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HELP! Axolotl trying to suffocate herself?

bex255

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I have just changed the water 20% and she has started acting very strangely. She is darting about and then going to the top and sticking her head out of the water for 2-10 seconds without opening her mouth for air or anything like that just keeping it stuck out.

Then she returns to the floor and lays down. She is also hiding behind the filter. Her gills have only just started to grow back in the last couple of days as well. I am really worried about her behaviour. It looks like she is trying to suffocate herself without the water or something. Is it the quality of the water change I just made? Should I change it again? I also just fed her two worms about 10-15 minutes ago, the same worms I have been feeding her all week. I had just put in a new bridge to hide behind but took it out again incase it was the issue although I had washed it in boiling water for quite long.

Her tail isn't curled and I can't tell if her gills are forward as they are too small to tell. There seems to be more veins/artilleries on her tail than usual though. Please help! Is this normal?

I haven't bough a water kit yet but I assumed as I'm still doing daily 20% water changes that it should be okay for another couple of days. She is housed by herself so no chance of aggressive mates.
 

SludgeMunkey

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Axolotls also breathe through their skin and by the occasional "gulp" of air. This sounds a bit more like a stress reaction of sorts. Any hides in the tank? Axolotls like to hide. Bright lighting? Axolotls dislike bright light.
 
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axiewhisperer

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A couple of times I have, while doing water changes, woken up or startled my axolotls, causing a similar reaction. I think they just get spooked and take a second to calm down, this may have happened with your axie? For lazy animals, they can move darn fast when given a fright!
 

bex255

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Yeah I thought it was stress at first, but she clamed down and then did it in about 10 minutes time and for longer, and then repeated again. I have moved away from her now to minimise vibration so I'm not sure if she is still doing it but she looks pretty calm at the moment. And there is one small hide but I am going to get another 2 or 3 tomorrow and there isn't any bright lighting because I put a towel on the top of the lid to minimise it.

I gave in and changed the water 20% again after she did it for the third time, and I'm not sure but I don't think she has done it again since then. I didn't do anything different with the water in the change before that though so I'm not sure what could be stressing her out.

Also, she had a few minutes of just floating along the top. I know that they occasionally do this, but it is the first time she has at all, although her tail and back feet have been rising on and off the last day or two, although she can generally control them when she wants to be horizontal.
 

Toptex

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Hi Bex, if you are concerned about your water take a jar full to a pet shop (Pets Paridise is one) or aquarium and most of them will do a full water check. Its peace of mind. New tanks take a while to establish themselves. I going into month two and still have nitrite issues which Im working on on a daily basis.

Good luck...and Im sure she's fine.
 

bex255

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Okay just noticed her doing it again. Probably the fourth or fifth time now. She just sticks her head out while the rest of her body moves frantically to the sides and she moves back and forth across one side of the tank with her head sticking out. I have no idea what is wrong with her. She just went down but now she is back up again and she moves really fast with her head out and then crashes into the sides. I have no idea what could be stressing her out now because I am nowhere near her so no vibrations or noise or sudden movements.
 

Kaysie

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This reaction is frequently because of poor water quality. Do you test for ammonia and nitrites? What's the temperature of the tank?
 

bex255

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No, I think I mentioned it before, I haven't been able to get a testing kit yet but am hoping to go get one soon but can't find any decently priced ones. And the water remains a pretty constant 18 degrees. I took the filter out and she has done it less frequently since then. Is it possible the filter could be the problem? It's been running for about a week and she hasn't had a problem with it, the flow isnt strong as its on the lowest setting and pointed towards the wall. I tried to clean it last night but I just rinsed the sponge in seperate tank water. There seemed to be a lot of dirt in there, how much is there meant to be in the sponge? When squeezed, it turned the water quite brown. But when I put it back in it was clean. She keeps looking at me like she wants food but I feel like I am already over-feeding her.
 

Darkmaverick

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Hi Bex,

I am with Kaysie on this one. Most cases of axies bobbing on the water surface (almost like a dolphin) are due to poor water parameters. It is imperative that you have the water tested. Do you regularly siphon off uneaten food and detritus? Performing regular water changes is good but it would not be as effective if there are residual rotting material at the bottom of the tank.

Cheers.
 

bex255

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Yeah I use a turkey baster every day, whenever I see any waste lying around and I never leave any food in with her because I feed her with tongs. Do you think it could be because of the compost worms at all? I know they are meant to have a bad taste so I leave them in dechlorinated water, usually overnight, and then feed one or two the next day, but she never seems to have a problem keeping them down and gets excited when she sees them coming. However, it seems to be more aggravated after she's been fed.

Also, she usually will come back down after... I don't really know how to do describe it because she won't do it if I'm close enough to observe, but I think after she burps, because it makes a little popping noise and then she sinks down to the bottom? Could she just be swimming/rubbing to get rid of her burp? Like how rubbing a baby will make them burp, maybe she swims vertically and frantically to burp? Far-fetched I know, but I'm pulling at anythign here.

Thanks for the advice so far, I'm not ignoring the idea that it might just be the water, but I am already doing 20-30% water changes daily so I'm looking for any other options to eliminate as well.
 

b00f

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My axie does a similar thing.

Will swim from one side to the other along the top, for hours on end.
Usually a burp will stop it.
But i have slowed their feeding, down to once every 8-10 days. (watching water quality)

I would suggest that its just a behaviorial thing.

Get ya water tested, and continue water changes.

Some axies are kinda, "bent" mentally :p
 

Darkmaverick

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Hi Bex,

Axies do surface to burp or even gulp in air (buccal pumping). That is a normal process. However, frantic, prolonged lap swimming on the surface with the head bobbing is not really a normal behaviour. Other than water quality and temperature, other causes include the axie being startled (vibration, lights, aggressive tank mate) or even a parasite or protozoa problem causing discomfort to the gills/skin etc. Have you noticed any other unsual signs of illness or stress?

Cheers.
 

bex255

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Well she always used to go up for air pretty regularly, but I knew it was normal so wasn't too alarmed. But yeah, I definately don't think this is normal behaviour. However, there doesn't seem to be anything else wrong with her. There is no excessive light, vibrations or tank mates, and I don't see any symptoms of parasites, but could there be some that have no symtpoms? I inspected her very thoroughly and she seems healthy, her gills are growing back quickly, she smiles after she's been fed, she has a voracious appetite and she loves her new hiding spaces under the log and in the pot. I think I will stop with the worms for about a week and see if she stops.

Thanks so much for all of your advice, hopefully she's healthy and it will correct itself soon.
 
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