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Floating female axolotl juvenile won't eat

Demordokos

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Hi guys. I have a 55 gal planted tank with 4 juvenile axolotls all around 7 months old. They all seemed happy and healthy and I've regularly fed them frozen bloodworms and live guppies until giving them their first live black worms a few weeks back. They gobbled them up, but the next day one of them appeared bloated and was floating upside down. I read up on here and decided to fridge her and have done daily water changes. A few days in, she did expel a small snail, apparently, as I noticed it during a water change, and since then her swelling has gone away, although she had some nasty bruising on her belly, which is luckily also vanishing now after 10 days fridging. I think it was an impaction, however she still floats upside down, and I imagine this could be due to not having eaten in so many days. I'm returning her to the main tank tonight to see if I can coax her into eating, but so far no luck. The other axolotls all seem to be happy and healthy, so I do not believe it's a water/tank issue. My substrate is 2-3 inches of sand on top of eco-complete soil, meaning she can't get to pebbles or choking hazards other than the small snails I've battled getting rid of. I'll attach pictures in hopes someone might know why she's floating upside down. And any tips on whether or not to force feed or how are greatly appreciated.
 

Caesar

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Hi guys. I have a 55 gal planted tank with 4 juvenile axolotls all around 7 months old. They all seemed happy and healthy and I've regularly fed them frozen bloodworms and live guppies until giving them their first live black worms a few weeks back. They gobbled them up, but the next day one of them appeared bloated and was floating upside down. I read up on here and decided to fridge her and have done daily water changes. A few days in, she did expel a small snail, apparently, as I noticed it during a water change, and since then her swelling has gone away, although she had some nasty bruising on her belly, which is luckily also vanishing now after 10 days fridging. I think it was an impaction, however she still floats upside down, and I imagine this could be due to not having eaten in so many days. I'm returning her to the main tank tonight to see if I can coax her into eating, but so far no luck. The other axolotls all seem to be happy and healthy, so I do not believe it's a water/tank issue. My substrate is 2-3 inches of sand on top of eco-complete soil, meaning she can't get to pebbles or choking hazards other than the small snails I've battled getting rid of. I'll attach pictures in hopes someone might know why she's floating upside down. And any tips on whether or not to force feed or how are greatly appreciated.

I would NOT mix my axolotls with smaller snails than their heads or they will try to swallow them which is dangerous. It is the same reason people don't use those small pebbles because they are hard and an axolotl can't exactly digest it.

I would try different types of food to see if she will eat any.
 

LoriML

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At 7 months they can eat small cut up earth worms. Can get get ahold of some of those?

Also I'm not familiar with the soil you mentioned, but make sure your sand isn't getting pockets in it. I keep only and an inch to inch and a half for that reason.

Pics would also be helpful.
 
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