Blind Axolotl?

[SuburbanGirl]

I currently have 2 Jacks that I kept in separate tanks. I added ghost shrimp to both tanks because I like that the little buggers clean up before they get eaten. After a few weeks I noticed that one tank had most of the shrimp gone, and the other seemed to have all the shrimp still there and getting larger. This got me wondering.

I recently changed from worms to pellets because my roommates didn't like having worms in the fridge. When I would drop the pellets in the one tank the Jack would jump and grab them. When I put them in the other tank the Jack wouldn't start trying to get them until a minute or two after they had landed at the bottom of the tank, as though he didn't know they were there until he smelled them. This had me wondering as well.

I guess my question is about poor treatment from my roommates. Both Jacks are GFP, but I never shine a light on them because I think it's cruel, and because I don't care. I have them because they were the eggs available at the time. When I moved into my new place I told my roommate that they would glow under a black light, and he had one on a flashlight. That night I very carefully shined the light only on the tails of each Jack to show him, and then I told him that it's cruel to do to them, and that I wouldn't be doing it again. A few months later one of his friends was over and he was showing them the Jacks and once again asked me to shine the black light on them, which I did, again on only the tails, and only for about 10 seconds.

I think my roommate might have been shining the black light on them when I wasn't around. Could this be why the one Jack is now mostly blind? Is there anything I can do to improve either his vision or quality of life?

I have now moved out of the house and no longer have a roommate, so I know they aren't being subjected to blacklight when I'm not looking. I have also placed them in the same tank, and it seems to be helping the blind Jack be less scared. Is there anything else I can do?

Also, is there a humane way to kill the ghost shrimp? They are too big to be eaten, and I don't want them in the tank anymore. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance,

SuburbanGirl

 

[Charlotl]

I have heard axolotl have poor eyesight to begin with so he may not be blind. My little guy is on pellets but most days he just doesn't do very well at catching them (or I fail at aiming them). If you don't have the squeamish roommate can you just switch back to worms if you are worried about him eating?

I don't know much about the shrimp but if you can catch them I'd bet you could find someone to give them to for free. Try Craigslist if you don't know of anyone offhand.