2 Young axies. One growing one not.

[LilithBlueFire]

I have 2 Young axolotls. I got them both the beginning of October at a reptile expo. They were both about an inch long. One axolotl is absolutely thriving and the other is not. It doesn't seem sick. It's just not growing. They've both been getting the same treatment: daily water changes, started out on frozen blood worms for almost 2 months and now introducing pellets but still giving blood worms. One is almost 3 inchs long now and the other is just barely over an inch. They were eating about the same amount for the longest time. The bigger one is now eating more but the smaller one is still eating the same amount which isn't a bad amount. No bloating or constipation. He does have a little growth on his tail that I noticed same day I bought him after I brought him home. Almost like another tail tip. Other than that he seems fine. He's always seemed to have lower suction while eating though than the other. Same enthusiasm though. Any thoughts as to why hes not thriving?

Attached are some pictures of both axies, brand of blood worms and pellets I use. Water is treated with Prime water conditioner.

Also, please excuse the dirt and debris. Some of that is underneath the containers and some of that is because I'm in the process of feeding and changing water.

 

[wolfen]

at the size that they are at right now live food such as bloodworm, brineshrimp, california black worm would be better as they are very movement orientated whilst young, this also means that due the the difference in size one would end up being food for the other if they were introduced.
like most animals axolotls don't grow at the same rates as each other.

 

[LilithBlueFire]

Thanks for the insight. It just seemed strange that there was such a significant growth difference. As for the food, we don't have easy access to live food. They were pretty used to the frozen blood worms when we bought them and we feed them by hand to make sure they get plenty to eat and the leftovers don't fowl up the containers. We are working on setting up a breeding colony of feeder guppies so they can have have some live prey to eat as well. We have a larger axolotl that loves the adult fish.

 

[JM29]

I usually separate my axolotls when they are about 1,5 inch. They grow at similar rates.
I keep them separate until they reach about 5 inches.

Each time I kept them together as young, their growth rates may be very different (dominance problems ?)

 

[LilithBlueFire]

I usually separate my axolotls when they are about 1,5 inch. They grow at similar rates.
I keep them separate until they reach about 5 inches.

Each time I kept them together as young, their growth rates may be very different (dominance problems ?)

They've been kept in separate containers since we got them so that's not the issue.

 

[Autistic Catholic]

Genetics.