Shes got a bubble in her belly again

[jjay88]

My poor axolotl keeps getting this big air bubble in her belly. It will go away after a day or two and then comes back. It keeps her flipped on her side floating, she is still eating but this can't be conducive to having a happy axolotl. What is wrong? How do I fix her?

 

[Bellabelloo]

Air bubbles can occur if there has been too big a gap in between feeding, I also wonder if the water temperature and quality may cause it too. I had some that occasionally did this. Once I started using daphnia, which I was able to leave in the tank all the time, the air bubbles did not reoccur. How deep is the water you have it in?

 

[jjay88]

Thank you very much for replying she is in about 3 maybe four inches deep tupperware bowl. He(bubbles) is only about 3 inches long and his bowl buddy is the same size. Their water is changed every night right before they get fed. I feed hikari blood worms once a day because I have 10 axolotls besides him. I feed each one individually, to make sure a pushy tank mate isn't the only one eating. She doesn't eat well, she will eat two big mouthfuls like a pig but then she is no longer interested in eating. I have tried going back like 20 minutes later to get her to eat a little more if anything she will take a few more worms but that's it. But the next night you go to feed her she acts like she is starving to death, takes the two big mouthfuls and is no longer interested. I just figured its because she is so young, but the other one eats ten times better. Therefore I would have to say maybe she needs fed twice a day?? Because I don't think it can be the temperature either, they sit on a portable table that is right next to the air-conditioner kept at 68 to ensure they don't get to hot. I had an incident with a full grown one when our temps went from 50 to 90 getting fungus so I learnt that lesson very quickly, even if it only 68 outside there air conditioner stays on until winter (Nov to Mar.) because you never know when it could change like that. So do you think it is the feeding thing because I have never seen this and don't know what to do?????????

 

[Bellabelloo]

Reading through your response, I feel you might be better off doing the water change after feeding. That way any debris left over from feeding will be removed and the axolotl will be less stressed. This might affect its eating.
Are the Hikari bloodworms dried? At 3 inches live food would be best. When my juveniles went onto chopped earthworms, they seemed to grow before my eyes. While your axolotl is growing so fast, chopped fresh earth worms would be best.
Size wise the axolotl look ok, but maybe try giving two smaller meals for a while and see if it helps.

 

[jjay88]

Hi. Thanks again for all of you help! To answer your question they are frozen and the woman i bought her from has been feeding her blood worm and earth worms mix. Since i got her only the blood worms. I will try changing water after but problem now worse shes upside down and i have increased her to eating twice a day since the last time you wrote. SHE CANT DIE WHAT DO I DO?????

 

[Tiffanymac]

Oh no Jaimie! The water is definitely de-chlorinated, yes? I'm thinking yes because her gills still look fluffy...I've heard of people gently massaging their axy's belly to help pass an air bubble....I also had one with a bubble and I was a WRECK thinking it was sick, but I changed the water (this was when they were still in the rubbermaid containers), then he started to poop, (ya, I was watching! ) and right when he was done, Bbbbrrrrrippp! A stream of bubbles came out from his bum! lol!~ Poor baby had gas! Drop me a line! :happy: Tiffany