Moved: June's axolotl won't eat (temperature)

E

ester

Guest
Thank you Kapo, didn't see your reply so posted my problem again. I shall just do small water changes from now on, i can't get the temp down under 24c, so what do i need to do for that?How long will Lilly live without food? She is really getting thin? I am so upset the more i try and help her the worse i am making things for her.I have the air con on, letting the cooler air blow over the tank.Any help is so greatly appreciated. Thank you.

edited by Ester: Started a new thread for you.
 
Please stop panicking and reread my above posted threads again! They have relevant information.

Water level toxicity can be fixed through daily SMALL PARTIAL waterchanges of 30% only. No more than that each day.

Also, remove the new friend from the tank. He is also causing the high levels and should have been quarantined in case he is making or makes her sick. All new animals should be quarantined for no less than 30 days to ensure they are healthy and do not make your current axie sick.

He will also be adding extra waste to the newly cycling tank which is why they are so high.

Wherever you move him, the old smaller tank should do, you will have to make sure you change that one daily too (same amount 30% waterchange each day too, so he doesn't get sick from ammonia/nitrite)

Keep us posted, but please don't forget to read my previous threads, as it sounds like you haven't or may have skipped them.

If you don't understand let us know and someone will help out.



**** June, I cut and paste this from the previous thread as I wasn't sure you caught it.\

***
 
Thank you Kapo & Ester, sorry only just learning to use the comp as well as looking after Lilly. I will try the things you have mentioned Kapo and keep you posted, thank you so much for taking the time to reply
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Today (sat) our Lily died. R I P Lily. Thank you Kapo for your help, we are still doing daily water changes to try and keep the other one alive, he seems to be doing well.
 
Sorry to hear Lily died.
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Sounds good regarding your other one though, good he's doing well.
 
Kapo! our Charlie is swimming in the middle of the tank and near the top, dosen't gulp air or anything, just looking around,is this normal for them to swim near the top? He is eating well, but the levels are still an issue, we are doing the small water changes every day. Thank you
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If you are still having water and temperature issues, it may be causing it. Usually when tankwater increases there is less oxygen in the water (which is why putting axies in the fridge is really good - cooler water has more oxygen in it).

Just keep up with the daily waterchanges :D and here's a link you may find interesting/helpful as it concerns temperature control, from another aussie owner, Row: http://www.caudata.org/forum/messages/793/78488.html?1171970762
 
Thank you Kapo, how long do we need to do daily water changes?? ammonia is at 0.05 Will it ever get to 0???. We have been doing this for 16 days. I just don't want to do more harm than good
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, about putting charlie in the fridge, would you please explain fully what we need to do ? Thank you so much!.
 
If he stays in the tank you will need to continue to do the daily partial waterchanges until the tank is cycled. The temperature is probably not helping matters.

If you place him in the fridge, then stop doing the waterchanges and let the tank cycle.

Before you decide to put him in the fridge, check the fridge temperature, it has to be above 4C (5C+ is fine = our fridge usually sits at 5-6C).

If unsure, place a thermometer in a glass/cup of water and place in fridge. Check it in 20minutes.

If it's ok, get two containers with lids - icecream containers work well.

Fill both with dechlorinated water.

Put lid on the spare one and put in the fridge.

Put Charlie in the other container, place lid on, wrap in a teatowel (to stop fluctuating temperatures), and place in fridge.

Every day you have to do complete daily waterchanges. This is what the spare container is for as they have to be same temperature.

When you're ready to do the waterchange, I usually do mine in evenings:

Take both containers out of the fridge, try and pour as much of Charlies water out wihtout losing Charlie!

Then tip Charlie into the clean container, put lid on, wrap with towel and place back in the fridge.

With the empty container, clean it out with a mix of bicarbonate/baking soda and water; then pour some more dechlorinated water in it, lid on and return to fridge.

I found this the easiest way to do a waterchange.

But if you don't have the room use one container and a softdrink bottle for the dechlorinated water to chill.

The fridge will slow his metabolism down. The colder water will also have more oxygen in it, so no need for holes in the container lid. If your fridge temperature is between 5-8/9C he may not eat, if you do offer him food do so just before a waterchange.
 
Thank you so much, you sure know a lot about axies. We will keep you posted. It's really nice to know people can help when all looks lost!. Thank you Kapo.
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Most of the information we've picked up has been through loads of advice/help from this forum from previous axie owners/posters/moderators when we've needed it for our sick axolotls. The rest is pretty much what we've learned over the past 18months as we "grew" with our various axies. A lot of symptoms/illnesses/tank problems and possible solutions can usually be found on this forum if you use the search function above.
 
Hi Kapo, still doing the small water changes daily, Charlie is eating well. took the water to a pet shop for testing, the man said if the water ammonia is no better by friday he suggested that i use an ammonia remover!!!, i said no i don't think that is right, as the tank needs to cycle first and that will undo everything i have been trying to achieve. Which one of us is right?? The man also said...it doesn't take 17 days for a tank to cycle! is he right???. I am only going to do the water changes till i hear from you. Thank you.
 
he's wrong! There are a few petshop people that have no idea what cycling is; and after all he is trying to sell you another product!

We have 6 tanks , and our tanks have all had different cycling periods ranging from 3 weeks to 8 weeks. We've cycled our tanks both without axies and with axies in the tank, similar to what you're doing with Charlie.

Have you seen fllwg article on cycling? http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/cyclingEDK.shtml
 
Thank you Kapo, i will just continue to do what i am doing, patience is what is needed
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I will keep you posted on Charlie's progress. Thank you so much.
 
Hi Kapo, just had Charlie's water tested at a different pet shop. the readings were...ph 7.0 nitrite 0, nitrate 0, ammonia 0.5. We don't understand why the ammonia reading is what it is??? The lady said i was feeding Charlie to much maybe. I give him about the size of your small fingernail of beef heart every day. When i do the daily water changes i suction the gravel to get it clean. What do you think?? Also we are thinking of putting another filter in the tank, we are not going to touch the old filter, just add another one. What do you think, we won't do anything till we here from you. Thank you. PS Charlie is doing well
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Is that all Charlie will eat? Sounds tiny, compared to what ours ate when they were younger! Have you tried earthworms and/or pellets?

I'm not surprised at the ammonia reading, but am wondering why your nitrite hasn't started to rise yet. Ammonia is meant to rise in a cycling tank (so nothing strange there - as long as you're not cleaning your filter) peak then drop back to 0 as the nitrite starts to rise.

I'm probably not the right person to ask about filters, tend to have a hit and miss affair with them on our tanks, four have filters, two don't.

Otherwise keep doing what you're doing, cos Charlie sounds like he's doing ok even in a cycling tank.

If you are able to afford it at some point, buy the Freshwater master test kit (they include all tests for nitrite, ammonia, nitrate, high and low pH) they may be a bit costly but saves you on time and convenience. Ours cost 55-$75NZ here, but you may be able to pick some up at an online aquarium shop or ebay cheaper. They are a good investment, I do all the testing on our tanks weekly, in some cases twice or more on the unfiltered ones.
 
Thanks Kapo, well we are going to use the new filter, its an external one, the older one is an internal one, don't think it can hurt as long as we don'ttouch the old one. We are thinking there be something wrong with the older filter. I am going to the pet shop to buy the kit, it sounds like a good investment. I will keep doing the daily water changer and let you know what happens. Thankyou.
 
Kapo we need some advice, we are going away this coming sat for a week. we have a friend who will come every 2nd day to do the small water changes and feed charlie, ( due to the distance our friend lives from us he can't come everyday)will it be safe for charlie to have the water changes only every 2nd day, or do they need to be done daily like i am still doing?. Would not want Charlie to get sick after everything he has been through.He is so special to us. Thank you .
 
He could change every 2nd day, but the issue would be the temperature the way your temps have been. Is your friend able to look after him for a week at his own place, if you drop him off. He doesn't need his tank,just a bucket or plastic storage bin/container that could be changed daily, the dechlorinator/water ager and thermometer.
 
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