Bloat, gravid, sick?

[grebbyfaye]

My axolotl is about 4 years old. He has recently become what looks like bloated, he's a bit worse than the current photo. He still has his appetite and isn't floating. It came on within 2 weeks, I reduced his food but he still got bigger so i assume its not his food.

His swelling doesn't look like he's gravid as it has done in the past, we assume he might be a she, i have only had him with me for about a year.

All the water levels are normal and he is fine in himself but I just wanted clarification.

Also I have no idea if he has pooed as I've never actually seen him poo. His substrate is gravel, he is fed chicken, prawns and tetra jelly packs of blood worms, daphnia. He has been fed on this all his life and I have continued this feeding. He gets fed once every two days.

Thank you

 

[Aristole]

Bloat can be indicative of bacterial infections (e.g. "red leg"), and of kidney damage from a variety of sources. READ MORE HERE: Caudata Culture Articles: Bloat
Don't use gravel.

 

[keiko]

First of all don't keep him/her on gravel. It is very dangerous for axies because if they swallow it (and most likely they will) it can cause a blockage which can even kill the animal. Fine sand, slates or bare bottom are good.
The diet is also not good. An adult axie should be fed mainly earth worms or good quality axolotl pellets. From those they can get all the nutrients they need. Chicken is hard for them to digest and it's not at all something they would eat in the wild. Bloodworrms are ok for small axies until they're big enough to eat earth worms, but they don't have all the nutrients an adult axie needs.

Now to your real question. From that picture I can't see a bulge behind his/her hind legs so I would guess she might be the right pronoun. If you post pictures of her from the side and top we can tell you for sure. If she is a female then I'd guess it's just eggs in her belly. They can get huge with all the eggs in them. If she doesn't need to use them she will absorb them and get skinnier again. More pictures would again help.

 

[Neotenic_Jaymes]

Can you post a better pic? Like a side view photo. If its a female then it would be normal for a gravid female to be about that size.

 

[mewsie]

Also I have no idea if he has pooed as I've never actually seen him poo.

Once you swap her diet over to earthworms you will most definitely know about it when she does...!

Good healthy diet = good healthy (that is, giant) poop.

Definitely get rid of the gravel as Keiko says, and if you can post some more pictures that would be helpful, as females are generally lovely and rounded and may answer the question