Is floating in metamorph stage of tiger salamanders normal?

As of two days ago I knew nothing about salamanders. I was given one that after doing as much reading as possible both online and in books, that I believe to be a tiger salamander going through its metamorphosis. Its gills are relatively short and have none of the feathery stuff extending from them. Its fin is also not very apperant on its back any longer but just on the tail. He hasn't eaten pellets and I tried putting an earth worm in the water with it but the earthworm just got away and i had to fish it out. I assumed it was just stress due to the fact that it was kept in a very small 'critter keeper' with just an inch or so of water for the first night I had it until I was able to go buy it a 10 gallon aquarium. I provided large gravel to cover the bottom some fake plants and some rocks from my garden that I washed and then stacked to give it place to crawl out. Pretty much ever since he's been in the larger aquarium (that is 3 quarters full) he just goes to the top and gulps air then floats. He moves occasionally from one area to another but always spends a significant amount of time in each spot. He only seems to go to the bottom of the tank when, I assume, I've startled him by going to look at him and when he does he often bumps into things before coming to a completely hault and being very still until he is 'relaxed' again then he swim up to the top, gulps some air and becomes buoyant again. Could this be gas bubble disease? Or is it just something they do when deveoping their lungs? Should I be concerned about it's lack of activity and disinterest in food? Should I provide and air stone or just a water pump? Also I didn't have a chance to let the tank cycle before placing him in it due to the harsh conditions of his other much smaller plastic container. Could this have something to do with its behavior? I haven't been able to hook up the water pump yet and wont be able to until this evening he has only been in his new take for about 24 hrs but already the water is getting cloudy. Any suggestions? Also it's water temp is between 72 and 74F. Sorry for the length of my post I hope someone can helpme I'm really worried about my new friend and don't want him to die.

Amber, Tiger Salamanders are not a species that I keep, but I will try to provide you with some general information and links to pages on this site that you should read. This should help you out and hopefully you will receive some other feedback as well.

Here is the tiger salamander care sheet: http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Ambystoma/A_tigrinum.shtml

Sometimes, newts get a disease called bloat which causes them to float. I'm not sure if larval tiger salamanders can get this, but here's the link for you to check out just in case: http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/bloatEDK.shtml

Here is the link to the articles section of this website: http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/articles.shtml

You should be able to find information about water quality (why your water is brown) by looking there.

I understand that you are doing the best you can on short notice, but it is absolutely necessary to figure out precisely what species you have. Do you have a way to post a picture? People could give you LOTS of help if they were certain. If not, describe the salamander in more detail:

What color(s) is it, how big is it?

Until you're certain, you should provide both shallow water and land areas.

I'm sorry I can't help you more, but this should give you a pretty good start.

I have noticed as I kept my Chinese fire belly during their larvae stage that when they starve and hungry they can get a bubble in the stomach which made them float. I usually lowered the water level to feed them brimp shrimp. Once they were filled up, they sank.

In your case, you may try to feed the Tiger larvae up. But it is also possible for other diseased related reason. Let's hope for the best.

Amber, it is immediately imperative that you put something in his tank that he can use to climb out on land. (It's also imperative that the tank have a secure lid!) Very soon (or now) he will need to climb up on solid land. From that time onward, he will need a mostly terrestrial setup, not a water-filled aquarium. There is probably not enough time to worry about cycling the tank, he won't need it much longer. For tank setup ideas see:
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/setups3.shtml

It is normal for a morphing sal to be disinterested in food, and on top of that he is in new surroundings. The floating is not very abnormal, but could be a sign that he needs to emerge.

thanks so much everyone for the feedback. today I added an air stone under the rocks(that I have in the tank for him to crawl out of the water on if he wants) I did it that way it wouldn't disturb the water too much since I've read that could stress him out. He hasn't been floating AS much since. I don't know if that's in part because of the suface movement of the water. But I am relieved to see him at the bottom of the tank some. I still haven't gotten him to eat and I only worry because he seems rather skinny, his hip or pelvis bones are protruding slightly. Any suggestions on a type of food to try for him? since earth worms get away in the rocks too fast and he doesn't seem interested in pellets. Would minnows or tadpols from a bait shop work? Also should I begin lowering the water in the tank? I read that lowering of the water at an eighth to a fourth of an inch a day can help with the morph process. And as for what type he is after the reading I've done I think he is a gray tiger salamander. He is olive colored with a kinda creamy underside and has little black spots all over his body. Thanks again to everyone who replied.

Amber, look in this link that I gave you to the articles section:http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/articles.shtml

There is a section there on feeding that should help you out.

I would try chopping the worms and putting them in a feeding dish (just a dish on the bottom of the tank) so that they can't get away. Chopping them into bite sized pieces will help with this also.

Without seeing the setup, it's hard to give advice (sorry, in my last post I didn't realize he already had an island). I would say keep using earthworms, and get rid of any rocks that are on the bottom of the tank. (He needs to ones to climb on, but not others, and he needs worms.) Also, be sure to avoid any rocks that are a "swallowable" size. If you add more worms, surely some will stay out where he can see them. Or try holding a worm (or piece of worm) in front of him with tongs or chopsticks.

Lowering the water level is OK, but be very careful about water quality. You will probably need to do a significant water change every day or two if the water level is low (this may already be the case).