HELPPP - newbie in need

N

nathan

Guest
I've had my wildtype axolotl for just over a month now and has been doing fine. I've created a day and night environment for her using a low wattage fluro aquarium light and she enjoys keeping still in plants or her log during the day and when night comes enjoys swimming and walking around.
I feed her by hand once a day 6 times aweek beef heart on occassions but mostly tubifex worm cubes.
I have a hang on filter and an undergravel filter in a 2 foot tank that has 7.1 PH level and 0 ammonia level. Aquarium has run tests for me and sais water quality is fine. Pebble sized gravel is used and water temp is alternating constantly between 18 and 20 degrees celcius.
I do water change 1/3 every 2 weeks.
The wildtype is fine, the other day i decided to find it a friend, a beautiful albino.
She wasn't that active at the aquarium yet neither was the wildtype.
I have had her for 3 days now and she still hasn't eaten anything.
I remember the wildtype didn't eat for 1 day when I first put her in her new home.
I am wondering, is this because she is stressed? or just adapting to her new home?
I have noticed that since I got her, her gills are not as dark in red colour as they were before.
I have included some photos....please help I want her to be happy like my wildtype.
by the way, the four tubifex cubes I tried feeding her, she recognises by moving her head up as i wave it in front of her head but just doesn't go for it...unfortunately my wildtype has zoomed past my hand and taken the cube before I can blink, 4 times now and has found itself floating uncontrollably for the past 2 hours...she's now anchored herself underneath an ornamental bridge and has calmed down...
photos have been posted
<img> <img>
22795.jpg
22796.jpg
 
They are both Very nice Nathan!

When getting a new axie you should quartine him/her for at least a week due to illnesses that they could give to your other axie.

The reason your axies could be floating is when you have fed it the tubifex worms they are full of air. The best thing to do is to soak the cube before feeding and this will take out any air and stop your axie floating.

When i got my axies they didnt feed for about a week after i got them. This is ok as they can go for long periods with out food. I think as you said, it is to do with her/him being in a new tank and not knowing anyone lol.

Just give her time... She may not have been feed tubifex worms and may not know what it is or even like them...

I believe that tubifex arent that great for axies and it should only be fed as a treat just like beef heart and liver. Try them with blood worms.. i would reccommed you take them out for their tank for this as it can be a pain for cleaning up. If they are in a small holding tank you can poor the remains away once they have finished(make sure you sure tank water please!!).

Other things they love are earthworms!! they are mad about them.. But be careful where to get them from as you dont want chemicals to have been used on them or if they have illness etc. I get mine from a fishing tackel/bait shop. I asked where they were farmed from and if they used anything on them and they said no.. and all is ok so far!

Take a look thought some older threads about what food to give them.. i know there have been quite a few questions about food.

Good luck and keep us informed!
 
Thanks for the help kim I really will start digging deeper into the food topic with local aquariums etc.
The poor wildtype one, She just crawled out from under the bridge and is still floating around...seems to be stressing her out alot she's doing everything she can to stop herself from floating up..is there anything I can do to stop this? i tried to rub her underneath but she freaks out whenever I touch her.
The other one on the other hand is like a statue...only time i see her move is when i wake up in the morning they're both swimming around enjoying themselves...after that she's a statue again...
 
Nathan,

Axies are nocturnal.. so only really active at night that is why they seem more awake in the mornings.

She may freak out when you touch her has she has not been handle much.. you arent really meant to handle axies but if they get used to it i think it is better as you are able to take them out of the tank if they are ill or anything.

You might be best to get a tub with a small amount of tank water in it just enough to cover her and just enough so she can just touch the floor with out getting stressed out.

Try to rub her belly again try to be firm when holding her as they will riggle! but please not too hard!! Dont squash her!

Also take a look at Johns web site about axolotls its great help, and i found it soo usefull when starting up.

There is loads of info all over here about food.. Just one thing they really really really love earthworms!!!
 
Welcome to the group Nathan...sound advice from Kim. Just be patient and don't stess too much yourself. She will settle down.

If she'll eat anything it will be an earthworm. Just try dropping in font of her nose oh holding it there with tweezers or chopsticks. She'll get the message soon enough.

If you think she is stressy then handle her as little as possible for now and give her time to get used to the aquarium.

I'm still looking for a good name for a golden...I have one living under then temp name of Saphy...ideas anyone?
 
Mik,

I cant help you out, im still having problems with my new babies name... the short list is: Fuzzz (yes thats 3 z's), Crumble or Fudge..

OOOOOoooo Mik... just thought of one mid typing... Icarus i like that!
 
yeh thanks for all your advice..i tried the tubifex again i got home from work today and she was swimming around...as soon as i came in the room she went still like a statue.
I wave the tubifex cube in front of her face and she recognises it and moves her head in to a position to eat but doesn't eat.....my lil wildtype tried the same thing again trying to swipe it out of my chopsticks lucky i was too quick for her this time lol...she finally stopped floating around the tank...
Can any of you guys think of any reason why her gills would be alot lighter in colour compared to when I first bought her?
Thanks for the welcomes as well...
 
I'll try to get some earthworms from the pet shop or aquarium on the weekend..

I've posted another photo of the new axie so u can see how faint her gills are...is this a problem?
22848.jpg
 
when i got my first axie (a leucistic like yours) his gills were pale (paler than yours, actually) for a good couple of weeks before they worked their way up to consistently red. i don't know why he did this - maybe adjusting to the new water chemicals and living with a new axie. it didn't seem to be a problem with him.
 
As other people said, I'd also suggest you give her a little more time to settle down in her new environment.

Her gills getting pale may be due to possible temperature change between her 'old' home and her new one or the fact that she hasnt eaten for a couple of days and/or possible diet change between what you're offering her and what she was used to eat.

It also took me a couple of days to have my axolotl's diet changed from 100% fish to 100% pellets.

You shouldn't worry too much, when she'll get hungry enough, she'll eat anything you give her and her gills will become 'normal' again ;)
 
Nath,
Point #1. I have had an axy which did not eat for 6 weeks and I was SO WORRIED!. But he survived when I didn't think he would.

Point #2. I have a female axy which is almost identical to yours. Her colour changes when she is at rest, when she is active, when she is just plain herself! I tend to think that this type is the most unpredictable. But also the most georgeous.

And another thing. When dealing with axy foodstuffs, I feel it is very much dependant on what they have been fed before. So, for mine, which i have had for several years, I try beef liver ( locally available in supermarkets ) and frozen bloodworm ( petshops). And food is very dependant on which country you live in. So, go to your local major aquarium shop, tell em your troubles - if you agree, great. If you are a bit hesitant, which most axy owners are rightly so, then come back online.
 
Sorry, I may be wrong but if, she has black eyes, surely she is not albino?? I have one the same, and have wondered exactly what the genotype may be??
 
Ann Marie your axie is leucistic.

All it means is that she has a pair of genes that control distribution of colour cells (chromatophores) about the body.

When they are still small larvae these cells are produced at the at a point approximating the back of the neck and then spread out to produce the colour.

However, the gene comes in two forms: a dominant and a recessive version. If either of the pair is of the dominant type (D/D D/d) then the animals colour distributes as normal to produce the darker coloured beasties. If both of the genes are of the recessive type (d/d) then the chromatophores are prevented from distributing and you end up with the white leucistic.

Albinos have another pair of alleles that operate in a similar fashion (A/A, A/a or a/a). Again if the double recessive combo happens then the albino (white or golden) occurs.

There are two other colour genes at work in the axie and again they work in a similar fashion. So with 4 sets of alleles controlling things there are plenty of variations to consider. Luckily some phenotypes are immediately apparent and cross breeding can help determine the other gene states.

Full marks if you can determine what genotype causes a golden albino as opposed to a white albino.
 
ax/ax causes white albinos, as they lack xanthophores, which cause yellow pigmentation. Ax/ax, Ax/Ax causes goldens.
 
Full marks and beautifully explained too.

A similar effect is also seen in the melanoid albino. The m/m results in reduced numbers of xanthophores and the absence of iridophores.

The a/a albino alleles not only negate what otherwise would be a proliferation of melanophores but turns them off so there are none at all. The melanoid albino is typically white too.
 
annie, it's actually got really nice blue eyes...when u got the light on in the tank they really sparkle a beautiful blue...
 
LOL take another look nate you'll find that they are black but there is a bright gold speckled ring about the black and that in conjunction with your artificial lighting is what makes them look blue.

In any case, leucistics look really amazing....and your's looks very fine indeed.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
    There are no messages in the chat. Be the first one to say Hi!
    Back
    Top