Question: Inactive axolotls

[Hofstedt]

Hey guys.

I was wondering how active your axolotls are?

I got mine a couple of days ago and i fed them today but they haven't eating anything yet and they haven't moved an inch all day.

I hope that it is just because they are adjusting to their new place and that its not because they are sick or stressed.

Hope you guys can help me..

 

[Kaini]

How old are they? Juvenile axolotls are a little more active than adults, and adults are just pretty lazy in general.

They can take a while to adjust to new surroundings. Have you tried presenting the food differently? Wiggling it for them etc. They may just not recognize it as food just yet.

If you're really worried check your tank parameters (ammonia/nitrite/nitrate) and your temperature to make sure they're all correct.

 

[Hofstedt]

They are about two and a half years, I went to the pet store today to get them food because they previous owners didn't have any more food for them, they used to give them small living fish, but the guy at the pet store just sold me some regular fish food with high protein, but they are flakes, so maybe thats why they haven't eating because they are used to eat living fish?

But he told me that they could easily eat the the flake food.

 

[Alkylhalide]

Fhsjskekcjs dont feed axolotls flake food. They wont eat it. A good carnivore sinking pellet or nightcrawlers/earthworms. Flake food is like feeding your kid paper.

 

[Hofstedt]

Damn.. Seems like i went to the wrong place to get advice.. Ill go somewhere else tomorrow to get some real food for them..

Thank you..

 

[auntiejude]

The average local fish/aquarium shop know absolutely **** all about anything other than aquarium pumps and tropical fish. Don't trust them on anything more technical than that.

Adult axies eat:
WORMS - lots of them
maggots and maggot-type or worm-type insect larvae
small insects
slugs/ soft snails (only if you know what you're doing)
Pellets - fish or shellfish based
Live freshwater shrimp or small feeder fish

Not fish flakes (they are carnivorous amphibians, not fish), not beef/chicken/mammalian meat, not plant matter, not salty prawns, not smoked salmon.

The best food for axies is live wriggly things.

 

[ladygodiva35]

The average local fish/aquarium shop know absolutely **** all about anything other than aquarium pumps and tropical fish. Don't trust them on anything more technical than that..

Isn't that the truth? I've been known to help pet store customers and I don't even work there! I hear the employers giving bad or wrong information so then I go sneak and tell the customer the REAL information. Funny how they never hire me though. Even with my veterinary back ground and I specialize in small animals, cats and fresh water aquatics! But the manager said it was her first time pet job and she knows nothing!

 

[Kaini]

Isn't that the truth? I've been known to help pet store customers and I don't even work there! I hear the employers giving bad or wrong information so then I go sneak and tell the customer the REAL information. Funny how they never hire me though. Even with my veterinary back ground and I specialize in small animals, cats and fresh water aquatics! But the manager said it was her first time pet job and she knows nothing!

Thank goodness I'm not the only one that does this...

But anyway... OP, you can also find earthworms just outside in your back yard/garden to feed your Axolotl as long as you know there weren't any pesticides or chemicals used in the area.

 

[Alkylhalide]

I went to my pet shop to look at potentially getting some plants for my tank, at this particular place all the plants are housed with the fish. I am waiting for assistance as she was busy with another customer who doesnt know what is wrong with her fish, assistant thinks maybe its ick so she proceeds to show her what ick looks like by finding a full fish tank full of fish with it... That they are selling.. I just walked out. Who knows what else they knowingly have wrong with the fish they keep.

I must say the petsmart here seems great. Their plants are just plants.. No fish. And their fish seem reletively healthy. And i am sure if anybody knew what an axolotl was they would know how to give good advice sometimes I test them on their knowledge and a lot are very knowledgable on certain things and are never afraid to say sorry I dont know much about this but let me go get **** shes our expert on say topic

 

[sphynx]

I went to my pet shop to look at potentially getting some plants for my tank, at this particular place all the plants are housed with the fish. I am waiting for assistance as she was busy with another customer who doesnt know what is wrong with her fish, assistant thinks maybe its ick so she proceeds to show her what ick looks like by finding a full fish tank full of fish with it... That they are selling.. I just walked out. Who knows what else they knowingly have wrong with the fish they keep.

I must say the petsmart here seems great. Their plants are just plants.. No fish. And their fish seem reletively healthy. And i am sure if anybody knew what an axolotl was they would know how to give good advice sometimes I test them on their knowledge and a lot are very knowledgable on certain things and are never afraid to say sorry I dont know much about this but let me go get **** shes our expert on say topic

my goodness. were you at petsmart where the person showed the ick??

 

[Alkylhalide]

No i was at pet culture(or pets unlimited) after that I will never buy anything out of their tanks. At least at pet smart they seem knowledgable and helpful. Even though they never know what I am talking about I explain to them what ican and cant do and then help me from there.