Another floater? Quick reply pls cos i don't want a sick axie

A

andrea

Guest
Hi all, new axie owner here, my black axie is floating up from the back end and is very very slightly tipping sideways when he is turning round. its kind of -head down, bum up - turning when his head is against the glass is when he tilts a little. he doesn't seem stressed from what i can tell gills are not up, tail straight etc and eating, pooing fine. i dont think my tank cycled for long enough but i am doing regular tests and water changes to rectify/check that problem and also the other axie in tank is perfect. Could it be just an air bubble? I'd really appreciate some advice (and i know about the fridge thing - i don't think my mother would be too pleased if i did that lol). Would a container with bottled ice for a day or two be of benefit? Secondly, i know about the slime coat is it slightly silvery looking on the lower half/belly of the black axies as i want to make sure that he is ok on that score too...
 
see if he do this a lot, and if it stay´s like this for too long, it might be just air, so don´t do anything , just keep an eye on him and if he floats more then one they then you better put him in the fridge , cause the bottle of ice would not work unless you can stay with him 24 hours for the water to be alway the same temperature.
 
he doesnt stay like it and he doesn't float to the top he can stand on the bottom its when he turns round especially at the end of the tank or if he turns into the front of the tank - he rights himself straight away with all 4 feet down but u can see his back end lifting up as he turns and like i say a very very slight tilt but that could be the turning motion causing the tilt if he does have a little gas lifting him... Lol arnt n00bs fun for u guys ?? worried little parents hehe
 
Andrea - You don't want the temperature going up and down over a short period of time, that causes stress. Adding ice for "a day" isn't going to do a lot of good.

If it continues to float you should move it to a food safe container. Add enough water to just cover the axolotl. This shallow water will help the axolotl to regain its footing. If you can not keep this shallow container of water under 22C then you will need to put the axolotl in the fridge.

Do keep the container covered with a lid, there have been a few axolotls jumping out of their containers lately.
 
ah so as long as he is in temperature range he doesn't actually 'have' to go in the fridge....

He's still doing this and there is a definite tilt which is more prominent when he has just gulped air and is letting it out.

Hubby found him floating at the top this morning when he got up early for work but he was on all 4 feet at the bottom again a little later when i looked in.

He isnt eating as much as the smaller one and this is now more noticable.

Sorry to be a pain as i know this subject has been covered a lot but if i was sure i wouldnt ask - does the container have to be very big and how long do i leave him in there for - i know i have to change the water daily - is there anything else i should know or look for while he is in the tub? Do i still feed him?
 
to put him in the fridge you just need like 5 liters container it is better if you have a 10 liters, but 5 it´s ok, the temperature shouldn´t be lower than 5 Cº but I prefer 10 Cº , you will need to cover the container , you can cover it with a net, or with a plastic bag with holes in it, I like to leave some air circulating. For more info search the forum for fridge.
 
Andrea - I would put him in the fridge. Put extra water in the fridge to change his water with so you have water the same temperature.

Keep his water clean and offer him food daily. He may not eat often or much.

How long he should stay in the fridge depends on how he responds. Have patience nothing is cured over night. I read, I believe at IU, that axolotls can stay in the fridge up to 30 days.

I don't have time to finish my post right now as I have to get to work. I will post a link after work to an article on axolotls in the fridge.
 
I have had my axies in the fridge for a month I they loved it...
 
hi my axolotil is having what seems to be the same problem - i think it is an air bubble but lately he has been scratching one of his gills a bit as well. The gill thing may be due to the face it is growing back as it is half the size it should be..

ive taken the water level down to about 5 cm and that seems to have calmed him down but earlier while swimming he kept completely turning over while trying to turn corners...he can right himself but has still been floating for a few days.

What do you think i should do???

Ive been concidering the fridge but it is most deffinatly under 4 degrees so i was thinking an esky with ice packs in that i would change every 6 hours or so. Thoughts??
 
ok so i've taken out a little more water so that he can reach the bottom but he's still turning upside down and sometimes cant turn back very well and i have to help him-- please tell me what to do !!
 
Katherine - I refer you too to the link I posted above.

From the article:
Practical Refrigeration
Now, what to do with the diagnosis of a problem?
As soon as you decide that there is definitely
a problem, or even if you suspect one,
put the animal in the refrigerator and get it
cooled down. Cooling the animal slows the
animal’s metabolism and the progress of the
infection. Cooling the animal helps the animal
get better, but we aren’t sure why. We know
from experience that refrigeration has saved
animals that would have otherwise died. It
could just be because it lowers the level of
stress that the animal is experiencing. It could
be because there is more oxygen dissolved in
the water. It could be because it creates conditions
unfavorable to the bacteria in the
axolotl’s environment. Whatever the reason
may be, cooling the animal is the best and
easiest way to give your axolotl a chance.

Apart from the fridge, you always have the option of seeking a vet for help. There is a page of safe axolotl medication at http://www.axolotl.org/health.htm
You would probably want to print that page and take it to a vet as most of them are not familiar with axolotls.
 
thanks for the help cynthia, i had actually read the link you suggest, however the reason i suggested the esky/ice combo is that someone previously stated that when you put an axolotil in the fridge it shouldn't get bellow 4 degrees and due to the fact our fridge is actually being used as a fridge my mum wont let me turn it up, as it currently sit at about 2 degrees as fridges storing food should.

I do realise that the change in temp when the ice ran out would be a bad thing but at the moment it seems my only option. i will be changeing it as often as possible and for the last 3 or so hours he's been in there the temp has stayed fairly even.

He is however still turning over and not able to right himself...
 
I still have this problem too (well my axie does)... i'm scared! i'll be getting a safe container in the morning so i'll give it a go... We'll do it together Katherine for moral support - being that i've only come across these animals since i picked them up last week it's a bit daunting but luckily we have this site to be able to realise that something is not right and i had read and read tons of posts (plus axolotl.org) before i got them and knew some of the things i should be looking out for.
 
moral suport sounds good.. ive actually just had my 1 1/2 yr old axie die as well with a completly different set of symptoms and it feels like im jinxed, its a terrible feeling!

also just to update every one my esky ice pack plan is working fine! im changeing 1 of 2 packs every 4 or 5 hours ( enough time for the one in the freezer to refreeze ) and the temp has not moved from 10 degrees in the last 15 hours - i think the trick , if any is to make sure the amount of ice packs is enough to keep the size esky you have at the right tempurature before putting the amimal in, and ofcourse making sure to rotate the packs so that they never actually thore out.

i hope this helps anyone who cant use a fridge to cool down their axie - and now that i think of it that everyone knows what an esky is - i dont know what other countries/cultures call them...

good luck andrea ill check in later & you know, i think he's looking better...
 
well i've left mine for another day - i think the threat of being put in the fridge scared him as he's not been so bad throughout the evening and this morning.... but i have warned him that if he carries on there will be no hesitation cos i got a friend doin it already lol.

keep us updated...
 
Hi just thought id update everyone on Eeeni's progress.

He dose seem a little better, being that he can turn himself back over on his own and seems to be upside down less than he was - but it is hard to tell as im only checking on him like 4 times a day to change his ice and maintain the temp of the esky - his gill that had been curling has come back down , so that is good but other that that i dont know... How long does it usually take for this fridge thing to work usually, not to say im giving up, i was just wondering what time frame we are looking at??

Also i put food in his box yesterday, it still looks untouched and his little head was up and out of the water again - but just the top part and his nostrils like he would as if floating, any suggestions?
 
Glad to hear that Eeeni seems a little better, cant help with any advice but i have an update myself - it seems that the info i was given initially about the tank cycling when i bought it was absolute rubbish and all levels are reading high and have been since i put my axies in - tried water changes daily etc but no difference and have now taken my 2 axies out of that horrid poisonous tank. I'll be leaving that for a couple of weeks now at least. They have 7litre (flatter rather than deeper) tupperware boxes with air stones (and lids!!) and i am changing water daily after de-chlorinating. The temperature is around 16 degrees whereas my tank settled at 22. Therefore, it seems my big sick boy (who was lying to me before) has a low water level container at low temperature so we will see how he goes too... luckily he doesn't flip over as Eeeni does but all the same if there is something wrong then this will help him. Btw i fed them when i moved them and they both chomped those worms quicker than u could say 'eat'!!

Many thanks to everyone who posted for us.
 
Katherine - There is no way to tell if the axolotl will get better or how much time it may spend in the fridge.

I would not take it out of the fridge until it appears to be "back to normal" or of course expires.

My only other advise is that you could try seeking a vets help. Use the health page at http://www.axolotl.org as a reference for medication.


Andrea - Good to hear that they ate. Tank cycling leads to so many problems for new axolotl and fish owners. Cycling usually takes 30+ days there is tons of information on the web and caudata has this article http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/cyclingEDK.shtml
There are also many posts about cycling and cycling problems here in the forum.

You need to stop removing water from the tank now that the axolotls are out of it and let the tank cycle. You will need a test kit if you do not have one that will let you test for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.
 
Thanks cynthia - have read the link on cycling already and saved as a resource point - am not going to remove any more water from the main tank only the tupperware boxes which will be daily. They certainly do have an appetite which is reassuring due to the possible stress. Big axie still a little 'walking on the moon with no gravity' but seems a bit happier somehow. I have the test kits for ammonia, ph, nitrate and nitrite. will test it after a week and see how we're doing and if its levelled out by then will add a block of frozen brine shrimp and check again etc like the link suggests. Then once its all levelled out ill put the little fella in the tank and leave it for another week before adding the second... hopefully by then all my troubles can be solved and hubby will stop moaning at me for sitting upstairs at the fish tank for hours on end lol.
 
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