Fat Axalotl..

I currently have 3 axalotls 2 of which I have only had for a few weeks. One of my axies (the one I had before the 2 new ones) is very fat (Axle) and only seems to be getting bigger and bigger. The tank is kept at a constant temperature of 18 degrees and all water stats are good.

She has been large for about a month and used to be in a tank with a large male which unfortunately died from white spot brought in by Axle. She is at least a year old and around 19 cm long. She still eats but not as much as she used to.

What could be the reason for her size?

Please help I don't want another axalotl to die

This time of year you'll find that most female axolotls put on quite a bit of weight. It's normally due to the fact that they're getting into breeding mode, and are simply full of eggs. Another possibility is that she ate too much gravel, or has bloat, but if it's been slowly getting plump, I don't think there is much to worry about, other than more mouths to feed if you have a pair together

Thankyou very much. I will look into those possibilities just so I know what one it most likely is.

If you're worried and able to post a picture - that may help!

On another note - the other two axies, are they in with your "fat axolotl" or in a separate tank? If they're together, did you quarantine them for the minimum 30 days before introducing them? This is to ensure they are healthy and won't pass anything onto your longer/older resident.

As far as I know axolotls don't get white spot but if you did put one in its tank without quarantining it first (to ensure the new one's healthy) then you it could very well have picked up some infection/disease that the new one had.

How did you treat the axolotl that died? You have to be careful administering fish medicines to axies as they can be quite toxic to an axolotl (especially if you were trying to treat it for white spot and it was something else - ie a bacterial infection or fungus or some other illness).