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A few concerns for my Axie

Delzoun

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Hello all! I would first like to say hello as I am new here. Well that was redundant.. Anyways, I recently have gotten an axolotl (Lieutenant Milak) just a week ago. This is my first time, so of course I'm going to have some concerns. He is 6 months old and had a slight fungal infection which most had cleared up by the time I had got him. I've been treating him and it seems that he has no more fungus on him. But I am unsure when he will have no more fungus. The first day I fed him a half cube of bloodworms. He allowed me to hand feed him and he ate most of it. The next day he seemed well and showed no signs of stress. He again let me feed him a half cube. The third day is when he started showing signs of stress. His tail was curved to an extreme point. I knew it couldn't be because he didn't have a place where he could hide, because I had more than enough places. I did water tests and it showed all good signs for him. Temperatures seemed cool enough. I rotated the nozzle for my rena xp1 filter towards the wall which showed much less stress. He did not eat though. His tail was curved a slight amount at the end, which I thought was going to be gone the next day. But it wasn't. It seemed even more stressed. I tried many different ideas and did water changes, but he was still stressed. Finally, I decided maybe I should just let him be for a while. I fed him some blood worms, as expected, he did not eat. I left my room and a few minutes later, went to go check on him. I was checking so he didn't see me, and I saw him eating just fine. I had confirmed he was shy when he saw me and hid in his log. I would like to know if it's something that I am doing to cause him to be shy, or if he is shy. Or is it just that he was naturally shy. Another concern is that on one corner of my tank, he seems to keep digging at the sand substrate there until it is stripped of the sand there. I'm confused, as I have looked up everywhere of any reports of axolotls digging at one part. I do not know if this is just natural, and noone bothers with it because it's common. Or if this is an issue that nobody has noticed. Today I have added a wisteria plant, planted some water lily and onion bulbs, added tubifex worms to his diet, and put some japanese shrimp in the tank to see if anything has helped reduce his stress. After rigorous work of everything floating and trying to plant things in the substrate. He seemed a little less stressed. But he still is stressed even when I'm not there. If there is any information you would like to know to help me with this. Please ask and thank you if you have any ideas on helping me with my situation. Thank you for your patience of reading my long report. :D
 

CJ1981

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Hello!

You may be better off posting your questions in the 'sick axolotl' area rather than here.

People will want to know exactly what your water parameters are (ammonia, ph, nitrates, nitrites etc) also tank temperature and size. If you can post photo's both of your tank and your Axolotl that will help too.

Hope that helps, good luck.
 

CJ1981

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Ignore the first bit of my reply - you are in Sick Axolotls! Serves me right for flittling between forums :eek:

The second bit still stands though, more detailed water parameters and pictures if possible please.
 
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Delzoun

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Oh sorry I didn't respond quickly. Thanks for responding to me. Right now I am using a 10 gallon tank which is large enough right now considering he is only about 5-6 inches long. I have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 28 nitrates, PH is 7.2, and it is 18 C. I don't have the hardness, but I know my water is soft. Idk if these are the correct numbers, I wasn't sure how to do water tests. Thank you again.
 

xxianxx

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Digging is fine, natural behavior of a happy axolotl. I think you are mistaking signs of stress, a tail kinked at the end is a sign of stress in very young axys, if its just curled dont worry about it. If the water quality/ temp are good and the axolotl feeding there is probably nothing wrong, you are just being over anxious.
 

xxianxx

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No, but his tail is kinked at the end. Thanks for the response!:D

It is a bit big to exhibit the kinked tail sign of stress, if it was kinked it wouldn't be eating it would be dying, put a pic up and I will check it out.
 

xxianxx

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I have never seen an axolotl over an inch showing the kinked tail , I checked in chat no one else has either. Axolotls do curl their tails at funny angles doesnt mean they are going to die so chillax.
 

Delzoun

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Sorry, I'm just a really nervous parent. I wasn't freaking out though, sorry if it came that way. Thanks though, very kind of you to help!
 

CJ1981

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Sorry, I'm just a really nervous parent. I wasn't freaking out though, sorry if it came that way. Thanks though, very kind of you to help!

There's no need to apologise, when I first got mine I was on pins panicking every time they fluffed their gills, I think it's just natural nerves! :D
 

Delzoun

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Hey, just another concern. My axie was with another sick one. And I think that one bit off some of mine's gills. Will they grow back?
 
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