axolotl not eating..

I generally never had to hand feed my axies as they lernt to find it for themselves, but i noticed two of them becoming very very thin. So i have even tried hand feeding them, and they will not eat. the tank is clean and large, what could be the reason? I think they are not far off withering away they are so thin....

How big is your tank? How warm is your tank? Is your tank cycled? What kind of food are you offering?

My tank is 300 litres, it has 4 axolotls in it, with plenty of caves and plants. it is at 22 degrees at the moment, and it has been cycled for a long time haha about 2 years. I feed them frozen baby turtle food and earth worms, sometimes frozen cichlid food ect. They have been fine up until a few weeks ago, nothing has changed in what im doing, i clean my tank once a week with a 30% water change ect. I worked in the aquarium industry a good while, but im not sure if this is just an axolotl thing happening.

Hi Ravelle,

I know you are a good axie owner since i met you in person as well . Lets try to determine what is the cause for the inappetance and weight loss.

Inappetance and loss of body condition can be caused by three main factors - stress, illness and spontaneous morphing.

Since your tank is well cycled and there is no change in husbandry, it would be easier to rule out if environmental stress is the cause. Summer in sydney is really warm so has there been incidents where the water temperature crept up or had wild fluctuations? How are the current water chemistry parameters?

Have you seen any other accompanying signs of stress and illness like forward facing gills, curled tail tip, lesions, sores and other abnormal behaviour? Would you classify the weight loss and inappetance as acute or chronic over a long period? Has there been a change in body conformation?

I would be inclined to isolate and quarantine the sick axolotls from the main tank just to be doubly sure not to spread any illness. Fridging the two sick axies separately can also be helpful. Just put each of them in a container large enough to allow them to fully stretch out their limbs and tail. Place a perforated lid/netting cover and fill the water level enough to submerge them but not float them. Perform daily water changes with clean dechlorinated water kept in bottles in the fridge and offer food daily. The fridge will destress your axies and make it less likely for harmful pathogens to grow. It would buy you some time to sort things out and also allow you to monitor each axie's health status and feeding.

Have you also tried offering novel food types? Perhaps try live bloodworms and blackworms? Offer treats of shrimp, fish or beef heart? Sometimes a change in food variety can stimulate feeding again. Live wriggly food can also stimulate feeding since axies have mechanoreceptors to detect movement (prey). I also tempt inappetant axies with a mash. I would simply blend a few food types such as earthworms, bloodworms, moistened axie pellets, bits of shrimp, fish etc. in a food processor. The resultant mash is doughy in texture which i then roll into pea sized portions to offer the axie. It would still be nutritionally balanced, still attract axies with its smell, easily digestable (since the food particles are all already so small), and you can easily store them in the fridge. Give it a try.

If you have done everything and it still doesn't improve, i would investigate for parasites or subclinical illness. Some types of intestinal helminths and bacteria such as mycobacteria can cause long term chronic loss in body condition and inappetance without other visible signs. When im back in sydney mid fed, i can perform a faecal float, culture and microscopy for you if you get me a fresh axie poop sample. It will be FOC of course

Cheers

Ill try fridging them, it has been getting hot in our apartment. its funny, because its the two males that are getting skinny, and i would say its quite acute. we'll see what happens after fridging.

Im not a expert or any thing and have recently lost one of my axolotls.
I was told by vets and several other experts that axolotls can go weeks even upto a month (plus) with out food. This is info given to me by a vet and i am just passing it on to you.
Hope this stops some of the worry
xoxo jodie xoxo

Hi Axygirl,

It is true that adult axolotls can go without food for up to a month of so, and even longer if they are refridgerated.

However, i feel that the crux of the matter here is the inappetance and loss in body condition. This is especially so when the onset is so sudden. Both of these are definite signs of stress and/or illness and should be investigated and rectified before it deteriorates.

Therefore, in my opinion, i feel that these are grounds for concern and shouldn't be dismissed lightly.

Regards.

Hi,

There are recorded cases of axolotls going 3 months with out eating. The most extreme case was claimed to be 6 months but this was unsubstantiated.

None the less there would of course be a marked loss of condition after this period of time.

Is there any chance of impaction?

Many Keepers find that fridging helps the passing of gravel and food impactions.

Good Luck

Maybe thats true. im going to fridge them both today and hopefully they will improve, ill try feeding them live earth worms while they are refridgerated. otherwise, im not sure what else to do, it is interesting that is it only the males having an eating problem..

Well i tried fridging them, but sadly they didnt make it through the night I believe they both may have swallowed some gravel that they couldnt move...anyways i am sad now

Hi Ravelle,

Sorry to hear about their passing. I thought your tank had sand substrate??

Condolences.

I am sorry to hear about your loss.