kdome
New member
We've had Ozzy our Axolotl for about a year and a half now. In a 37 gallon tank, with a chiller so it's always about 63-65. Did water test and all params are within normal limits (PH - 7.6, Ammonia - 0, Nitrite - 0, Nitrate - 10-20). He's always been a picky eater and refused earthworms when we got him. He was steadily on a diet of pellets, cherry shrimp, and bloodworms but recently he's just stopped taking food easy. He's lost a tons of weight (to the point where we see what we think are hips) and we're at our wits end. We've coaxed him into eating red wigglers and earthworms again, but it's not regular and he usually just avoids them or spits them out. We've tried to do this by dropping things in front of him, as well as wiggling them in front of them, and hand feeding. This morning I froze some red wigglers and mixed them up with some bloodworms, and he ate a few chunks. We've been trying to feed him in a tub instead to better monitor what/when he eats. It's just still not enough. By using the tub, we have at least seen that he is pooping so not a blockage.
In looking at pictures, he's never had big tail fins and has always had small gills. He's about 7 inches. It's made me wonder if he's even an axolotl at all, cause he doesn't look like a lot of the axolotl pics I see? We were wondering if he's starting to metamorphose, as I know they'll stop eating for that, but he's still got his slime coat.
Any help/ideas is greatly appreciated. We don't want him to starve to death, but we don't know what else to do.
In looking at pictures, he's never had big tail fins and has always had small gills. He's about 7 inches. It's made me wonder if he's even an axolotl at all, cause he doesn't look like a lot of the axolotl pics I see? We were wondering if he's starting to metamorphose, as I know they'll stop eating for that, but he's still got his slime coat.
Any help/ideas is greatly appreciated. We don't want him to starve to death, but we don't know what else to do.
