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Question: Axolotl seems weird and isn’t eating?

bethancaitlin

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I got my first 2 Axolotls about 5 days ago, one albino (Lilo) and one wild type (Stitch)
The albino seems fine and has grown loads, she’s really greedy.
The wild type however quite often goes to the surface for what looks like bubbles of air, and we are struggling to feed him. The first few days he would only eat one waxworm and now he won’t eat anything, we’ve offered bloodworms, waxworms and earthworms (we have to cut these up as he’s only small and won’t eat them whole)
All the water parameters are correct, I’ve been testing at least twice a day out of stress
The temperature is also at roughly 17C constantly, the have no light, and a breeder sponge filter with an air pump at the lowest setting. They also have a fine sand substrate as this is what they had at the reptile shop. And they live together in a 100x50x40cm tank (about 150L I think)
I’m concerned since he seems to be getting skinny whereas the albino is getting bigger and bigger.
Both are only a few months old from what I’ve been told.
Any tips on what might be up with him or how to encourage him to eat?
And also tips on sexing them as I’m just calling him male because of his name at the moment!
Thanks
 

Biev

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Maybe Lilo snapped at Stitch in the past and he's intimidated? When I first got my axolotls, my male was afraid of my female and wouldn't eat in her presence. It took me a while to realize that that was the problem. When I separated them, he started eating bloodworms, then as he got healthier he was able to graduate to other kinds of worms. I kept them separately for a couple of months and now they're back together and doing fine.
 

bethancaitlin

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They only spent a week together at the shop before I had them so think it might be that they’ve snapped.
He ate waxworms the first two days and he has been pooping.
I’ve been leaving bloodworms in the tank in case he’s hungry so not sure if he’s just been eating a few whilst I’m not there?
 
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