Question: Is this normal?

Is it normal for an axolotl to enjoy being "floaty"?
Mulder gets floaty every few days, not so he's at the top of the water, but enough to make him unstable when trying to manouver round the tank. He often ends up struggling to stay upright, almost rolling onto his back, and spends a lot of time sitting up on his back legs. Whenever he reaches a point where it looks like it may be stressful then I take him out and put him in a plastic tank with just enough water to cover him, after an hour or two in there with a lot of burping (and sometimes a poop), he deflates (not literally, he never looks inflated) and I pop him back into the big tank.
BUT after being deflated he spends a lot of time swimming up to the top to gulp air until he is slightly floaty again. I know it's normal for them to gulp air, but he does it significantly more after time in the deflation tank and it really seems that he "likes" being buoyant

Are the water parameters ok? ph, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and temperature. Also clean water with dechlorinator and no gravel substrate.

If everything is normal then I wouldn't be too worried. Have you seen this thread?

http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-be...-discussion/90091-floaters-new-phenotype.html

Parameters are good. I change 20% of their water daily and use dechlorinated and aged (24hr) tap water. They are on a sand substrate.
I did read that article but mine doesn't float at or even near the top of the water, he only goes up to gulp, I've never seen him float at the top actually. He just walks and swims around the bottom, he just appears too buoyant compared to his tank mate. He's done this ever since I got him.
Hopefully all is well then, maybe he's just a little odd ... in which case he will fit in fine around this house

If you are relying on water changes and don't have a properly cycled tank 20% is not enough. You will have to change 100% daily. That may be your problem. Did you test the water parameters or are you assuming it's ok based on the clarity?

I am still testing every second day as the tank has only recently finished cycling (last week).
Todays test was
ph 7.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate Midway between 5-10
Are these ok?

Those parameters sound absolutely fine...obviously it's a good idea to keep checking them, as I guess you are planning to. Hmmm...you say he swims up for a gulp of air. Does he do this often? If he's doing it once or twice an hour, with a loud 'blup' noise or even a squeak, that's normal, any more and he may need a little more air like an air bar etc. But if not, it's all good!

Floating on the front of the axxie is usually trapped wind - floating with the back end up in the air is usually a sign that he needs to poop. Sounds to me like you have a windy lotl! What do you feed him, as it seems he's doing this often? You're doing the right thing by letting him get the trapped wind out, but I have a feeling his food might be giving him the equivalent of axxie indigestion (either that or he hasn't quite twigged that air comes in = air needs to come out. He might also just like being a gassy pup or he uses it to help his food pass through his system, obviously I'm not sure).

Both axies are now eating earthworms really well, it took a few weeks to convince them. They have 2 or 3 each every day or two.
He only gulps for air a lot after I've put him in the small tub for a burping session to stabilise him a bit. Between times he only goes up once or twice an hour the same as his tank mate.
He never floats on his back or with his bum in the air, he never really floats, he just seems to get extra buoyant so he rolls over a bit sometimes when swimming and if he tries to prop himself up against the glass to be nosey, or to say Hi he ends up sat up straight resting on his back legs and tail and can seem to struggle to get down on all fours again. As long as all is well and it's just his "thing" then it's actually quite an amusing quirk to have.
I think I worry about it far more than he does

Don't we all! LOL! My signature says it all!
I just had a thought that if he's still quite young he might be learning to control his lungs. I didn't realise this but axxies don't breathe the water; they gulp in air and store it, for as long as an entire year, using it both to oxygenate their blood and also to allow themselves to float and swim. This is why some owners (me included) lower the water level to about half or a third of the total height, to allow the axxie to float up to the top for water much more easily - axxies want floor space more than depth. It takes them a while to adjust to different tank depths - in the tank I rescued Toothless from, she really struggled to get halfway up the tank because she had to learn how to float.
He may just be doing this, or it really may be just a quirk :frog:If he's otherwise happy and healthy, no worries