Illness/Sickness: Axie floating upside down refusing food

[xasdfcore]

For the past couple weeks my axolotl has spent a good 90% or more of his time floating. However he was still eating and didn't seem stressed so I let him go.

I was recently in the hospital for 8 days and have spent the past 5 days moving so they've gone quite a while without eating. I got my axies tank set up in the basement about 2 days ago. After they had been in the tank for 24hrs I tried feeding them some bloodworms. One of them ate, one of them didn't. They are in a 20gL with sand substrate and some duckweed floating around and a tank divider to keep them from nipping at each other. The water was treated to remove anything toxic and I also add a bit less than a tbsp of freshwater aquarium salt when I add water. I've always done this and both axies have been fine.

The next day I went to check on him and he was at the bottom of the tank upside down. I assumed the worse and went to get the net. As I tried scooping him up, he turned back over and sat at the bottom.

I'm really worried about him. I *think* I noticed a big air bubble in his tummy which would explain him being upside down, but I'm not sure. Also, the black spot which looks like something he's been trying to pass doesn't look like anything in the tank he could have eaten. The substrate is white sand, and since they haven't eaten in weeks, I don't know what it could be. It's shaped weird and I'm wondering if a baby snail got into the tank by mistake and he ate it.

He is now in a small container of shallow water so that I can keep an eye on him. Whenever he goes upside down I nudge him a bit till he turns back over. He's still just a baby and I'm really worried. ): I'd really appreciate any help or suggestions.

I've attached a few photos, I hope they help.

P.S. I've just noticed that both of their gills have gotten a lot smaller since I got them back in October. And the lotls themselves haven't grown. ): I can't believe there'd be an oxygen problem in the tank, but I'm adding an air stone now. I didn't notice this till I was looking at an older picture. ):

 

[xasdfcore]

This is a picture from late October after I first got them.
They haven't grown and their gills are much smaller.
I do weekly 25-50% water changes and I figure the water falling from the filter added enough oxygen to the tank. However I'm adding a small airstone now. I'm not sure the temperature of the water because the thermometer I have is ****, but I know it's rather cold. It's in an unheated basement in the winter so it's probably in the 50s I would guess.

 

[Olivia97]

What are your parameters? Babies are very senesitive to poor water quality. What have they always been fed? Also how big are they?

 

[xasdfcore]

I'm not sure of the parameters because I haven't unpacked the kit yet. But I just put 100% clean water in a couple days ago. I always did weekly water changes as well. And since one axolotl is active and eating fine, I don't think it's the water.
They've been fed pellets, earthworms, and bloodworms. Depending on what I have. Mostly earthworms (chopped up). And I posted the picture to show his size.

 

[Olivia97]

Sorry it's just sometimes a little hard to judge size on pictures (proportionally) unpack your kit and test the water. That way we can be certain it's not quality issues. You could just perhaps have a slowly developing axie. I'd just like to add, the small gills often means there's more oxygen in the water as they don't have to grow them as long.

 

[xxianxx]

You got these guys in october and they have gone weeks without feeding ? These are baby axolotls they require daily feeding to grow , I am surprised they are still alive, they have probably been eking an existence from small bugs in the tank. Try feeding them and they may spend less time upside down dying from starvation. Put them in a small tub and load it with small live food like daphnia. As for the gill loss that is probably down to poor water quality or too high a temp, check the water peramiters and get the tank cycled if it is not all ready done. Not sure if starving axolotls reabsorb their gills, have to wait for someone else to answer that.

 

[Olivia97]

Not sure if starving axolotls reabsorb their gills, have to wait for someone else to answer that.

Yea, from my experience (not good experience to say the least) they do.

 

[xasdfcore]

Sorry it's just sometimes a little hard to judge size on pictures (proportionally) unpack your kit and test the water. That way we can be certain it's not quality issues. You could just perhaps have a slowly developing axie. I'd just like to add, the small gills often means there's more oxygen in the water as they don't have to grow them as long.

I put a penny under the container next to him in one picture so youd be able to judge size.
And as for starving them, I had no control over it. I didn't choose to spend over a week in the hospital. They were fed before I left. The other one is healthy and fine- and also has much longer gills. I tried having someone feed them while I was gone but they were too lazy and just dropped fish flakes in the tank which I cleaned out when I got home. The one I'm having a problem with has something strange and black in his cloaca that he can't pass. I have no idea what it could be.

 

[Olivia97]

Once again, I'm sorry I don't know the size of a penny as I am Australian. That's unfortunate that you were in that position, unfortunately that is almost certainly the reason they aren't developing.

 

[xxianxx]

There your pets so your responsability if you cant provide adequate care you should rehome them , if you look at the pics when first you had them and the pics now you can see the downward trend in their development. Would you have let a dog starve whilst you were in hospital or moving house ?

 

[xasdfcore]

There your pets so your responsability if you cant provide adequate care you should rehome them , if you look at the pics when first you had them and the pics now you can see the downward trend in their development. Would you have let a dog starve whilst you were in hospital or moving house ?

If you were in the hospital with no phone or computer, how would you go about rehoming your pets? I have other pets and they were all cared for, but no one wanted to feed the axolotls. I was gone, I had no control over what happened at home.
Either way, my problem is that one WON'T eat. And as for THEIR condition deteriorating, I've said the other one is healthy, fat, and active. So I can't simply "try feeding them" as I've obviously done that.
So there's no "they" in this. There's just one. I don't think either of them have grown in length, but I may be wrong I see them every day. I never posted any picture of the second axolotl so I don't know where you're getting any information on that one.

 

[xxianxx]

Your words not mine. Try them with small live food such as daphnia, in a small tub to concentrate the food supply, add some free floating plants so they can feel secure, an airline without an air stone as fine bubbles will kill the daphnia. Keep them cool. The live food doesn't foul the water like frozen foods, you can get away with very light water changes. They will probably start eating when you get the basic care requirements sorted.

 

[Nemesea]

If you were in the hospital with no phone or computer, how would you go about rehoming your pets? I have other pets and they were all cared for, but no one wanted to feed the axolotls. I was gone, I had no control over what happened at home.
Either way, my problem is that one WON'T eat. And as for THEIR condition deteriorating, I've said the other one is healthy, fat, and active. So I can't simply "try feeding them" as I've obviously done that.
So there's no "they" in this. There's just one. I don't think either of them have grown in length, but I may be wrong I see them every day. I never posted any picture of the second axolotl so I don't know where you're getting any information on that one.

Have you asked who ever was supposed to be looking after them if they have put anything in the tank???

Also did you ask why s/he didn't feed them right, or did you even tell them how to feed them and look after them? As it sounds like the person you got knows jack about them, hence the fish food as if they knew about them they would know it’s not suitable.

Also moving house doesn't make you not able to feed your pets, as I have moved house hmm 7 times now, my pets have always been fed I even made sure I had food at both addresses depending on where I was (and my pets always came with me if I was going to be somewhere else for longer than 18 hours and they still do. so yes hospital visits you can’t help as I have many over night / week visits with been badly epileptic, but I always make sure someone knows how to look after my pets before hand and that they know what’s happening and how long I will be.
I also have no phone... But I always use the hospitals phone when I can, which is free, so I can always call who I need to and if you had said to the staff why they would have let you use the phone...

Also the blockage could be the fish food as my other half says they can’t digest it in large amounts but he’s no expert so someone else would have to say about that. Also is the tank they are kept in dose it have gravel, sand or a bare bottom as if its sand/gravel it could have been so hungry its eaten some.
As for "they" they both look the same in size so even if one is eating and one is not they both look under weight...

 

[Bellabelloo]

Can you please remember we are trying to help this lady and not drive her from the forum with accusations.

I would follow Ian's advice

Try them with small live food such as daphnia, in a small tub to concentrate the food supply, add some free floating plants so they can feel secure, an airline without an air stone as fine bubbles will kill the daphnia. Keep them cool. The live food doesn't foul the water like frozen foods, you can get away with very light water changes. They will probably start eating when you get the basic care requirements sorted.

 

[Martin21114]

Floating upside down? Maybe your axie's photographing an enemy MiG.


+1 nerd point for Top Gun reference

 

[Olivia97]

Have you asked who ever was supposed to be looking after them if they have put anything in the tank???

Also did you ask why s/he didn't feed them right, or did you even tell them how to feed them and look after them? As it sounds like the person you got knows jack about them, hence the fish food as if they knew about them they would know it’s not suitable.

Also moving house doesn't make you not able to feed your pets, as I have moved house hmm 7 times now, my pets have always been fed I even made sure I had food at both addresses depending on where I was (and my pets always came with me if I was going to be somewhere else for longer than 18 hours and they still do. so yes hospital visits you can’t help as I have many over night / week visits with been badly epileptic, but I always make sure someone knows how to look after my pets before hand and that they know what’s happening and how long I will be.
I also have no phone... But I always use the hospitals phone when I can, which is free, so I can always call who I need to and if you had said to the staff why they would have let you use the phone...

Also the blockage could be the fish food as my other half says they can’t digest it in large amounts but he’s no expert so someone else would have to say about that. Also is the tank they are kept in dose it have gravel, sand or a bare bottom as if its sand/gravel it could have been so hungry its eaten some.
As for "they" they both look the same in size so even if one is eating and one is not they both look under weight...

In the original poster's defense. I know that sometimes hospital visits and even moving of houses can be stressful and spur of the moment. The point is that these little axies will grow when they're fed the live food and bob's your uncle.

 

[xasdfcore]

The move was very spur of the moment. I literally had to pack up and leave the day I was discharged. I would have fed them sooner, but I thought that with the stress of moving I should let them settle for a day. Also I wanted to wait until I moved them into their big tank which took a couple days. When I packed everything up I put them in a small container with water from their tank, which hadn't been cleaned in like 9 days. I didn't want to put anything in it to make it worse until they were in clean water.
I take very good care of my pets and they typically live better than I do. The majority of the money I make goes towards them. But when I have to leave unexpectedly, I can only hope somebody will care for them. However it's too much work for most people. I had sort of anticipated going to the hospital and made sure everything was at least clean, fed, and watered before I was gone. My boyfriend who lived with me was supposed to care for everything, but he decided it was too much work. My grandparents had no idea what to do with the animals and just did their best. They didn't want to go into my room at all because I have a tarantula, so I'm lucky they did anything at all since my boyfriend wouldn't.

 

[scooty16]

Can you please remember we are trying to help this lady and not drive her from the forum with accusations.

I would follow Ian's advice

I very much agree with Bellabelloo's advice here. Was a little bit shocked to see the reaction from other posters. I know we feel very strongly about the care of fellow axolotls, but we are also here to help others. The poor lady has been in hospital, and thought she could rely on her boyfriend to look after them. We all make mistakes now and again, and this is where she is learning from hers! Blimey.

As what Bellabelloo said, follow the advice Ian has given you, and soon you should start to see an improvement. Take it a day at a time, be patient, and hopefully your little lottie may start to improve and get a little belly :happy:

 

[xasdfcore]

I've had him in a small container with live blackworms. He will not under any circumstances even open his mouth. He still hasn't passed whatever it is in his cloaca. I honestly think he ate something bad and that's why he's not eating. I've been finding tiny snails in the tank and I'm not sure where they're even coming from because I have no live plants besides the duckweed. But if he ate one, it's too big for him to pass it.

 

[Nemesea]

When you got back was there any green on the glass (cant spell the name of the stuff), as snails would come for that, also ask your parents and boyfriend to see if they have put any in, but it probably is a small snail if your finding them in the tank, as animals will eat anything (even when they are not hungry), just make sure there are none left in the tank so it cant happen again and do everything the people on here say and hopefully it will pull through,
(sorry for been snobby the other day)
(I can be a right cow when im hurting with out even realizing im been a cow)