Axolotl freak outs...

[benh]

Just watched my little Axie freak out after gliding to the bottom of the tank and bumping into a rock... it was like he was startled and just zipped, wriggled and bumped around the tank like a pinball - I was afraid he might hurt himself.
He looks fine, no outward signs of stress/illness or injury. Are Axolotls prone to a little bit of a freak every now and then? I found it rather alarming. I like seeing him swim about - but mad dashes make me uneasy!

I think he could possibly be outgrowing his tank? I have a larger one - this might be the que to set it up. He was only iccle when I got him about 2 months ago, and the tank was fine - he's a little bigger now, and I think he might feel cramped.

 

[sjr2388]

Hey Ben,

I had the same problem with one of my Axie's as well. I had him in a small tank - probably to small for him now, i put him in a much larger tank now and find that he has a lot more room to move around and explore. After a week of being in this new tank i have yet to see him freak out...

Good luck with it all

 

[blueberlin]

Hi Ben,

if you think he's feeling cramped, you're probably right. After two months, you might also be in the middle of a fully blown cycle. In a small tank, the waste products of the nitrification cycle can build up quickly and actually burn your axolotl. Is it possible for you to measure the water chemistry for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate?

All that being said, though, yes, sometimes axolotls - particularly young ones - do just sort of "freak out". If your tank water is ok and it's just a one-time thing, it's probably not a problem.

-Eva