Axy will only hand-feed

hi
i have just got my new axie. I have him for a week, and it won't eat. It is playing around in it's tank and looks happy. when i first got it it ate and that was 6 days ago, it looks hungry,by putting up it's head to eat but dosen't eat what should i do.

(i have tried plets,worms and different types of meat)
 
mr x - What are the tank conditions like?
What is the temperature?
Was the tank cycled?
Have you tested for ammonia, nitrite, nitrates, ph?
Are you using gravel as a substrate?
What did he eat when you first got him?
What kind of filter(s) are you using and what size is the tank?

Sorry about all the questions but its hard to get a picture of what may be going on with out knowing.
 
hi and thanks.

the filter i have got for my tank is the right size, so i have been told by the shop i got him from.
I have cheacked the temp and it is fine.
Yes the tank has been cycled.
he ate beef heart when i first got him.

i haven't tested the tank and i don't know if the gravel is substrate.
 
Substrate means what is on the bottom of your tank. Gravel, sand, river rocks, etc. The reason Cynthia was asking is because gravel can be a pain because axies often eat it and it can take a while to pass and isn't good for them. I had a very small amount of gravel in the tank with my axie and he still managed to eat it. How long was your tank cycled for?
 
mr x - Pet stores don't always know the best way to house and care for axolotls. So it is always good to get a second opinion.

Axolotls will stress if there is too much current in the water. So if your filter produces current in the tank you should baffle the filter or turn down the flow (if it has a flow option).

The temp should not be over 70 degrees (21 C).

Your ammonia and nitrite should test at 0, nitrates should be low. If you do not have test kits for these you should purchase one and ph would be good to test as well.

Mammal meat is hard for them to digest. You may want to try a worm/night crawler or soft carnivore pellet (if you can find them where you live).

Since you just brought it home a week ago it still may be settling in. It could of eaten gravel that it needs to pass, it could be constipated, your tank may have conditions that are stressing to it, or it could be getting ill.

You may want to check out caudata's sister site:

http://www.axolotl.org

Let us know how your axolotl is and how your water tests check out.
 
hi again.

i have just tryed to feed shadow steak. (i hope that is ok) and thankfully he went and grabed it, the piece was only small and it looked as if he couldn't swallow it. he keep trying but then spat it out. i cut it even smaller but he didn't want it. he has done this two times already.

i have also found that he has got a blue toe, and it is falling off. another toe is turning blue to. what can i do.
 
mr x - as I mentioned in an earlier post to you mammal meat is hard for them to digest and should be fed only on occasion if ever. Try finding some night crawlers/earth worms.

Since you still have not told us what the tank conditions are, there is no way for us to know if you have ammonia/nitrite problems, over heating giving him fungus, current giving him stress, substrate the right size for swallowing.. etc.

Since its toes are now falling off and it isn't eating it would be nice if you could provide us with more detailed information about his tank conditions. Saying they are "ok" does not give us the information we need.

I would suggest giving it salt baths for the toes.
Mix 2 teaspoons of salt into 2 liters of water and mix it until it is completely dissolved. Soak the axolotl in it for 10 min and no longer. Salt can burn the gills and skin. Give the salt bath twice a day; once in the morning, once at night.
 
i am sorry for not telling you about the temp.
when i got him we asked if he needed a thermometer to test it, the man said yes you could but it will just be ok if i put my finger in it and see it it is really cold, and it has been.
i know now that i should get a thermometer and i will be getting on soon.
 
mr x - you need a thermometer and a test kit that will allow you to test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and ph.

If you could, please tell us how many gallons the aquarium is and the brand and size of filter you have on it. That information would be helpful as well. As too much current can cause stress. Fish and axolotls have different requirements when it comes to filters.

It is important to treat the illness that the axolotl has, but you also want to find out what caused the problem in the first place and correct it. Other wise your axolotl will be constantly unwell.

Most of the time the health problems are related to the tank conditions. That is why it is important for you to know exactly what is going on in the aquarium. A test kit is very important especially with a newly set up tank.
 
my tank is only small about 40cm long, but i am getting a bigger one as he grows.
the brand of the filter is a pevv plex, and i don't know what the size is .
i got it because my friend said that that one is the right size for the tank since she already owns one. Just in case she was wrong we went and asked someone from the local aquarium, and they said that would be fine for the tank.

i am sorry that i don't know the size, but i still hope that it will useful.

i have bought some blood worms (frozen) and i have put them in the tank. i think he has eaten since i could not see it.

thanks for your help mr x

p.s i have got gravel on the bottom of my tank.
 
mr x - I am concerned about several things; 40cm (15.75 inches to us in the US) is indeed a small aquarium. What size is your axolotl?

It is hard to keep the temperature down in a small aquarium. I think knowing the temp would be very important.

How long did you have the aquarium set up before you put the axolotl in it?

If the gravel is small enough to fit in the axolotls mouth it is probably a good idea to remove the gravel. Especially since you are feeding blood worms by dropping them in the tank and having the axolotl eat off the gravel.

Is your filter the type you put floss and carbon in and run with an air pump?

You need to get a test kit so you can check the conditions of your water.
 
my axolotl is 10cm long so he has a lot of room.

i will remove my gravel since is looks like he can swollow it.
i want to use sand but it looks hard to look after. How do i clean it, and wouldn't my axie bury it as he moves around?

i had the tank running for a week and a half before i put him in.
my filter is an air pump and it has gravel on the top inside the filter and some sort of white foam on the bottom.
 
mr x - If the tank has only been set up for 2 or 3 weeks the tank is currently cycling and it is potentially toxic for your axolotl.

Tank cycling takes 30 days or more and the ammonia and nitrite cycles need closely watched.If you have high ph the ammonia is more toxic.

This is possibly why the axolotl does not want to eat and the skin on its feet is falling off.

Cycling a tank with an axolotl in it is tricky and I do not recommend it. I would suggest getting a container that you can easily change the water in every day and putting your axolotl in fresh dechlorinated water in that container while the tank finishes cycling.

Please purchase a test kit that will let you test the water for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and ph.
 
Those can be expensive, Cynthia. Especially since they (the ammonia and nitrate and nitrite) are only really needed for the cycling stage. I would suggest taking water samples to pet aquariums. Most of them will test your water for free or for some small fee, though I'd shop around and find the ones that are free.

I realise that the ideal way is to test the water every day, but for those who can't afford the kits (like me) this is the next best thing.
 
I have no idea where mr x is from since he isn't registered. Here a master test kit is only $13.00.

True he could take a sample to the pet store and ask them to test it. But he said he is going to be moving the axolotl to larger tanks as it grows. A test kit is pretty much a necessity in cases like that... or its a lot of trips to try and get water tested for free.
 
True, true
happy.gif
I haven't seen master kits like that here in Perth, just seperate ones that cost too much. Maybe I'll check out the online shops.
 
Halszka - its official name is:
Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Freshwater Master Test Kit

Tests include: freshwater pH, high range pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Kit features 4 test tubes, a holding tray for testing bottles, and test tube rack.


Hope that makes finding it easier.
happy.gif
 
thank you all for your help. i have seen test kits for around $20, and i will be getting one soon.
 
I haven't seen master kits either - if there was one, it would be a damn sight more expensive than you guys have them. It seems no-one in Australia is capable of packaging little glass tubes, re-agents and instructions.
 
Back to the only hand-feeding thing. I read in a book on axolotls that solitary axies rarely look for food for themselves and will quite often require hand feeding.

On the other hand, if there is two or three they are more likely to go searching through gravel or pebbles for some food.
 
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