Somebody help me before my axolotl goes belly up!

[meghan]

I'm getting sort of freaked out about my little guy, if anyone can help me please do so a.s.a.p! Ok, so I changed the water on saturday, and made sure to put the axolotl(CeCe) into a mini tank I hand, and after I was done I slipped him back in because I didn't want to keep him in the really tiny tank. Now its been 2 days and he's acting really weird: he's not eating anything (he usually eats about 4 pellets...) and I'm just worried he's going to go belly up.
A couple weeks ago the other one I had died a week after I recieved him, so I don't know whats going on. I tested the water, and it should all be fine.
Is he okay or am I doomed to see another axolotl die in my room?
thanks for the help
-Meg

 

[karrie]

What were the water readings? What is the temp?

 

[lorie]

Yeah water temp has to be about 16 degrees (not room temp)
U only have one so thats ok theres no stress from other tanks dwellers
Do you see any fluff or whitestings on his body?
how big is your tank?
How olds your axie?(if you dont know whats his length)

 

[meghan]

i have a 10gallon tank, and my guy is only 8cm. he looks healthy for the most part, and acts like he usually does except for the eating part. i do have a huge Bull Snail, but they stay away from eachother. the temp. is unknown at the moment because i havent been able to grab a thermometer, but its not too warm or cold.
do you think i should do the ice pack method?

 

[kapo]

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>Quoting Lorie on Tuesday 13 March 2007 - 17:24 (#POST124382):</font>

Yeah water temp has to be about 16 degrees (not room temp) <!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>
Lorie, you are wrong! As long as the tankwater temperature doesn't exceed 24C as this can stress an axie. Below 20C is preferable, if you can get the temperature lower its better, our axolotls thrive during winter in temperatures under 15C.

How much water do you change and why do you put CeCe in another tank?

How long was your tank setup before you added your axolotls? Did you cycle the tank at all? And how long have you had this wee guy?

What did you test the water for - ammonia, nitrIte and nitrAtes or just pH?

Buy a thermometer, as you will need it when Summer comes round to monitor your tankwater. Also, invest in a turkey baster or two, they come in handy for spot cleaning uneaten food or axie poo.

No need for an icepack at all, unless your tank exceeds 24C /.

You may need to vary his diet, other than just pellets. A good livefood/staple is earthworms, which you can get from a baitshop or somewhere like Walmart.

Do you have gravel, sand, river rocks or bare substrate?

 

[lorie]

I've just found 16degrees was the best for my axies...anyway...

Yeah Kapos right a varied diet could help i was just feeding my old axie blood worm until she stopped eatting it. I tried her with something new and she ate again. It could be just as simple as that

 

[meghan]

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>Quoting Kapo on Wednesday 14 March 2007 - 04:29 (#POST124458):</font>

<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>
I cleaned the entire thing...isn't that what I'm supposed to do..?
his tank is a perfect temp. I noticed the pellets were a little too hard, so I squished them up a little and he ate it.
Thank you for your help everyone!

 

[kapo]

By cleaning the entire thing did you change the water completely?

You should never do a complete waterchange, if that's the case. While your tank is cycling you do daily 20-30% waterchanges; once it has cycled you then do 20-30% waterchanges weekly. Daily spotcleaning of uneaten food/poo can be sucked up with a turkey baster.

Filter shouldn't be cleaned while a tank is cycling.

if there are high ammonia, nitrite or nitrate problems daily parial waterchanges should be done to bring it down rather than 100% waterchanges.

your tank probably hasn't had the chance to cycle if you've been cleaning the water out completely, nor has the good bacteria (nitrate) had time to establish.

What do you use when yu waterchange, a siphon/vacuum gravel cleaner or just scoop/empty it out?

 

[katlynn]

Good luck with your axie!! If your axie stops eating the food you are giving them you should switch it up a little, but always have extra food on hand!!