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Floating question

wilsonlin45

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I just got my 2 new axos a few weeks ago. I realized recently that theyve been floating a lot more than usual. is that normal?
 

dragonlady

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Hi there,

Based on that little bit of info, all I can really say is that it depends on their size/age. You can check your parameters too just to be safe. How are they eating for you? Any other changes in behavior? Have you changed anything about their setup recently?

Juveniles love to float around and hang out on plants. If these are juveniles, they can do all sorts of weird things that will give you at least one heart attack daily..;) However, if there are additional concerns, please post with some additional information, pics, etc. The more information we have, the better advice we can give in return. :D
 

mewsie

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It depends!

Mine sometimes freak me out by floating at unexpected times, and one of mine just seems to like floating with the very top of his head out of the water (not his mouth/nose, just his head) for hours.

Have you checked the water parameters? If its a new tank, was it cycled when the axies went in, or was everything new?

If you have a testing kit, now would be a great time to check that everything is safe for them - if you need more info on this just ask!

Also, do you have gravel, or were they on gravel at the pet store? They can sometimes get, errrm, gassy, and float because of that. If they have been on gravel, there is separate advice you may need to follow to make sure any swallowed stones pass through ok!

But, as I say - it seems a lot of axies do it just for the sheer fun of it, so it's probably nothing! In fact - I think I posted an almost identical post to this when I first joined!!

Hope that helps some :)

(ps: sorry Shannon, looks like I overlapped with you!)
 
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wilsonlin45

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I think I'm going to assume theyre just doing it for fun. They're juvies at about 3 inches. In a new tank with an old filter with old bio media so the tank is cycled. There's a sand bottom that they're eating sometimes so that might be it too and one of them loves to float in the floating plants.
 

carsona246

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yep probably just for fun. Mine's about 4-5 inches and I catch him floating all the time. As long as they don't seem to have a problem going to the bottom of the tank I wouldn't be worried
 

wilsonlin45

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it actually does seem like the wild type one has trouble getting back to the ground and is involuntarily floating...
what could be causing that?
 

iChris

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involuntary floating can be caused by impaction, ie, your axie could be constipated.

what do you feed them? and how often? is there anything in the tank that they could swallow by accident?
Fridging your axie helps clear impaction, normally within a day or so, see Axolotl Sanctuary for a how-to.
 

wilsonlin45

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i feed frozen foods such as brine shrimp and blood worms twice a day. ive seen them swallowing the sand, but that should be fine
 

MissAxolotl

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I have two juveniles too and one was floating for about a day or two. He was floating but didn't look ill. When I was feeding the other one, he looked hungry and was trying to get some food too.
If your axolotl is floating but still wanting to eat it is a good sign!
After struggling to get food, he burped an air bubble and then sank to the bottom.
He, Jake, just had some gas and once it passed he was ok!
If your axolotl is really ill looking, then maybe you should fridge it, but if it looks normal, but afloat, it may just be some gas.
 

wilsonlin45

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I have two juveniles too and one was floating for about a day or two. He was floating but didn't look ill. When I was feeding the other one, he looked hungry and was trying to get some food too.
If your axolotl is floating but still wanting to eat it is a good sign!
After struggling to get food, he burped an air bubble and then sank to the bottom.
He, Jake, just had some gas and once it passed he was ok!
If your axolotl is really ill looking, then maybe you should fridge it, but if it looks normal, but afloat, it may just be some gas.

this is exactly my situation, lets hope the outcomes the same!
 

MissAxolotl

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Last night both of my Axolotls were on the ground, but now they are both floating...
I think they are ok though
They were both trying to eat still.

I read on one of the threads that juvenile axolotls like to float around a lot.
I am thinking it is just that. :confused:

How is yours doing? :wacko:
 

wilsonlin45

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Last night both of my Axolotls were on the ground, but now they are both floating...
I think they are ok though
They were both trying to eat still.

I read on one of the threads that juvenile axolotls like to float around a lot.
I am thinking it is just that. :confused:

How is yours doing? :wacko:

today my wild type just burped about 5 times and finally sank back to the bottom
 
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