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Help my baby is floating :(

Lars

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Hello all, and thank you for reading. I have read other "floating" posts, but none of the scenarios were the exact same as mine, so I figured I would ask and post the details of my situation.

I have had my leucistic for about three weeks, maybe two and a half. I can't quite remember. It feels longer than that. Anyway. About a week or five days ago, she started floating. The lady I got her from said not worry, as they sometimes get gas and have to pass it before they sink. She had had gas once before and it had passed. This time though, it is not going away. I am not sure what actions to take.

I also have one of her siblings. They have the same exact tank (they are in separate enclosures) and same exact diet. I feed them bloodworms for about fifteen minutes about twice a day, sometimes three or one. Usually they are full after fifteen minutes. I assume they are full when they stop snapping and spend more time 'smelling' the food. They are seventeen weeks old and eat frozen bloodworms, thawed in dechlorinated tap water. Their tanks have daily water changes, and consist of sand, two fake plants, and dechlorinated tap water that sits over night to chill to proper temperatures.

The reason why I mention the sibling is that he does not have these issues. I try my best to feed them underwater to prevent floating.

When I came home from work today, the leucie was completely upside down, and her gills had turned white (I'm assuming from lack of oxygen.) I panicked and poked her and luckily she was alive. I have placed her in a shallow container that barely covers her body so that she is resting on the bottom. Her normal color has returned and she is eating. I almost don't want to feed her but I feel bad, because she is 'snapping' and I know she is hungry.

That is her problem though. She gets all crazy during feeding time and snaps at the surface, and I am assuming that she is gulping air while eating, leading to her floating.

My concern is that she has not stopped floating, even after bowel movements. She doesn't look bloated, and I feel that I can see the air bubbles when she is turned on her side. And after seeing her float upside down today, I'm very scared and I feel like a bad mommy :(

What steps should I take? Not feed her? Fridge her? Any advice is greatly appreciated! Thank you again for taking the time to read this.
 

Axl Rose

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I have had two juvies that love to float, the problem is sometimes they don't know how to stop floating. This seems to come with age. I have never had one float upside down though, but your axie may have fallen asleep while floating, and rolled over unintentionally. I too freaked out with my first floater and put him in tubs till he pooped but after a few mins back in the tank he'd be floating again. So I gave up, as long as he ate and pooped I figured all was good, he grew out of it, though one of my males still loves to float and ride the surface currants even as an adult.

Hopefully you just have an axis that loves to float.
 

Lars

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Thank you. Hopefully she does just like to float. My other axie floats occasionally, but I guess he can just control it better. I just don't want my leucie to get stressed from not touching the bottom. I will leave her in the small tub over night and return her to her tank in the morning. Thanks again :)
 

auntiejude

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There are 2 main reasons for floating.

The first is the scenario you described with air bubbles in their digestive system. This is often caused by digestion gases rather than ingested air, so don't worry about axies going to the surface. They usually grow out of it as they get bigger.

The second is a genetic condition where an axie can fill its lungs with air, but can't exhale properly. This means their lungs are always inflated with air, causing the floating. Sometimes they grow out of it, often they don't.

If your axie is floating on its side, or the angle is variable, or with its tail up I'd say it was gas. If your axie tends to float belly up all the time it is more likely to be the lung issue. If your axie is floating with its back uppermost its usually voluntary.

Whatever the reason the treatment is the same: a tub with plenty of cover (I use pondweed and tunnels). You could also try a change of diet - at 17 weeks they should be 3-4" and you can feed them small earthworms - cut up if necessary.
 

Lars

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Hello all. So after a night in the shallow water, things aren't looking up. She was barely responsive. I picked her up out of the water thinking she was dead, and then I felt her little feet pushing on my hand. I did a complete water change and put her back in. She looks better now and is more responsive but is not her normal self. She was only in that water for six hours, but she did poop. I'm thinking that the water was what was making her sick. Like I said before, she floats a lot. She has been floating for about a week now.

At first it looked controlled. As the days have gone on, however, I can only imagine that my little lotl is getting stressed. In order to stay right side up, she was using her back foot to stay balanced. She would alternate feet, it's not just one. Then yesterday, I came home and she was completely upside down. She has flipped upside before during feeding when she gets too excited, but she has never stayed like that.

I'm not sure what to do and I'm scared :( I feel like she is coming down to her last days. I really don't want to come home from work today and see her dead :( when I monitor her, she seems to be doing well. It's like when I don't see her for about six hours that something terrible happens and I just don't want to get to her too late. Should I not feed her for a few days? Should I fridge her at this point?

I wanted to get some earthworms but I haven't found a reliable source to get them from. I texted the breeder I got her from and asked where she gets her adult food, bit she hasn't responded yet. I know they would like it better as they're eating multiple bloodworms at a time. I also wanted to try daphnia for when I have long days at work but perhaps they are growing out of that stage.

I would take her to the vet but I am unsure of what they could do and I don't have money for a visit with no results. :( any help is appreciated and again thanks for reading.
 

Lars

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Just an update: my baby seems to be doing better and back to her normal, snappy self, although she is still floating. I will keep y'all updated. I think it could be bacteria related gas. I have been doing about two water changes a day to ensure there is no bacteria until she passes the gas.
 
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