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Sick/Stressed Axolotl?!

officerPuckles

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Hello all! I am quite new to this website and also a new axolotl owner.
I have had my axolotl for about a month now, he is a clear yellow/green color with pink gills and completely see through, his name is Officer Puckles.
He lives in a 10 gallon tank, with a power filter (no air stone)
The water was recently about 50 degrees until i read that they need to be cooler water, he is now living in about 10 degree water.

I am not sure if he is sick or not. Recently we put a plecostomus in the tank and removed him after a day because that is when I noticed changes in Officer Puckles.
He has gotten weird shiny iridescence around his back and stomach. His gills are slightly more pressed forward then usual.
I have turned the filter off and on, just to keep it oxygenated, but he seems much happier without it on.

So i guess i am asking if
A. he is ok
and if not
B. what do i do to assure that he will get better?

THANKS!
<3 Officer Puckles <3
 

zoezakella

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HI and welcome :)

Ok firstly some piccies of your axolotl and set up would be helpful, and still trying to work out its colour lol sounds like a golden mixes with leucistic lol never seen a green one before!

Anyway you are right to lower your tanks temperature as axies do not like warm water but what was the temp in celcius or farenheit as I cant work out what you mean by just degrees??

Ok mixing anything in with an axolotl except axololts (except shrimp and small feeder fish) is a big no no and plecs can cause great damage to an axolotl as they can attach themselves to the axie causing the axie a lot of pain and damage so no wonder your little guys gills went forward he was stressed and well done for pickign up on that and removing it straight away! Also plecs prefer warmer water so also another reason not to mix the two! Caudata Culture Articles - Species Mixing Disasters

With regards to the filter its not good to keep turning it on and off, what filter do you have as it may be too big and powerful for your tank (again not sure of tank size) as axies dont like a lot of water flow? If you can post some pics asap that would be very helpful!

Thanks Zoe
 

Aaran

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By greenish but seethrough are you talking about a GFP (green flourescent protein) Axolotl?

Or is he a leuthistic with golden mix?

Pictures would be great!

Also, that filter sounds abit strong ( i cant say it is or isnt as i cant see the tank)
Turning your filter on and off can be bad as the good bacteria inside can die when you turn it off and then turning it back on can foul the water, if you want to oxygenate the tank just use an air pump and air stone.

Make sure that if you arent using the filter to make more regular water changes and try to pick up the axies waste after feeding.

P.s I would look into finding a better filter for your setup, maybe ask a question on here in the axolotl forum in the tank setup section
 

Aaran

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to add into my first comment,

Or is he as zoe said a Golden axolotl?

Thanks
 

officerPuckles

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Attached are two (bad quality) images of my Axie.
I am really not too sure what kind he is, i haven't found any images of ones like him and the pet store didn't tell us what he is.
I will take some better quality images right away and get pictures of the tank set up as well for you guys.
 

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officerPuckles

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Images, first 4 are of Officer Puckles
the 5th is the filter (not on)
and the 6th is of the 10 gall tank.

in Fahrenheit, i am not sure what the temperature is to be honest. Our thermometer is broken so I will have to invest in a new one.
 

zoezakella

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LOL thanks for those!

Ok he looks golden to me have attached a piccy of my golden albino is yours similar???

As for set up from what i can see those gravel stones are sadly unsuitable. Although they possibly look bigger than his mouth (cant tell exactly until I see proper piccies) they will cause him problems when he is older as axies easily hoover up anything that can fit in their mouths which can lead to impaction also they look quite sharp :( axies skin is very soft so he could damage himself on those stones.

Your axie would be better with a sand substrate (make sure it is thoroughly rinsed) or barebottomed whatever you prefer really :)

Look forward to seeing more piccies so we can try and help you and your axie out :)
 

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officerPuckles

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Sorry I tried to upload some more and they didn't attach. I will do 2 at a time.
 

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zoezakella

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Images, first 4 are of Officer Puckles
the 5th is the filter (not on)
and the 6th is of the 10 gall tank.

in Fahrenheit, i am not sure what the temperature is to be honest. Our thermometer is broken so I will have to invest in a new one.

Cant see any of these pics???

Dont know too much about the GFP strain but know you guys have it in America so maybe you have a GFP golden again more piccies will help :happy:
 

officerPuckles

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Filter/Tank set up.
The filter has been turned off because i am really sure that the water flow has been freaking him out. It has been off for two days and he has already showed improvement in moving around and swimming more happily then before.

I apologize for being so slow at these posts hahaha, still trying to feel my way around the site.
 

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zoezakella

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Sorry I tried to upload some more and they didn't attach. I will do 2 at a time.
See what you mean about the green glow and irridiscent do you have any clearer ones?? Def a golden albino but yours is still young, piccy 2 worries me as his tummy looks big, is it lumpy does it look like he has swallowed any of those stones??

has he been eating / pooing recently??
 

officerPuckles

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And here is the tank.
I will definitely have to go buy him sand within the next couple of days, i actually watched him try and eat a piece of gravel a couple of days ago. He choked on it and violently flipped his body around.
I didn't know what to do because CPR seems like quite the unsuitable way to save an Axie. LUCKILY, he spat it back out and hasn't showed an interest in consuming the gravel anymore.
It was very scary at the time though.
 

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officerPuckles

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His tummy was a bit weird after the gravel incident, but in real life it doesn't look that lumpy.
He has been eating a half cube of bloodworms every other day, and i honestly don't think i have seen him poo/seen poo in the tank since we bought him.

I will get clearer pictures up for you as soon as i can, my phone is not the best camera.
 

officerPuckles

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I am watching him swim around currently, I do think that there are rocks in his stomach. He is waddling more so than swimming it looks and it has a bulge.
I am going to empty his tank from gravel immediately and let him have a glass bottom for a little bit.
 

zoezakella

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Dont apologise we were all new once :)

Ok please dont feel like I am doing nothing but saying about things that are wrong but I just want to help you so hope you take this in the right way :happy: Thanks for the clearer piccies these are a great help.

1) That gravel has to go, sorry but I do think your axie has a belly full of it and in my last questions does his tummy look lumpy, is he eating / pooing??

2) Does your axie have any hides in his tank as these are very important for them to feel safe and secure.

3) Your light looks a bit on the bright side. axies dont have eye lids so dont like bright lights (bit like mogwai's lol).

4) Sorry but I have no experience with these filters so will have to leave this one to someone else but for the size tank you have I would say its too big and guessing by the waterfall effect it would cause a lot of water movement which your axie will not like. For the size tank you have you could just do weekly water changes to keep your water parameters in check and as long as you keep up with the poo picking up you should be fine.

Hope this helps!
 

zoezakella

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And here is the tank.
I will definitely have to go buy him sand within the next couple of days, i actually watched him try and eat a piece of gravel a couple of days ago. He choked on it and violently flipped his body around.
I didn't know what to do because CPR seems like quite the unsuitable way to save an Axie. LUCKILY, he spat it back out and hasn't showed an interest in consuming the gravel anymore.
It was very scary at the time though.

Wow scary :( Sadly even when they are not eating axies are always rooting around for food (my guys are) and they hoover up anything in their path even if it is an untasty piece of gravel :( As we cant watch them 24/7 its hard to know and I am betting money that your axie has gravel in his tummy.

Its good that he is still eating but if I was you I would pop him in a suitable container and get him fridged asap for a few days (Axolotl Sanctuary) which will relax him and help him pass anything he has in his tummy which will also give you time to clear him tank out of gravel and redo with sand should you want to or bare bottomed is fine :happy:
 

Aaran

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I think to me, judging on your photo that looks like a GFP Axie,

looking at the axie, its like an albino gfp that has taken a few markings from a golden lol, what do you think zoe?

TO be sure if it is a GFP axolotl, put him under a blue light and see if he glows!
also check other GFP axolotl images on the net.

i second what zoe said about the sand, I would really think about taking it out now....
 

officerPuckles

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The gravel is removed!!!
Huzzah! He is now just on a glass bottom with fresh new water. Like I said, once i read that filters freak them out I turned it off and it has been off and I have no intention of turning it back on.
The little pink house that he has is a hiding spot for him, he doesn't like it much but once we go buy some sand for him we will buy a closed off hiding tube or something for him to live in.
The light is only turned on from time to time, it is actually rarely ever on unless people want to look at him in his full glory. So no worries on the light.

And for this fridging concept... What do I do?!
I am intrigued, i've never heard of this before.

Thank you guys so much!!!
And i will also definitely put him under a blue light/black light once we get them moved over to this house.
 

zoezakella

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The gravel is removed!!!
Huzzah! He is now just on a glass bottom with fresh new water. Like I said, once i read that filters freak them out I turned it off and it has been off and I have no intention of turning it back on.
The little pink house that he has is a hiding spot for him, he doesn't like it much but once we go buy some sand for him we will buy a closed off hiding tube or something for him to live in.
The light is only turned on from time to time, it is actually rarely ever on unless people want to look at him in his full glory. So no worries on the light.

And for this fridging concept... What do I do?!
I am intrigued, i've never heard of this before.

Thank you guys so much!!!
And i will also definitely put him under a blue light/black light once we get them moved over to this house.

Great news and good job on responding so quickly :D

Did you by any chance save any of your old tank water or was it all fresh you popped into the tank?? If you have not thrown it away keep some of the old and put it back into the tank as it will help with the cycling :)

axies love hiding in tubes, logs, rock hides just about anything so sure you will find something to your taste. If money is an issue you can get creative with plastic tubing, mugs, flower pots lol!

As for fridging I attached a file for this from caudata hopefully it should answer any questions but if not please shout :) Axolotl Sanctuary

As Aaron said might well be so try it and see, we dont get this strain in the uk (envious)

Best of luck!!
 

officerPuckles

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Thank you all so much!
The tank is still filled with some of his old water, but mainly some fresh.
He is happily wrapped up and in his sanctuary (i find that so strange but hey! if it helps him thats all i want)
I will be getting sand and something for him to hide in tomorrow.
Again, thank you so much!
I will keep everyone posted on his progress :smile:
 
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