Axolotl Floating

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wolfsong442

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I think my golden albino axolotl is dying.

I've been having trouble regulating the ammonia in the water this past week and have been noticing that my axolotls haven't been eating much. One in particular, my golden albino, hasn't eaten anything in like a week, and he's been swimming around erratically and would hang around the bottom or top of the tank.

Today I noticed he was hanging around the top more and I decided to put him in the fridge, because I'm also having trouble keeping the tank at a good temperature for them. My leucistic, while not eating as well as he has in the past, /has/ been eating every time I feed them, and he seems fine.

The albino, when I took him out of the tank, looked awful. He was very pale, even for albino standards. His gills have started to lose color and he was very lethargic and barely moved when I picked him up.

I know he isn't going to eat in the fridge, but is there anything I can do for him?

I've been doing 25-50% water changes every day to try and keep the ammonia in check and I've been putting frozen water bottles in the tank, but I don't think it's helping.

I'm just really worried about him.
 
Aww. I'm so sorry :(

Is the other axie in the fridge as well? Or in a cool place? When it was too hot over here I placed my juvies in a cool box. Ice packs on the bottom, towel on top of it (so that it's not too cold), tub with juvies (they were pretty small) on top of that. Lid on top of the cool box. Slightly open for some fresh air. Worked pretty well. (It's because I've had some bad experiences with fridging as well. It gets too cold in the fridge for axies and I don't know how to raise the temp a bit)

Just keep the other cool until the temp in the tank is lower. Glad he's eating too. A good sign.
 
My friend told me not to think the albino is dead yet because being in the fridge slows them down. It just looked like he was, but I'll keep him in there for a while longer and hope and pray.

The leucistic isn't in the fridge. The temperature of the tank is lower than it usually is for some reason. It's 72 right now. Should I put him in the fridge too?
 
Not really sure about the temp. I don't think it's really necessary. But when the temp rises I would fridge him, keep him in a cool place.

I once thought my axie was dead and I wanted to bury her. Glad I didn't because she suddenly moved a bit. All my axies had their mouth open when they were dead. So if he's not moving, pale and has his mouth open than I would consider it dead :(
Just keep an eye on him. Sometimes when they're pretty light in color you can see their heart still beating. Works pretty well in juvies, not so sure about adults tho.
 
Pretty sure they're juvies then. :)
 
Should I go check on him, or just leave the container in the fridge for a while longer? I'm kinda afraid to go look, actually. XD
 
I know that feeling. :') But I would check it out a couple of times a day. Just to make sure.
 
Very welcome! Hope he's still alive and everything is okay very soon!
 
In case anyone was wondering, my axolotl did pass away.

I'm hoping to keep my leucistic alive, but he seems fine.
 
Aww, that sucks :( Poor thing. You did your best.
Good luck with the leucistic. Glad he's okay. :)
 
I decided to reuse this topic instead of making a new one.

My second axolotl now hasn't eaten for several days. He doesn't look too bad yet, but he still hasn't eaten. He's doing the thing that the other did where he'll snap at the food once, and when he doesn't get it, he'll give up.

I don't know what it is.

The ammonia level of the tank isn't 0, it's about .25 right now, but I've been doing water changes every other day. I've been able to keep the water hovering around 72-68 using water bottles.

I don't know why he isn't eating. :C
 
would putting him back in one of the steralite shoe box plastic bins with treated water and a water bottle to keep the water cool help him any while I try to get the tank sorted?

If the tank's the issue? I don't know.
 
Just out of curiosity, what water treatment are you using? Try keep this one in cool clean water for now.
 
I've been using reptisafe since I got them. I put it in the tank after I set it up and I put it in the fresh water every time I do a water change.

I started to think that that might have been it, and last time I did a water change, I used amquel plus.
 
Okay. So here's what I did. I got one of the steralite containers. I put fresh, cool tap water into it and treated it with the amquel plus. I got one of me iced bottles, put it in the corner, and then I got the axolotl out of the tank (after a lot of work, he's still very quick when he doesn't want to go somewhere) and I put it in the steralite container. I also kept the little butter container I transported it with in there so he could use it as a hide if he wishes.

He seems fine. Is swimming around and hiding in the container. I know he isn't pleased because he doesn't have nearly as much room now and he keeps going to the surface of the container for air. There's about an inch an a half of space between the water line and the edge of the container, so I hope he doesn't jump out.

I'll put another ice bottle in next to the first, and I need to go to bed. I can't put a lid on the container because of the bottles. I don't want to fridge him, because I actually need him to eat. Can anyone please help me? I really don't want to lose this one too and I'm feeling rather lost here.

Should I try feeding him in the shoebox container tomorrow and see if he'll eat?

Here are some pictures.

http://i49.tinypic.com/6yl5hv.jpg
http://i48.tinypic.com/2in5fo.jpg

Yes, the container is sitting on my computer. I know this isn't ideal, but I have a towel under the container and there are ice bottles so it won't get too hot. I live in a dorm, so open space for this to be is limited.

Please, please help. :C
 
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If you can get some live blackworms & leave them in with him he could eat them when he wants & they won't foul the water.

Have you tried aiming a fan at your tank to keep temps down taping some taller perpex or cardboard to the back of the back wall increasing its height will deflect the air down over the water.

In the little container you could try using plastic wrap with holes snipped into the center for air - also make sure to change the bottles before they defrost completely - rotating 3 or 4 means they should re freeze inbetween swapping them out.

Change the water in the tub daily.
Have you got any floating plants in your tank that you could put into the tub to give the little one some cover?

With your tank - give it a good siphon clean checking for any hidden waste that might be messing with your ammonia. Post a pic of the tank incase we can see something you might've missed.

I'll keep my fingers crossed your little one shows signs of recovery soon :)



<3 >o_o< <3
 
Where can I find blackworms besides the internet? No one seems to even know what they are, let alone where I could get them.

One guy told me to call dick's sporting goods. ;;
 
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