I just left an aquarium fuming mad!
I understand these businesses have a right to make money, and that animals kept for an interim period might not have as fancy set ups as we might give them - but surely these so called "experts" should give their stock a half decent environment!
They had two axie tanks -
1 had 5 axies - bright lights, no shelter, no hides, a few floating weeds. Juveniles <6 mths i'd guess. totally wrong substrate, normal aquarium gravel 4-6 mm dia i'd say, more than easily fit in and block an axie.
One Wild type was floating, gulping, unbalanced, and clearly distressed in this tank
the others looked ok, if a little underweight.
None of them had any gills to speak of, but having not seen my own axies that young, maybe the hadn't developed much yet?
The other tank had a single albino, floating, totally inanimate as far as i could see, and looked like a distended belly (or at least not quite right) - gills were non existent - i stared, and i stared, and i stared - i didn ot see one single movment from the little guy, not a tweak of the gills, or a gulp - i'm sure he was dead if not nearly there.
posture was very "bent"
i had to say something, i told the lady at the counter - I'm pretty sure one is dead, and one is in distress and floating.
i was told "The one on its own is only there bcause the others attacked it, it's fine" (it clearly was not fine by any definition of the word)
"It's totally normal for them to float *POKING THE POOR BUGGER IN THE HEAD* , see he is fine" as the poor thing bolts to and fro across the tank from the rude poking it just got!!!
Taking a deep breath i said "Look, it's not normal for them to float like that, especially if they are gulping and disorientated, they don't like to float and it can be a sign of distress and impaction"
"You need to get rid of that gravel, it is not a suitable substrate for an axolotl, and give them hides or turn the light off"
Her reply "I've been doing this for 26 years, they're fine"
"I see, so 26 years means you can't learn anything more?"
I have made an online report to the RSPCA already.
Can we name and shame them on the forum moderators? I might not be able to "rescue" the poor buggers by buying them, but i sure as hell dont have to encourage anyone to spend any money there!
Bren
I understand these businesses have a right to make money, and that animals kept for an interim period might not have as fancy set ups as we might give them - but surely these so called "experts" should give their stock a half decent environment!
They had two axie tanks -
1 had 5 axies - bright lights, no shelter, no hides, a few floating weeds. Juveniles <6 mths i'd guess. totally wrong substrate, normal aquarium gravel 4-6 mm dia i'd say, more than easily fit in and block an axie.
One Wild type was floating, gulping, unbalanced, and clearly distressed in this tank
the others looked ok, if a little underweight.
None of them had any gills to speak of, but having not seen my own axies that young, maybe the hadn't developed much yet?
The other tank had a single albino, floating, totally inanimate as far as i could see, and looked like a distended belly (or at least not quite right) - gills were non existent - i stared, and i stared, and i stared - i didn ot see one single movment from the little guy, not a tweak of the gills, or a gulp - i'm sure he was dead if not nearly there.
posture was very "bent"
i had to say something, i told the lady at the counter - I'm pretty sure one is dead, and one is in distress and floating.
i was told "The one on its own is only there bcause the others attacked it, it's fine" (it clearly was not fine by any definition of the word)
"It's totally normal for them to float *POKING THE POOR BUGGER IN THE HEAD* , see he is fine" as the poor thing bolts to and fro across the tank from the rude poking it just got!!!
Taking a deep breath i said "Look, it's not normal for them to float like that, especially if they are gulping and disorientated, they don't like to float and it can be a sign of distress and impaction"
"You need to get rid of that gravel, it is not a suitable substrate for an axolotl, and give them hides or turn the light off"
Her reply "I've been doing this for 26 years, they're fine"
"I see, so 26 years means you can't learn anything more?"
I have made an online report to the RSPCA already.
Can we name and shame them on the forum moderators? I might not be able to "rescue" the poor buggers by buying them, but i sure as hell dont have to encourage anyone to spend any money there!
Bren
that's just awful I hope the RSPCA can do something about them.
