Illness/Sickness: I'm wondering if the lil' guy is stressed.

[WateRewStah]

I just walked in on him doing this little tough guy stance and his tail bent. He doesn't do it often, I'm just concerned. Any help, info or tips?

 

[WateRewStah]

His name is Toes, by the way.

 

[HayleyK]

Does it float? Of it's floating it could be a really big poop or fart coming. The first photos looks rather odd as it's bent on atleast 45 degree angle. What's temps and parameters?

 

[Sweetie]

Obviously, the first thing to do is check your ammonia, nitrites and nitrates levels and your tank temperature. If everything is normal, and he is otherwise behaving as he usually does, I wouldn't be too concerned. He looks healthy. He could simply be behaving like an axolotl. Axies are very strange little creatures. They do odd things. Very odd things!

 

[WateRewStah]

Haha! It would have to be a fart, he doesn't poop a bunch, and hasn't since before the photos were taken. The water temp is a steady 67 degrees. I don't have a test kit for the ammonia and nitrates. Do thy sell a kit to test for all of the necessary parameters? Od do you have to buy the kits individually?

:ufo:

 

[HayleyK]

Some companies have "master kits" which have ph, ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. Theyre not cheap but it's cheaper than buying individually.

 

[Sweetie]

Many people on this site recommend the API Freshwater Master Test Kit. It tests for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, PH and high PH. You should be able to find it online for about $25, though here in Australia it can be expensive - my LFS quoted me $80 yesterday, but I found an Aussie online source selling for $35. Shop around. But whatever you do, avoid the test strips. They can be very inaccurate if not stored and used exactly right. Buy a liquid test kit.