Question: Floating, is it sick.

[Jawdoss]

Hi my Axolotl, Juanita has been daily overweight ever since i have had her. She is slowly loosing weight now though (her old owners fed her beef heart everyday and she had gravel she was eating). She was floating on the top of the tank, when i touched her she just swam back down.

I was wondering if this is normal?
And also, how can i make her loose weight easily?
** Juanita is the gold one in the photo**

Thanks.

 

[HayleyK]

If she can reach the bottom and stay there, there is nothing wrong with her. Some lotls like to float some like the dwell on the bottom.

I've never known how to make an axolotl lose weight, not like you can take them for a walk or have an exercise schedule. Perhaps earthworms 1-2 every second or third day.

 

[auntiejude]

Yes, this is completely normal.

Axies seem to like taking a breath and holding it in to get some buoyancy, and just hang at the top of the tank for a bit.

As long as they can get to the bottom when they want to it's fine, if they struggle to sink they may be constipated.

 

[Jawdoss]

Thanks guys!

You have helps me a lot.

 

[Petersgirl]

Good answers from the guys above, but just wondering...is there any chance Juanita could be gravid? (Although female axxies are often plumper than the boys even when they've not got buns in the oven it may explain if she has put on weight recently).

When my Gally put on a lot of weight - she's my female Golden - I laid off the food a bit and only fed her an earthworm every other day instead of every day. It seemed to work and she was never so hungry that she bit Tooth.

Hope this helps