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Illness/Sickness: Axolotls floating upside down for weeks

katyaq

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Hi,

I've looked up information on axolotls floating upside down and I can't find a straight answer. I have an axolotl, about one year old in a large container by himself. He's smaller than his siblings so I keep him apart. For a few weeks now he's been floating upside down. He'll try to right himself and succeed for a while and then his body will slowly turn over. The best he can do at this point is float on his side.

Diet:
He's eating and pooping just fine. I feed him frozen brine shrimp since pellets sink and he can't go to the bottom to eat. I've never fed them anything hard like meal worms, only pellets, frozen brine shrimp, frozen bloodworms and earth worms. The last time I fed him he was actually floating on an angle, with his head/upper body sinking down further than his lower legs (see pictures).

Water quality:
I don't have a testing kit, but pH where I live is around 7. I change his water regularly,so I doubt there is an issue with ammonia. The temperature is fairly cold since it's winter in Canada.

A few days ago I noticed one of his siblings floating upside down in the big tank where I keep the bigger siblings. They had had no contact with each other and the rest of the axies in the big tank are all fine, so I don't know if it is something that is contagious. There is no visible fungus, bloating or injury on either of them. Fridging is not really an option for me since I checked and the temperature at the bottom of my fridge is around -3 C. I don't know if this temperature is too low and might do more harm than good.

Does anyone know if there is an infection or something that could be causing this? I'm at my wits end, all other information on floating axolotls seems to be the final stages of a disease before they pass away but mine is eating, pooping and has lived in that condition for weeks without showing any signs of other illness. Please help!
 

LSuzuki

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There are some defects that cause floating. Perhaps this is the case here. If I recall, there is a defect that makes them unable to exhale. I think this thread has some more information. http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-be...llege-carlinville-illinois-axolotl-study.html

What I have experienced is that they may float when young and then grow out of it. But in my cases, the were floating right-side-up. What I did was lower the water in their container at feeding time so they could get the pellets. You might try that and see if it helps.
 

Skudo09

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The abdomen looks like an odd shape as well. It does look suspiciously like a prolapse and veterinary treatment is the best course of action.
 

LSuzuki

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Skudo09 - did you mean this for the other thread about George? I don't see any pictures here. Or am I missing something?
 

Skudo09

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Skudo09 - did you mean this for the other thread about George? I don't see any pictures here. Or am I missing something?

What the... Yes my post was meant for George. I don't even remember seeing this thread and I was wondering where my post had vanished off to! Yes my post is not in relation this thread. My apologies to the OP :-/
 

AxolotlChris

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This could be a case of bloat which I have read about a few times.
Is your Axolotls body swollen in any way?

You said '(see pictures)' in your first post but no images are attached.

This is the best way to add images to your post:


paperclip.png

choosefile.png

addpictures.png

Could you post some images of your Axolotl and tank?

Also get yourself a liquid test kit ASAP for Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates.
I use this: Welcome to API Fishcare: FRESHWATER MASTER TEST KIT
You can get it on Amazon cheap.

Fridging can help in some circumstances, but I think we should establish the problem first.
-3 degrees Celsius is too low.
 

CarpeDiem

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My axolotl is doing the same thing and hes been alive for weeks. I have tested the water and the Ph levels are fine. She hasn't eaten anything live that could have had a disease and the dry food she has been eating is what I have always fed her. Any ideas as to what causes this? :(
 

katyaq

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This could be a case of bloat which I have read about a few times.
Is your Axolotls body swollen in any way?

You said '(see pictures)' in your first post but no images are attached.

This is the best way to add images to your post:


View attachment 45197

View attachment 45198

View attachment 45199

Could you post some images of your Axolotl and tank?

Also get yourself a liquid test kit ASAP for Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates.
I use this: Welcome to API Fishcare: FRESHWATER MASTER TEST KIT
You can get it on Amazon cheap.

Fridging can help in some circumstances, but I think we should establish the problem first.
-3 degrees Celsius is too low.

Thanks, I couldn't figure out how to add pictures when I first posted. Here are the pictures of both of them. They take turns floating sideways and upside down. There's no sign of bloating in my opinion, at least I don't see a change from what they looked like before the issue started. I had the ammonia and pH tested at a pet store nearby and the ammonia levels were fine, pH was 6.6. Here are the pictures of them, I moved them into a smaller container and lowered the water level so it's easier for them to get their food.
 

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katyaq

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The last one is a picture of the one that's been floating longer when he floats...crooked. It only happened once after he ate, his upper body sunk and his lower body still floated. It lasted for a about a day and then he went back to floating on his side or upside down
 

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katyaq

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There are some defects that cause floating. Perhaps this is the case here. If I recall, there is a defect that makes them unable to exhale. I think this thread has some more information. http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-be...llege-carlinville-illinois-axolotl-study.html

What I have experienced is that they may float when young and then grow out of it. But in my cases, the were floating right-side-up. What I did was lower the water in their container at feeding time so they could get the pellets. You might try that and see if it helps.

Thanks Laura, I can't get anything from the second link, can you attach the pdf?
 

LSuzuki

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Thanks Laura, I can't get anything from the second link, can you attach the pdf?

Sorry - I'm not involved with that institute at all. The problem of modern technology - information moves. :confused:

I am not very good at interpreting photos - they just aren't real enough - but your axies look (to me) to be a bit skinny. Underfeeding can cause floating in young ones. Perhaps a change of diet? Canadian nightcrawlers are a very good staple food for axies, and you can feed then pieces (like, width-of-their-head long) by hand, so not being able to go to the bottom isn't an issue.

I give the night-crawlers a bath in tap-hot water - long enough to stun them - before I cut them up, because they are very hard to chop up otherwise. Feed them as much as they want to eat - they are juveniles. Here south of the border, they have Canadian night crawlers at Walmart in the hunting/fishing area.
 

AxolotlChris

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For juveniles they don't seem under weight, the rule of body width to be the same width as the head doesn't really apply till they grow larger, but yes perhaps try feeding more to see if it helps. Other wise seek a vet that can deal with Caudates.

Be careful keeping those two together in the same container, I can see the tip of a tail missing. As juveniles they are quite likely to snap at each other.
 

katyaq

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Sorry - I'm not involved with that institute at all. The problem of modern technology - information moves. :confused:

I am not very good at interpreting photos - they just aren't real enough - but your axies look (to me) to be a bit skinny. Underfeeding can cause floating in young ones. Perhaps a change of diet? Canadian nightcrawlers are a very good staple food for axies, and you can feed then pieces (like, width-of-their-head long) by hand, so not being able to go to the bottom isn't an issue.

I give the night-crawlers a bath in tap-hot water - long enough to stun them - before I cut them up, because they are very hard to chop up otherwise. Feed them as much as they want to eat - they are juveniles. Here south of the border, they have Canadian night crawlers at Walmart in the hunting/fishing area.

Thanks, I feed them earth worms on occasion, but not as a staple diet. I'll try the switch and keep you posted
 
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