Floating Babies

[Kristianne]

I have a few babies (growing front legs stage) that have bellies full of air bubbles. I have them in a tank with a smaller amount of water than previous tanks, and am making sure they have ample opportunity to eat. Is there anything else I can do to help them?

 

[Zookeeper]

Are you feeding them baby brine shrimp? I like wise have some babies that despite my best efforts are poor feeders, with slow growth rate and some develop air bubbles which is a sign of them not eating

 

[Axolotlmama2014]

I had this problem before turned out to be the swim bladder .mine grew out if it just have to keep them in a shallow dish with plenty of plants to rest on .

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[charleybambino]

I didn't think that axolotls had swim bladders

 

[Axolotlmama2014]

Yep sure do

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[Kristianne]

I am feeding freshly hatched baby brine shrimp, and also mixed feeding chopped frozen brine shrimp and blood worms. I lowered the amount of water in the floaters tank to maybe 2 inches and they seemed to have calmed down now. I only have a 3 or 4 floaters today, when I posted i havd about 10. My bigger ones seem to just hang about near the top (no air bubbles in their tummies) for fun, even with some greenery to lay on.

 

[MattBurnett95]

I too have young larvae, about 2 weeks old, that are floating and contain small air bubbles in their stomachs. They are seperated in groups of 20 in several tanks in my hatchery where approximately 40 of 120 decide to float. I have observed them eating plenty of Microworms and some Dafnia. (Have had a bad year with Dafnia). It's very cold where I live at the moment. Tank temps of a chilly 14C. I have turned off the air stones and also added plenty of live plants. My observations suggest that the larvae are actually surfacing to swallow air intentionally. Very strange as they are no where close to developing lungs. Unfortunately I have no proven advise to give but can offer you comfort that you are not alone and I am simply hoping they expel the air and stop swallowing more as they mature.

 

[craigw]

If you have a air stone in with babies they do sometimes snap at the air bubbles & get air in there belly .. Also feeding dapnia if any daphnia are floating the babies might try to eat them swallowing air at the same time.

 

[MattBurnett95]

Thanks Craigw for the thought. Was mine exactly. Since raising the air stone to the surface of the water and adding more flora some time ago all but a few larvae have returned to the bottom. ..