Illness/Sickness: HELP !! Floating tail up and not impacted what else can it be????

[shells]

Floating tail up and not impacted what else can it be????

A few weeks ago a posted something here as I thought Abraham may have ingested some sand and become impacted. After a stint in the fridge he didn't pass anything out of the ordinary and went back into the tank with no issues.

In the last 2 weeks the same has occurred - I wake up in the morning to find him floating tail up and either under a plant or in his hide to try and keep his back legs down . He has been eating and pooing fine... he did a real good one the other day.
Both times he has had a stint in the fridge usually only for a day as his legs are usually back down on the bottom of the container after that (I usually just cover him enough to see his legs just off the ground so I know when they are comfortably back down by themselves) depending on when I fed him last there may or may not be poo in the container with him after a day. Went I return him back to his tank (after aclimatising him of course) he happliy swims to the bottom like nothing has occured.

The other night while happily watching him I noticed him pass a bit of wind (fart) - the bubbles gave it away!! I thought it was quite cute, but after finding him tail up AGAIN this morning I am wondering if there is something more sinsiter going on?? He was sleeping at the time, so I woke him just to be sure he hadn't fallen asleep in that position, but when he moved he struggled to get his back legs down and went straight for his hide... my poor baby is now back in the fridge.

If ANYONE can give me some insight as to what may be causing this prior to me having to put him through the stress of a trip to the vet it would be greatly appreciated. I am going away for 4 days over Xmas and worry he'll have another tail floating episode while I'm away.

His water parameters are fine, the tank is 3ft and he lives there alone (lucky thing) I have a chiller and the temp is set at 18 degrees..

A long read I know but would like to give all the information - thanks for your time.

 

[jcj57]

Re: Floating tail up and not impacted what else can it be????

After reading numerous threads on here over the past couple of months, unless your axi isn't eating or is showing other signs of stress, its probably just air bubble. If when you touch him and he can swim back to the bottom of the tank no problems I wouldn't worry too much. What do you feed him? If you feed him a few different things cut one out and see if anything changes. My latest axi, who was in a terrible state when I bought him a couple of weeks ago (no frilly gills) quite often goes to the top of the tank and takes a big gulp of air (his gills are just starting to grow back now). And he quite often rests in the plants closer to the top of the tank so he doesn't have as far to swim when he is resting. Sometimes plays dead man on top of the tank, just when you think he is, he lets himself sink to the bottom of the tank. I have filmed him a number of times. Keep us posted.

 

[shells]

Re: Floating tail up and not impacted what else can it be????

Abes is feed on home grown earthworms and the occaisional axolotl pellet when I have problems finding decent worms.

He can get to the bottom of the tank but can't get his back legs down - think handstand and that pretty much what he looks like. He doesn't look happy when this happens either!

He is big on "eating" and playing in the bubbles from the airstone, but he has always done this with repercussions.

Abes also does the "dead mans" float, so funny to watch!

 

[shells]

Just an update, Abes spent the day in the fridge, I arrived home to find his legs back down on the botom of the container and a little bit of poo... I've reintroduced him to the tank.... tail float straight away He's eaten since being back in the tank and at the moment has his back half in feeding bowl cause he's realised it holds him down... my poor baby! Im at a TOTAL loss as to what can be causing this so we're off to the vet thursday (earliest appointment - sigh!)

 

[natjobe]

Try taking the air bubbler out. It might be stressing him out. I don't believe you need an air stone, I think your weekly water changes should oxygenate the water. Try getting plants too, to help add oxygen!

 

[shells]

I have plants in the tank.... and he seems to love the air stone, I often find him with his chin over it getting a tickle (lol) and or swimming through them so I don't think it's stressing him out.

 

[Light of Dae]

He could be doing what one of mine do. Mine will nip at the bubbles n end up eating air! I've seen her do it a lot, sometimes her poop will float with air she ate lol. Self-induced butt float!

 

[shells]

Thats what I was thinking but it's only just started and occuring too frequently for me not to be alarmed.

Thanks for your input. Abes is off to the vet this afternoon for a "checkup" to see what could be causing this, will keep you all informed...

Shhhhhh don't tell Abes... I'm sure he's not going to like the excursion!

 

[LeFarge]

what did the vet say?

 

[shells]

The Vet after a thorough inspection said that he could have picked up a tummy bug, possilby from some meat I had fed him previously as a treat (Abe's no longer gets treats) We gave him a course of antibiotics and he's been fine ever since :happy:
He didn't get too cranky with me either!