Tipped to the side

[tpelayo7]

My fully grown adult axolotyl can't sink or remain upright. He floats UPSIDE on the the top of the water. He's still alive though.

Any Help??????

 

[holly]

hi... I'm new to this board. just need some advice on my axolotl. At the moment I have two, a black one and a white one, and I've only had them for two weeks. While the white one is fine the black one is floating up the top but it sometimes tips to the side and didn't move for a long time (even when I poked it a few times). it is also struggling to stay at the bottom, and makes a huge effort to stay there. While I know floating is normal, is tipping to the side normal? I thought it was dead at first, until he started moving again.

 

[kapo]

Tipping to the side isn't good. How long has it been floating? Also, what is your tank temperature? = I know that Oz has been quite hot lately. You could always put him in a plastic container with dechlorinated water that covers him but allows his feet to touch the bottom and place container wrapped in towel in fridge (min 5 deg celcius) If unsure of fridge temp, place a thermometer in glass in fridge to check beforehand. Also, Keep a bottle of dechlorinated water next to container in fridge for daily complete waterchanges so it is same temp as his container. Keeping him in the fridge will slow metabolism, lowers the level of stress that your axy may have from floating, and cud give him a chance.


If unable to place in fridge another idea which has been used by other ozzies to try and bring temp down below 22 deg. is putting the container in the esky (we call it chilly bin) with ice packs around/beneath container Keep spare bottle of dechlorinated water in esky too.

 

[jennifer]

tpelayo, I don't think it will live long. The only suggestion would be the standard one: put it in the refrigerator. But it may be too late.