.

I'm sure someone with more experience and knowledge will corroborate this and give even more useful advice!

( Grep is an adorable name by the way! )
 
****UPDATE****

A fellow Caudata user contacted me the other day and, seeing as we happened to live in the same town, offered to come over and help me test my water. After running a few tests, these were the results:
Ammonia: present, but not in bad amounts
Nitrite: Very high, toxic levels
Nitrate: None, okay
Despite the scary high levels of nitrite, Grep showed no signs of any stress or illness, so that is very, very lucky. We decided it would be best to take Grep out of the tank and keep him/her in a tank of cycled water at her place while my tank continues to cycle. She brought over a sponge filter from a cycled tank of hers to put in my own tank and that will hopefully help my tank cycle properly. Only problem I can see is that I won't have Grep for a while! But she knows what she's doing and Grep is in good hands. I'd like to thank her for being so, so helpful to a stranger! And also, anyone who responded to my post, thank you! I love the support of this community and I thank you all profusely for the help and advice you have given me. Grep appreciates it too!!
 
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