My axie won't eat

[Rune]

I think I made a mistake and I'm worried! He's about five inches long and I decided to start giving him some live food instead of bloodworms and pellets. The pet store was out of earthworms and I didn't have my phone with me so I couldn't look up info but I bought some mealworms instead. He ate them up immediately for the first few feedings but the last couple of days he hasn't been interested in anything at all! This is the first time I've owned an axolotl.

 

[Rune]

He threw up two of the mealworms and looks like he's trying to get the rest up. I'm really worried.

 

[charleybambino]

I think they have an issue with digesting the outside casing of a meal worm.....apart from the horror senario of a meal worm clamping onto the inside of the axi with its jaws.....but hopefully not happened.......keep offering small earthworms , but I don't think you can do anything else until nature has taken its course! I had a similar sized one that spent days,when I first got him from a pet shop, vomitting up small pebbles.....but he got there in the end and is fine now

 

[HeidiP]

Did you break the heads off, mealworms bite, they may have nipped him on the way down.
Also what is tank temp. They will go off food if it's too hot..
Stick to common garden earthworms and axolotl pellets. Mealworms aren't meant to be a regular food..

 

[AxolotlChris]

Meal worms are high in fat, have a hard exoskeleton, and can bite even after being swallowed. So they aren't a very good food to feed an Axolotl.

It will probably just take a few more days for him to digest and pass the meal worms, you should stick with earth worms and pellets for feeding as they have good nutritional content for a balanced diet.

If this is the first time you've owned an Axolotl, are you aware of the Nitrogen cycle, and cycling your tank? Its critical to make sure your Axolotls water quality is safe.

The water also needs to be between 16-18 degrees Celsius for an optimum temperature.

Read these links on housing and water , lots of valuable information:
Axolotls - Requirements & Water Conditions in Captivity
Axolotls - Housing in Captivity
Caudata Culture Articles - Water Quality
Caudata Culture Articles - Cycling

 

[Rune]

My tank is cycled and the temp is about 69. I try to keep it cool but recently my sister moved in and she can't handle the cold like I can. I did not know about the heads and now I feel terrible! He's also having a hard time staying at the bottom. I moved him into a smaller bucket so I can monitor him more closely.

 

[AxolotlChris]

Can you post the readings for your Ammonia, Nitrite, NitrAte and PH?

Change the water in his new container 100% everyday with dechlorinated cool water, hopefully he will pass something soon!

 

[Rune]

Ammonia - 0, nitrite - 0, nitrate - about 20 ppm, and pH - 7

He spit up another little piece and has pooped a good chunk out but still isn't interested in eating.

 

[AxolotlChris]

Be persistent with feeding, spend 20 mins+ trying to get him to eat, dangle the food infront of him and drop it just infront of the head hopefully he will take something

 

[Rune]

I finally got him to eat some bloodworms! But he looks so skinny... And my aquarium shot up to 74 degrees. I think my sister turned the heat up. I may have to buy a cooler or something to keep the temp down...

 

[Rune]

He ate more last night and a little more this morning. I'm not sure if he's stressed out; his gills are curled noticeably forward but his tail is straight most of the time...