My axolotl keeps floating

[Teun]

Hi,

I've had my axolotl for about 2 years now, and he's always been healthy. But lately, it looks as he cannot stay on the ground anymore. He keeps floating on top of my aquarium, and tries really hard to get to the bottom (where the food is).

Sometimes he just hangs at the filter that sucks from the bottom up. What could be causing this? It has been quite cold outside, but the water isn't unusually warm.

I feed him daphnia from the pet store and I'm raising guppies for him in a seperate aquarium (but I haven't given him one yet).

I'm getting worried because it looks so sad..

 

[callina]

HI,

Daphnia isn´t the right food for adult axolotls (it´s only good for larvae), better are earthworms and a varied diet. Take a look at this link: http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Ambystoma/A_mexicanum.shtml

To get rid of the gas you should put him in the fridge. http://www.caudata.org/axolotl-sanctuary/Fridging.shtml

Greetz, Tina

 

[melfly]

Another thing, what substrate do you use? ie sand, gravel.
And what is the temp of your tank

Mel

 

[Teun]

I have no substrate on the ground.

Is gas in his body the reason he keeps floating, and is the only solution to put him in the fridge? Because we have a really small fridge and it's not exactly possible to put him in it, since I don't live alone.

The water is about 17 degrees (C), but I'm not 100% sure about that. I will start feeding him something else too, but it's really hard to find earth worms in the winter, and he always did good with this diet.

 

[callina]

yes, the gas is probably the reason for his floating and the reason for the gas may be the daphnia. They are much too small to fill an adult axies stomach.

 

[Teun]

I use these packages:
http://www.fishworldoldham.co.uk/Images/On-line shop/TetraFresh Daphnia.jpg

and the're not that small, but i'll start feeding him more earth worms and the occasional gup. I found in this faq: Axolotls - Frequently Asked Questions that you can lower the water level so much he actually touches the floor and still floats. I'm trying this now.

 

[Stumpy]

Lowering the water level will help your axie to feel a bit better, however I wouldn't recommend doing that to your tank. It's probably better to just scoop him out into a small tub, with just enough water so he can stand on the bottom of it. Then just float the tub in your tank.
If you lower the water level in your tank so significantly, you will risk damaging your tank water's cycle which could result in poor water quality in the future.

Have you tested the water for high levels of ammonia? That too can stress out your axolotl and make him float, not just the temperature. It's difficult for us to work out what's wrong with your axie if we don't know what his tank water is like.

 

[Shizeric]

Have you tested the water for high levels of ammonia? That too can stress out your axolotl and make him float, not just the temperature. It's difficult for us to work out what's wrong with your axie if we don't know what his tank water is like.

I think if he has had the axolotl for 2 years, it isn't likely to be ammonia if it has been kept in the tank for that long.

 

[Blaze]

Just because somethings bewen in a tank that long, doesn't mean it cannot have an ammonia spike. What if the tank wasn't cleaned out for a long time (water changes I mean). I just don't think it's something we should rule out =]

I hope your axolotl becomes well again.
Blaze.

 

[Teun]

I lowered the water in my tank, but kept large ammounts of water in buckets just in case, and I saw him yesterday laying on the ground again! I added some more water to the tank, but it's still not full yet, I'm planning to do this in small ammounts since I ran out of old water now..