Illness/Sickness: Poorly Axolotl Baby

[Janine]

He just keeps floating, either on his side or upside-down. He's about an inch long and has a bloaty tummy. This has been happening for about a week now, he seems quite strong though, he eats well of bloodworm, but you have to hand feed him because he really cant sink down to the bottom. Do you have any suggestions? Or anyone else had experience with this?
Thanks.

 

[Ellis]

One of my axolotls did that for a while, it either a gut infection or he/she has been gulping down too much air I think. I helped mine go to the bottom by putting him in a separate tub with the water levels covering his body but his feet touching the ground, I slowly added a bit more dechlorinated water each day until I was sure he was able to grip the bottom without help and then I introduced him back into the tank by submerging the tub into the aquarium water and gently tipping him out.

While he’s in the tub check temperature and perimeters in your tank because gut infections are caused by stressed, I realised my tank temperature was far too high (summer) so I soughed that out before reintroducing him.

P.S: I keep saying him but their too young to sex at the moment my axolotl did that when he was about a 3 inches long.
Bear in mind axolotls some times like to float just because they want to so don’t worry too much, only a problem if they struggle to get to the bottom x.

Best of luck,
Ellis x