Richatops
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Hi, I was wondering if anyone could help me. I have a single male adult axolotl (approx 3 years old) who hasn't eaten in just over two weeks.
Forgive the length of this post but I thought it would help to provide as much background information as possible. My tank is large and recentangular and is approx 140 litres in capacity. I have a good quality filter set on its lowest setting to reduce current, the outlet is at the top of the tank facing upwards to reduce current on the bottom. The average temperature is about 17oC, I use pairs of two litre bottles full of water and then frozen in the freezer to keep the tank temperature as low as possible, once frozen the bottles are placed in a cradle at the top of the tank to stop them drifting about. The bottom of the tank is only sand with a few very large rocks for ornamentation (far too large, round and smooth to be swallowed). There are a few fake plants and rocks for decoration as well as a large plastic tunnel for my axolotl to hide in. I don't use tank lights and the room is usually fairly dark and the tank is out of direct sunlight.
For feeding I usually offer my axolotl a choice of: earthworms from a composter in my garden, which are placed in boiling water to kill and sterlise them, thin strips of chicken breast (without fat) or lean beef which are placed in boiling water just long enough to sterlise and get any fat off of them.
I used to have a second axolotl in the same tank but sadly she died earlier this year. Back when the female was alive my male axolotl was an incredibly greedy eater, snatching at any food offered, and being jealous and aggressive if not fed first. Since the death of the female the male has become ever more picky in his eating, taking multiple attempts to get him to take anything, I presume this is because without the competition of the female the male has been more casual about food.
However for the last 2 weeks the male has refused to take any food at all, a couple of time he will take it for a few seconds only to spit it out again. I have tried giving him the food directly (by hand and by a set of cooking tongues I have always used) and placing the food in the tank for him to find on his own.
Apart from not eating my axolotl i behaving normally and still looks healthy, I did wonder if it might be due to his reproductive season? It was about this time last year (when the female was still alive) that sperm sacs first started appearing in the tank, I wonder if now he's alone its affecting him differently?
Apologses again for the length of this post, hope someone can help as I'm getting worried about my axolotl.
Forgive the length of this post but I thought it would help to provide as much background information as possible. My tank is large and recentangular and is approx 140 litres in capacity. I have a good quality filter set on its lowest setting to reduce current, the outlet is at the top of the tank facing upwards to reduce current on the bottom. The average temperature is about 17oC, I use pairs of two litre bottles full of water and then frozen in the freezer to keep the tank temperature as low as possible, once frozen the bottles are placed in a cradle at the top of the tank to stop them drifting about. The bottom of the tank is only sand with a few very large rocks for ornamentation (far too large, round and smooth to be swallowed). There are a few fake plants and rocks for decoration as well as a large plastic tunnel for my axolotl to hide in. I don't use tank lights and the room is usually fairly dark and the tank is out of direct sunlight.
For feeding I usually offer my axolotl a choice of: earthworms from a composter in my garden, which are placed in boiling water to kill and sterlise them, thin strips of chicken breast (without fat) or lean beef which are placed in boiling water just long enough to sterlise and get any fat off of them.
I used to have a second axolotl in the same tank but sadly she died earlier this year. Back when the female was alive my male axolotl was an incredibly greedy eater, snatching at any food offered, and being jealous and aggressive if not fed first. Since the death of the female the male has become ever more picky in his eating, taking multiple attempts to get him to take anything, I presume this is because without the competition of the female the male has been more casual about food.
However for the last 2 weeks the male has refused to take any food at all, a couple of time he will take it for a few seconds only to spit it out again. I have tried giving him the food directly (by hand and by a set of cooking tongues I have always used) and placing the food in the tank for him to find on his own.
Apart from not eating my axolotl i behaving normally and still looks healthy, I did wonder if it might be due to his reproductive season? It was about this time last year (when the female was still alive) that sperm sacs first started appearing in the tank, I wonder if now he's alone its affecting him differently?
Apologses again for the length of this post, hope someone can help as I'm getting worried about my axolotl.
