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Question: Axolotl got into siphon

vlcuXX

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Okay so as I was doing my every 2 day 50% water change since my tank's cycling, I was siphoning out the water, while on the computer just checking the bucket to see when it's full every now and then. After a few checks or so, I noticed my axolotl had seemed to get himself in the siphon(little bugger!) so I quickly ran over and pulled the siphon out carefully as to not injure him, he spazzed out and swam around until he got into a corner and stopped, I put some bloodworms in his dish, some cold water bottles in his tank and his tank's sitting at 18C( would usually be 20-21 or so in the summer here, which doesn't worry me but I drop a couple 2L bottles of water in there to let them cool the tank off a few degrees) now, and just let him stay in his tank with cool, clean water, and the shades are down so no sun or light at all, he ate a ghost shrimp that I found nearly dead in the tank guess it was old or something, and he also is eating bloodworms as I type this, a good amount I put in his bowl as well!

Question is, should he be okay? There's no visual damage that is seen to the eye on him, his legs are fine, his gills are a bit darker than usual, but no fungus can be seen. I think he'll be fine but would like the input from the great and powerful community of Caudata! :D I'll also include some pictures of him pigging out in his food dish that were just taken, he looks healthy aside from his gills being a bit darker but I don't think that's much to worry about, is it? Sorry about the bad quality, iPod cameras suck! :p

Thanks!
 

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vlcuXX

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Also before anyone rips on me for being irresponsible blah blah blah, I know, I know that I should have payed attention I just didn't think he'd get in there, it's not thought of that an axolotl would swim directly under, facing the entrance of the siphon.. :sick:
 

vlcuXX

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That's what I thought too, anyone else with any input? :D Thanks axolotlface!
 

auntiejude

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Axies are naturally curious little things, and will investigate almost anything you put in their tank - so it's not surprising he got his nose into the siphon!

Keep your eyes open for fungus as there may be slime coat damage that you can't see, but he should be fine.
 

Jonjey

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I've seen axolotls that got caught in a siphon and had their guts ripped out from the side of their body and had to be put down! Super glad he looks fine. Where did it grab onto?
 

vlcuXX

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He's a small little guy about 4-5 inches or so, got his whole body in there, not just his nose! Haha!

But yeah as you said, I'll keep an eye out, but I don't think anything's wrong with him, he's wandering around his tank now and acting as usual, and I think his gills are back to the norm dark reddish/pink, he also ate quite a lot today!

Thanks for the input AuntieJude! :D
 

vlcuXX

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I've seen axolotls that got caught in a siphon and had their guts ripped out from the side of their body and had to be put down! Super glad he looks fine. Where did it grab onto?

Oh my that sounds horrific! Thank god my siphon is just a crappy small siphon I had for a LONG time, it's not that powerful, but powerful enough to suck him in there if he tries to get into it, like he did!

His body got sucked in face first I'm guessing since that was the way I saw him in there, before taking the siphon out and him swimming back into his tank, all fast-like.
 

Jonjey

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Hahaha how did you get him out of there? Did you blow on one side and shoot him out like a spitball in a straw?
 

vlcuXX

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Hahaha how did you get him out of there? Did you blow on one side and shoot him out like a spitball in a straw?
Haha nope! I just took the siphon out of the water and he slid down the siphon like a water slide! :p:lol: Then swam back to a corner in the tank.

Luckily he wasn't a larvae or anything, not that I'd siphon a larvae's enclosure anyways, he'd get sucked straight into the bucket, being that small!
 

ladygodiva35

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You must have been terrified at seeing him in there! But I'm sure it was a good laugh after seeing that he was okay and not hurt. Axies will try to get into anything they think they can squeeze into. That reminds me of the time I was siphoning sand in my fish tank and one of the larger snails managed to get sucked up but he was alright and as you said he came right out like a water slide. Anyway, glad your little curious creature is okay. Give him some extra love and air kisses. lol
 

HayleyK

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Be careful about your axolotl being on sand if hes under 5" axolotls can get impaction from sand. Poor little guy hope all is well!
 

Gail24

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Glad he is ok .things happen sometimes ,sounds like he is fine as long as he is eating and swimming around ,siphons are good but they do suck up everything including Axies lol
 

vlcuXX

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Be careful about your axolotl being on sand if hes under 5" axolotls can get impaction from sand. Poor little guy hope all is well!

He's around 4-5 inches and he eats in a large Exo Terra reptile food dish. Even my 2 inch babies are on sand but they get handfed with tweezers with every worm, I never let them eat off the sand, and they poop VERY often(like 3 times or more a day).
 
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