I am a little paranoid and thought reluctant, I want to ask the forums to see if I should be worried or I can relax.
Water parms: normal, ammonia:0 etc
Tank: 20 gallons
tankmates. 5 minnows, 3 amano shrimp (which have been cleverly eluding the lotl) both mates have been breeded by me and my friend (quarintined previously to be tankmates for a betta but decided to try with the lotl)
Temperature: 18C
Diet: bloodworms, mysis shrimp - (have salmon and beef heart too but haven't introduced them yet)
Feeding: every 1-2 days, I vary, first 1 day then 2 days and so so...
Size: around 13cm
Behavior: no changes, except described below
Appearance:no visible changes, gills are regrowing
Husbandry: 20% water changes after every feeding day. With siphon. Water prepared and left at room temperature 24-48 hours before. Tap water. Water is added 5% every 20-30min to lower impact on chemistry, temp, etc.
I had the axie for almost 2 weeks, and today I decided, even though I have bad allergies to put in bloodworms for the first time in his tank. I stared for a while expectantly to see him try it out but he ignored them. I did use some long chopsticks (cause I can't touch them directly) and wriggled it before him, which caught his attention and he took a bite. Before ignoring them again.
I figured that since I didn't leave a fasting day between his previous feeding and the worms, I cleaned it up and tried again the day after.
He was sitting in his feeding bowl and took another single bite of the worms before ignoring them again. I siphoned them up and since I was a little worried I quickly switched that day the food to mysis shrimp, as it was technically a feeding day, and waited.
He ignored them completely.
Today I introduced the bloodworms again and left the room, and I will check back in a few minutes.
I'm a little worried because it's his 4th day today ignoring his food. My first guess was perhaps he ate one of the fish meant to be a stimulant for him to eat. But I did a head count and they are all there.
My second guess was that perhaps he is stressed of his tankmates. The minnows were added almost half a week ago, around the time he stopped eating, and they are getting a bit frisky in there, swimming all over the place even trying to steal some of the lotl's food. The shrimp are always out of sight so I doubt they are any issue. I could remove the minnows without a problem, I have forseen this kind of situation, and I have a 10 gallon on the side (though it's divided) for them.
My third guess is that something is wrong with my husbandry, or tank, perhaps the temperature is a bit high since the ideal temp is somewhere between 15-20? I'll chill my room if I must, fridge should be a last option as xmas is coming and family (a lot of people) so yea... imagine trying to get at some leftovers and a lotl is staring back at you.
My fourth guess is that nothing is wrong, that my lotl needed more time without food to adjust to new food or something, I doubt it but I am a bit hypocondriac with my animals. It's been a bit hard to get my hands on live food at the moment, the bait shop is so far away... it takes me 6 hours to go and come back by bus, and I do not have that much spare time--
so yeah what do you guys think. Also I am worried he is a little underweight, I've seen so many axolotls that are so plump and round. Perhaps they were females, but I dunno, might as well ask.
I'm also sorry to ask you guys this, I lack experience and I'm trying to do the best I can... I'll leave you with some pictures, the first one was the first day I got the lotl, with the gravel within the tank, a newbie mistake, I believed the shop keeper, but he didn't stay in there longer than a few hours till I set up his 20g. The second is how he is now, his gills are regrowing and must more colofull lately.
The tank is still a work in progress, waiting to have more budget, the light is for picture purposes. I have some more java moss in QT atm.
Water parms: normal, ammonia:0 etc
Tank: 20 gallons
tankmates. 5 minnows, 3 amano shrimp (which have been cleverly eluding the lotl) both mates have been breeded by me and my friend (quarintined previously to be tankmates for a betta but decided to try with the lotl)
Temperature: 18C
Diet: bloodworms, mysis shrimp - (have salmon and beef heart too but haven't introduced them yet)
Feeding: every 1-2 days, I vary, first 1 day then 2 days and so so...
Size: around 13cm
Behavior: no changes, except described below
Appearance:no visible changes, gills are regrowing
Husbandry: 20% water changes after every feeding day. With siphon. Water prepared and left at room temperature 24-48 hours before. Tap water. Water is added 5% every 20-30min to lower impact on chemistry, temp, etc.
I had the axie for almost 2 weeks, and today I decided, even though I have bad allergies to put in bloodworms for the first time in his tank. I stared for a while expectantly to see him try it out but he ignored them. I did use some long chopsticks (cause I can't touch them directly) and wriggled it before him, which caught his attention and he took a bite. Before ignoring them again.
I figured that since I didn't leave a fasting day between his previous feeding and the worms, I cleaned it up and tried again the day after.
He was sitting in his feeding bowl and took another single bite of the worms before ignoring them again. I siphoned them up and since I was a little worried I quickly switched that day the food to mysis shrimp, as it was technically a feeding day, and waited.
He ignored them completely.
Today I introduced the bloodworms again and left the room, and I will check back in a few minutes.
I'm a little worried because it's his 4th day today ignoring his food. My first guess was perhaps he ate one of the fish meant to be a stimulant for him to eat. But I did a head count and they are all there.
My second guess was that perhaps he is stressed of his tankmates. The minnows were added almost half a week ago, around the time he stopped eating, and they are getting a bit frisky in there, swimming all over the place even trying to steal some of the lotl's food. The shrimp are always out of sight so I doubt they are any issue. I could remove the minnows without a problem, I have forseen this kind of situation, and I have a 10 gallon on the side (though it's divided) for them.
My third guess is that something is wrong with my husbandry, or tank, perhaps the temperature is a bit high since the ideal temp is somewhere between 15-20? I'll chill my room if I must, fridge should be a last option as xmas is coming and family (a lot of people) so yea... imagine trying to get at some leftovers and a lotl is staring back at you.
My fourth guess is that nothing is wrong, that my lotl needed more time without food to adjust to new food or something, I doubt it but I am a bit hypocondriac with my animals. It's been a bit hard to get my hands on live food at the moment, the bait shop is so far away... it takes me 6 hours to go and come back by bus, and I do not have that much spare time--
so yeah what do you guys think. Also I am worried he is a little underweight, I've seen so many axolotls that are so plump and round. Perhaps they were females, but I dunno, might as well ask.
I'm also sorry to ask you guys this, I lack experience and I'm trying to do the best I can... I'll leave you with some pictures, the first one was the first day I got the lotl, with the gravel within the tank, a newbie mistake, I believed the shop keeper, but he didn't stay in there longer than a few hours till I set up his 20g. The second is how he is now, his gills are regrowing and must more colofull lately.
The tank is still a work in progress, waiting to have more budget, the light is for picture purposes. I have some more java moss in QT atm.