Help swollen axie!

[Ai]

Hi!
I have two axies one has been struggeling with floating. After some time i took peoples advise here and put her in the fridge. And people Said i could still feed her if she wanted to eat. She did every second day for 1 and a half week. I prepared her for the tank then put her in. ( she still had not passed any food)

She started floating again after three days in the tank. Toonight upside down even.
Took them both out for feeding and discovers that her stomache is all white and swollen.

Probably cause she has not passed any food yet. Before the fridge visit she did float a lot but never got swollen. And she passed food, heard somewhere that ot was not good to feed them while fridging. It's just that she was better before the fridge.

I'm in a bit of panic here what to do? I have her right now in a little tub with real Liw water level, but she's still upside down sometimes. Never been like this before.

 

[Ai]

Her back and front legs seems to get stuck in eachother to.

 

[Ai]

I put a ceramic lid in her tub so she can grab something when she can't stay on the right side up. And it works, she could turn just a moment after this pic

 

[Elise]

Even though your axolotl has been floating, they have looked really healthy. The last picture, however, could be showing something in the lower abdomen and cloaca area. Would it be possible to take a few more pictures, focusing on this area?

 

[Ai]

It looks yellow in the pic but not irl. I'll try to take another pic


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[Ai]

No i think it was just the bad light. She's not upside down now, bit i took this pic with the flash.

I know it doesn't look really bad but i can see a big difference, and she has not passed any food in almost two weeks, and she is swimming upside down more often. Also some of her armes seems almost twisted cause she's fighting to move at all.
People have Said keep feeding her, fridge her. Let her be, some axolotls just float more and not pass food often. I've tried it all and i can say she is getting worse, and i refuse to just let her be

 

[Alkylhalide]

I really dont see what is wrong with her.. Well actually you keep saying she and her but you actually have a male from what I can see.

can you explain what you think is actually wrong with him other then not passig food? Remember he has been fridged/probably hasnt eaten much. Etc..
I always say you should not fridge an axie unless they are dying.. But he looks like he may just be stressed from bei g fridged. Maybe if i get some more background info I would think differently

 

[Elise]

The best we can offer is to try and help you identify what it could be, and also give you some things to try on your own to correct the problem. A lot of floating issues are resolved with fridging, and then some go away on their own. As yours seems to be persisting and causing your axolotl frustration, have you considered seeking the expertise of a vet? Floating is a symptom of number of illnesses and a vet would be able to evaluate your axolotl much better than we can.

The things I noticed in the picture with your axolotl upside down, was some possible discoloration in the abdomen and a possible enlarged cloaca. You're correct when you say the light and bad pictures can distort the appearance, and that's the reason I was asking for more pictures. Next time you find her floating upside down, try to take a few more pictures and it might help identify anything of concern.

Ultimately though, I think a vet should be consulted.

 

[Ai]

Yes and thank you all for help. Sadly no vet knows what to do about it. Talked to one in Finland even and said about the same things you do here. Read advise from an american i think about axies and floating to.

I'll absolutely try to take another picture of i can. The cloaca is swollen but no discouloration as far as i can see.

And it abselutely could be a male to, i really don't know yet but it could also easily seem that way cause the cloaca is swollen, it wasn't yesterday.

 

[Ai]

I really dont see what is wrong with her.. Well actually you keep saying she and her but you actually have a male from what I can see.

can you explain what you think is actually wrong with him other then not passig food? Remember he has been fridged/probably hasnt eaten much. Etc..
I always say you should not fridge an axie unless they are dying.. But he looks like he may just be stressed from bei g fridged. Maybe if i get some more background info I would think differently

It all started a couple of months ago. Suddenly Poppy started floating, for days, until he/she couldn't get around if not swimming really fast, (back then i fed them earthworms.)
After a week or more he/ she started to just float upside down. I put Poppy in a separate tub and after a few days the floating was gone, and behaved normal, being curious and eating.
Back in the tank the floating begun just a couple of days later again, and the same development as before followed. So i put Poppy in a separate tub for a longer period, a week or so to not stress he/her. Floating stopped. Back in the tank, the same all over again.
I've tried keep her in the tank for over a week but then he/she stoppes moving at all. To tired cause of fighting to move i guess. And her/his stomache seemed swollen sometimes. Rarely passed any food.

After a few weeks i changed there diet to ( here in Sweden called mosquito larvae) don't know what you call them, red small larvae) but nothing changed.

I can't recall changing anything in the tank, no new things, nothing. Have sand not gravel, pet store also had sand ( it's a good pet store)

In the fridge he/she ate the usuall portion every second day. The temp was at 7 celsius.

He/she is 11cm long and around 6 months old.


The cloaca area is swollen today, was not yesterday. So it could be a male but i'm just saying. I call them her because i don't know yet.

Should i keep her in the tank? In the tub? Or what do you suggest?

As he/she has always passed food more rarely than the other one and this time it's been a real long time; i'm convinced that the problem is the digestive system, she/he seems constipated right now.

You suggested it could be stress from the fridge? She was fine walking around the tank for three days after the fridge, could the stress show symtoms after that many days?

 

[Elise]

I remember your post and because the floating has been happening for a couple months now, it makes me think this might not be something so common.

I've seen it suggested that zoos and veterinary universities are good places to look into taking your axolotl if an exotics vet isn't available. You could also try contacting Rayson who is a member and a vet for help.

 

[Ai]

Thank you


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[EmbryH]

There was a thread recently about some new research that has gone into the study of "floater" axolotls.

If your axolotl appears to be healthy in every other way, then perhaps she/he is simply one of the "floaters"?

I would say that, unless you see any other signs of illness, stress, or harm, try just leaving her to stay in her tank. Perhaps she can right herself if she's left to sort it out without any added stresses?

 

[Ai]

Yeah i've considered that but after like four days he/she floats upside down, like now poppy can hardly turn over at all and kinda panics and swim around freneticly. that must be so stressful to. And now she is even in lower water level with things to grab.

But she finally passed some food today, like always when i move him/her to lower water. Always, sometimes it takes just a minute after i've move him/her and he/she poopes.

made me happy that he/she's not totally constipated at least.


I just might have to buy another smaller tank for her/ him so the water level could be kept low for some time, as a start. Would lower the stress from moving and floating.


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