Should I euthanize my axolotl?

A

Axypickle

New member
Joined
Dec 4, 2019
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Tallahassee
Country
United States
It's been over a year since I've gotten my axie. I love him to pieces. Unfortunately, he has developed an issue where he cannot stop floating about 2 or 3 weeks ago. He was in a 30 gallon tank with sand and kept at around 70° F. He was on a diet of earthworms and occasional blood worms and crickets. When he developed his condition, I read that fridging might be the answer. I fridged him for a week and nothing happened. I brought him inside a few days ago in hope that he would eat at a higher temperature (not too high of course). He ate a few blood worms and promptly spit them back out. This has gone on for a few days, as a last resort, I tried massaging out the air bubble, but this didn't work. I'm heartbroken and desperate. I don't know what to do, please help me.
 
I wouldn't give up just yet. Try doing a search on "floating" here and maybe you can get more advice, or hopefully someone with axie experience will weigh in.
 
I really don't want to give up. I've tried everything I've seen so far. Maybe theres some new information though, I hope anyway. Thank you!
 
Don't give up. I don't think he's suffering yet, so let's try to solve it. I'm also new, but I can research like a beast!

Tank size is fantastic and temp is still good, so we can rule those out. Crickets DO have a chitin, so technically that means impaction risk. Likewise if your 'lotl eat bloodworms directly on the sand (as oppose to in a dish/jar), he can ingest it and enough can also cause impaction (there have been cases of it in here). Those two are my bet.

Did you have all the necessary directions on fridging? If not, I can nab it for you. You're going to want to go for two weeks.

Can we get your water parameters? Just want to confirm something else isn't causing stress. Ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and pH.

Biiig question; if you blow on him or gently touch him, can he get down?
 
Fridging is for life or death situations only. & floating is certainly not life or death. It’s typically an indication of constipation. Tubing with fresh dechlorinated water makes mine go almost instantly. :)
 
Okay, sorry for not giving updates in a long time, but I'm very happy to say that my axie has recovered. I kept him in a 5 gallon tank with only enough water to cover his back so he wouldn't be stressed. After coming out of the fridge, he started eating more (since his metabolism now wasn't all slow). He ate about 1 or 2 earthworms a day and tonight I saw him fully submerged in his tank. When researching a "floating axolotl" all that came up was fridging. I definitely know now that fridging is probably not the best option for a gas bubble in an axolotl. I now have him in my 30 with a bare bottom and a nice shady log to hide under (even though I rarely use my aquarium light). Again, sorry for not replying sooner, my life has been very hectic recently, but I'm glad Mr. Pickle is now better!!
 
OMG YAY! I am SO happy to hear he has recovered :D
 
Hey, I need help! I have a problem like yours. My five month old axie has been floating for at least two months. I’ve done everything. Purring her in the fridge, salt baths, I took her to the vet and she got medicine and that still has done nothing. She has been eating normally, I feed her red wigglers. She floats upside down. But, I know that the cause is probably ammonia spike, because my tank had ammonia in it while she was in it. She poops regularly. But something else I just discovered as a problem is that she’s only four inches, she’s pretty tiny and I read that other axies around her age are bigger. I have her in a small travel tank, and I do daily water changes everyday while I work on the big tank.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
  • Shane douglas:
    with axolotls would I basically have to keep buying and buying new axolotls to prevent inbred breeding which costs a lot of money??
     +1
    Unlike
  • Thorninmyside:
    Not necessarily but if you’re wanting to continue to grow your breeding capacity then yes. Breeding axolotls isn’t a cheap hobby nor is it a get rich quick scheme. It costs a lot of money and time and deditcation
     +1
    Unlike
  • stanleyc:
    @Thorninmyside, I Lauren chen
     +1
    Unlike
  • Clareclare:
    Would Chinese fire belly newts be more or less inclined towards an aquatic eft set up versus Japanese . I'm raising them and have abandoned the terrarium at about 5 months old and switched to the aquatic setups you describe. I'm wondering if I could do this as soon as they morph?
     +1
    Unlike
    Clareclare: Would Chinese fire belly newts be more or less inclined towards an aquatic eft set up versus... +1
    Back
    Top