Bubbler Stress?

[Twigwise]

The other day I placed a bubbler into my juvenile axolotl's small tank, after a water change. I noticed that my axie seemed to be "attacking" it and playing with the bubbles, but for the past few days I haven't noticed any signs of stress. Just that he has abandoned his previous "safe" hiding spot.

Yesterday, it was a pain to get him to eat, but otherwise, no signs of stress. Normal gills and nice, flat tail.

Today, after two failed attempts to get him to eat, I noticed the tip of his tail, the very tip, curled around, like in pictures I've seen of stressed axolotls. His gills are also curled forward.

Now, I have no way of testing his water at the moment (I have a water test kit that should be arriving on monday, otherwise, I'd have to take a sample into work, and those are just test strips and not a liquid test) but the temperature is good, and I did a water change, as I said, just several days ago (I think 6? I was going to do a change tomorrow). So I turned off the air pump and am supervising my little guy.

Could this just be stress from a current generated by the bubbler? Now that the bubbler is off he seems to be a little perkier, but I his tail is still curled. He's not bloated or lethargic, and he took a snap at his food after turning the bubbler off. I'm worried, but most sources simply say that these are signs of a "stressed" axolotl.

 

[Twigwise]

After turning the bubbler off and doing a water change, Dragon seems much less stressed. I was worried sick last night, but the little stinker seems fine. Tail's still curled 'round, but his gills are back to normal and I think he's just upset about being scooped out for a water change.

If anyone can tell me, though, what are the proper params for an axie tank? I'm getting a water test kit this week and I want to know what to look for.

 

[Karayna]

That's great! I've never tried bubbles with axies, but I've read both positive and negative things about it. Some do get stressed more easily!

Parameters that you should test for are ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. In a cycled tank, ammonia and nitrite should be 0 (both are highly toxic for your lotl), and nitrates should be <40. If you have live plants in the tank, they will absorb excess nitrates and provide extra oxygen!