I just can't seem to get my Axolotl better.

[kjoyce]

I've had my axolotl for 4 years and about 6 months ago he got really bloated and constantly had curled gills and a curled tail. I've been on here for advice and I've had a lot - and followed it - but he doesn't seem to be getting any better. I'm beginning to think he might need a new home with someone who knows what they're doing but I want to see if there is anything else I can do first.

He was eating crickets - changed this to Axolotl pellets. I remove uneaten food after a short period of time, an hour or so usually.
Was told his water was too deep - is now about 25cm deep.
Water is tested weekly - if no problems, 1/3 is changed with dechrinates water left to equalise to the same temperature as the tank. If there is a problem, I change more of the water.
Someone said his filter was too strong so I've bought a weaker one.
Was told he didn't have anywhere to hide - bought him a cave which he spends a lot of time in.

I really don't know what else I can do with him. Does anyone have any more ideas?

 

[michael]

How often do you feed? Adult axolotls do not need as much food as growing ones. Most problems are from food, water quality, and temperature. I've never heard of water being to deep for axolotls except on the rare occasion when they have buoyancy problems.

 

[kjoyce]

I'm sure it was on here that someone told me the water shouldn't be deeper than the axolot is long but it might have been elsewhere. I feed him 4 pellets every other day as recommended by the aquatics shop I purchased them from. He doesn't always eat them all though.

 

[michael]

I would back off on the food and raise the water level. What pellets are you feeding it? Uneaten food can foul the water. The more water you have the easier it is to maintain water quality. Adult axolotls are fine being feed once to twice a week.

 

[Skudo09]

I have had a look at your earlier posts to get some history. I can't see anywhere where you were advised to lower the tank level. Regardless, in my opinion the more water in your tank the better you are able to control water quality. And there is no reason why an axolotl cannot live in a fully filled tank. Could you get some earthworms from a bait shop? Earthworms are easy to digest and very nutritious and may help pass anything that my be lodged in his intestinal tract if it is constipation. Does he poo regularly? I am wondering if there may be something genetic going on. When you first noticed the bloating, did this happen suddenly or over a period of time?

 

[herpvet]

I've had my axolotl for 4 years and about 6 months ago he got really bloated and constantly had curled gills and a curled tail. I've been on here for advice and I've had a lot - and followed it - but he doesn't seem to be getting any better. I'm beginning to think he might need a new home with someone who knows what they're doing but I want to see if there is anything else I can do first.

He was eating crickets - changed this to Axolotl pellets. I remove uneaten food after a short period of time, an hour or so usually.
Was told his water was too deep - is now about 25cm deep.
Water is tested weekly - if no problems, 1/3 is changed with dechrinates water left to equalise to the same temperature as the tank. If there is a problem, I change more of the water.
Someone said his filter was too strong so I've bought a weaker one.
Was told he didn't have anywhere to hide - bought him a cave which he spends a lot of time in.

I really don't know what else I can do with him. Does anyone have any more ideas?

Apologies if you've already done this, but if you want to try to find out he cause of the bloat, you need to go to a vet - and probably, be willing to pay for tests. There are a wide variety of possible causes for bloat (e.g. liver problems, kidney problems, heart/circulation problems, bacterial infection, viral infection, mycobacterial infection, chlamydial infection, fungal infection, parasites of various types, tumour...). Once you've ruled out simple environmental/feeding causes such as overfeeding, impaction and water quality issues, the only way to investigate what's going on is to get the animal properly assessed by a vet.

The history and examination may point for or against particular causes, but for a definite answer you will usually have to have tests taken (or for a specific cause, trial treatments could be used). Depending on findings, tests might involve fluid analysis, blood sample, radiography and/or others - you would of course need to discuss with your vet what is feasible in practice for your situation.

Of course it's not guaranteed that that will give you an answer (or, if it does give an answer, that there is anything that can be done about it), but if you want the best chance of finding the cause and sorting him out, that's the way to do it.

Hope you can get him sorted out.

Bruce.