Axie not eating

[limnologist]

Hi everyone.
I have a male axie, 1 year-old, he was doin great! eating tons of various food items. I havent changed anything, he isnt constipated, he isnt sick, he isnt fat, and he has lost a little bit of weight, but hasnt in a while. I try feeding him his food (worms, Goldfish, shrimp, and minnows) and he only chews it up then spits it out. and when I try to push it in front of him, instead of eating it like he usually would, he swims away, scared.

 

[Skudo09]

What are your water parameters-ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, PH and temperature?

Are you quarantining the feeder fish? I would avoid goldfish as a source of food. The goldfish can pick on the axolotls gills but they are also not very nutritious or easy for them to digest.

 

[Kaini]

I would skip the other foods and just stick to earthworms. goldfish are a terrible food for them especially.

Earthworms are all the nutrition they need - there's no reason to vary their diet so much.

If he's not eating, he may just be full. Leave him alone for a bit, I wouldn't start worrying unless he's getting thin.

 

[Boomsloth]

Besides what's already been said, How long as he not eaten?

 

[mackinthebox]

Besides what's already been said, How long as he not eaten?

I was going to ask the same
when was the last time he ate? when was the last time he pooped?

 

[Petersgirl]

I found my male ate a lot less when he started to become an adult - which I assume, for the ease of mathematics and from a little experience, appears to be around the 12 month mark. My male now eats every other day, and it needs to be a small worm or he won't eat it. It may simply be that he doesn't want to eat and is full.

Well fed, plump axxies can survive for around 3 weeks without food, so if it's not been all that long since his last meal, don't worry too much. Axolotls can be prone to hunger strikes and going off food for many reasons, which may include simply being full, being cooler, about to produce spermaphores, illness, constipation...it could be any of these. Keep an eye out for any signs and symptoms, but I would just keep feeding until he eats. You'll figure out by trial and error how much he wants to eat, and how often.

 

[kjnorman]

I believe axies can safely go for several days without eating, so long as they are not losing weight or otherwise ill.
Check your water parameters and make sure nothing else is stressing him out - does he have enough places to hide, is the temp okay, is there a current in the tank that may be bothering him.

My male is sometimes particular and fussy about his food as well, and I find spit out worms from time to time. Once when he was really seeming off I added an airstone to the tank and he seemed to perk up - could just be coincidence though, as there was no change when I removed it.

I second everything that was said about earthworms as a good food source. My male doesn't like live earthworms because they secrete a slime, so I blanch them first, and that really helped get him to eat regularly.

 

[limnologist]

What are your water parameters-ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, PH and temperature?

Are you quarantining the feeder fish? I would avoid goldfish as a source of food. The goldfish can pick on the axolotls gills but they are also not very nutritious or easy for them to digest.

I lost the sheet I wrote them all down on.....but I know everything is perfect water-wise. temp is 49 F

I breed my own goldfish and half kill them before feeding them to my axie

 

[limnologist]

I would skip the other foods and just stick to earthworms. goldfish are a terrible food for them especially.

Earthworms are all the nutrition they need - there's no reason to vary their diet so much.

If he's not eating, he may just be full. Leave him alone for a bit, I wouldn't start worrying unless he's getting thin.

He has a liking for goldfish. he hasnt eaten for a month (which doesnt worry me that much) but from the way hes acting, I dont think it wants to eat anytime soon. Ive kept axies before, many have gone a few days over a month without food (this had no ill-effects on their health) but this one worries me, none of my axies have ever tried to eat food but then spit it out like this one has.

 

[Boomsloth]

I lost the sheet I wrote them all down on.....but I know everything is perfect water-wise. temp is 49 F

I breed my own goldfish and half kill them before feeding them to my axie

Its not about so much where your goldfish come from but how they are an awful food source even for just a treat. They contain an enzyme called thiaminase that destroys vitamin B1 which is kind of important. Also at 49F your axolotl's metabolism will be much lower than the typical 60-68F most people keep theirs on this site.

He has a liking for goldfish. he hasnt eaten for a month (which doesnt worry me that much) but from the way hes acting, I dont think it wants to eat anytime soon. Ive kept axies before, many have gone a few days over a month without food (this had no ill-effects on their health) but this one worries me, none of my axies have ever tried to eat food but then spit it out like this one has.

They will eat anything they can fit in their mouths that move. In the past how long did your axolotls live? This type of vitamin deficiency will have shortened their lives. I'd completely stop feeding goldfish and switch to the right diet.

 

[limnologist]

Its not about so much where your goldfish come from but how they are an awful food source even for just a treat. They contain an enzyme called thiaminase that destroys vitamin B1 which is kind of important. Also at 49F your axolotl's metabolism will be much lower than the typical 60-68F most people keep theirs on this site.

Ok, thats true but understand I dont only feed goldfish, I breed guppies and other fish too, and I do feed them only as treats

They will eat anything they can fit in their mouths that move. In the past how long did your axolotls live? This type of vitamin deficiency will have shortened their lives. I'd completely stop feeding goldfish and switch to the right diet.

I have had much experience with many types of amphibians including the axolotl, I only feed goldfish as treats, my axies lived to 12, 10, and 16. I have run out of goldfish for the past 4 months (they are just starting to breed again) and have been feeding my axies earthworms only. This partucular one seems to be unable to eat. again I say it attacks, chews, spits out the food and swims off, refusing any future food offers for a full day.

 

[Boomsloth]

I have had much experience with many types of amphibians including the axolotl, I only feed goldfish as treats, my axies lived to 12, 10, and 16. I have run out of goldfish for the past 4 months (they are just starting to breed again) and have been feeding my axies earthworms only. This partucular one seems to be unable to eat. again I say it attacks, chews, spits out the food and swims off, refusing any future food offers for a full day.

okay just making sure about the goldfish haha

So after trying to research what could cause this i've come up with two possibilities.

1. your axolotl might be having trouble trying to digest something and the cold water is just slowing that process down. Its not impaction, but more of a really slow upset stomach.

2. It could be caused by internal parasites which would need to be confirmed by a stool sample or vet.

Is it possible to raise the temperature of your tank just to see if its metabolism picks up? obviously nothing outside of their suited range.

 

[limnologist]

okay just making sure about the goldfish haha

So after trying to research what could cause this i've come up with two possibilities.

1. your axolotl might be having trouble trying to digest something and the cold water is just slowing that process down. Its not impaction, but more of a really slow upset stomach.

2. It could be caused by internal parasites which would need to be confirmed by a stool sample or vet.

Is it possible to raise the temperature of your tank just to see if its metabolism picks up? obviously nothing outside of their suited range.

I will raise the temp gradually to around 60 F. though my observations make me believe there might be something wrong with his mouth because of the way he spits after spitting out food.

 

[sde]

I agree, goldfish aren't a good food. As long as the worms are the staple diet and you don feed the goldfish too much though, he should be OK.


I agree with Boomsloth, try raising the water temp. I know from experience ( and from known fact ) that when the water is colder their metabolism slows down, and at 49 F it is probably quite a bit down. Try raising it, slowly though, and try feeding him.

Also i am kind of concerned about the water perimeters. If the ammonia and nitrite is too high it can stress the axie, which can discourage them from eating.

Hope he gets better! -Seth

 

[limnologist]

Problem solved! He didnt like the size of his food and wouldnt eat! so picky -_- . anyway, I was moving some baby endlers guppies into his cage and accidentally hurt one so I decided to try to feed it to him and he ate it hes been munching on guppies and small worm chunks for the past few hours. It threw me off cause I never changed the size of his food from what he was already eating. Hes 7 inches long and I usually feed him an inch long worm.

Thanks for all of you help!

 

[Boomsloth]

Problem solved! He didnt like the size of his food and wouldnt eat! so picky -_- . anyway, I was moving some baby endlers guppies into his cage and accidentally hurt one so I decided to try to feed it to him and he ate it hes been munching on guppies and small worm chunks for the past few hours. It threw me off cause I never changed the size of his food from what he was already eating. Hes 7 inches long and I usually feed him an inch long worm.

Thanks for all of you help!

whoahh you have guppies?! why not feed them instead of the gold fish? I have guppies that are treats for my guy and they are much healthier than goldfish. Also my guppies breed like machines.

 

[limnologist]

whoahh you have guppies?! why not feed them instead of the gold fish? I have guppies that are treats for my guy and they are much healthier than goldfish. Also my guppies breed like machines.

I do feed the axie guppies, I feed him goldfish as treats and when there are too many left over that my water snake wont eat.

 

[kjnorman]

Glad he's eating. I've got some juveniles who are super-picky about the size of their food too - they run away from food that is too big!

Silly axolotls

 

[limnologist]

haha axolotls would arguably be the greatest pets on earth if they werent so picky

 

[Sweetie]

I've got some juveniles who are super-picky about the size of their food too - they run away from food that is too big!

Silly axolotls

Very silly little lotls. They should have a word to my Boris. He'll tackle a worm nearly as big as he is without any qualms at all. He loves the battle. The only thing is to make sure he only gets fed in his feeding corner - don't want him banging himself on any tank furniture while he's getting into his head-tossing and throwing himself off the ground routine - great exercise for him and entertainment for us. And highly nutritious at the same time! Yummy.