axolotlowner83
New member
- Joined
- May 28, 2017
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- Location
- Athens, Ohio
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Hello!
I’ve had Shark for 4 years now and he’s been floating these past few weeks and I can’t get him to stop. About 3 weeks ago I fridged him like I normally do for these situations and he passed poop and was fine. I moved him back into his tank after doing a good cleaning and he was good for about a week. Well, he started floating again so I fridged him again. It’s weird that they were so close together...but he stopped floating without having a bowel movement or vomit so I eventually reintroduced him. Another week passed and he’s floating off and on, so I fridged him for a week. He eventually stops floating and seems content in the fridge so I try and, again, reintroduce him in the tank. Within the next 24 hours he’s floating on his side and his cloaca is swollen. It’s a little pinkish on the bottom too. The picture quality is bad so I apologize but at this point he can’t even swim to eat from the bottom of the tank when his food goes down there. His leg is sticking completely out of the tank! I’m not an expert and I’ll admit that I got him 4 years ago with an ex-boyfriend at a reptile expo and knew nothing. I’ve educated myself over the years, and I think I’ve given him a decent set up, but I can’t understand what’s wrong and I’m distraught to think that he’s suffering. I know he’s “just a but I do love him and I want him to be healthy and I hate seeing him in pain/distress.
For reference he has a sand substrate, his tank temp is normally between 18-22 C, and he eats a pellet diet. He’s had the sand for years and never had an issue and he has some fake silk plants that he’s never had an issue with either...I just don’t know what it is. Water flow??? Blockage??? Ugh
thank you for any help you can provide
I’ve had Shark for 4 years now and he’s been floating these past few weeks and I can’t get him to stop. About 3 weeks ago I fridged him like I normally do for these situations and he passed poop and was fine. I moved him back into his tank after doing a good cleaning and he was good for about a week. Well, he started floating again so I fridged him again. It’s weird that they were so close together...but he stopped floating without having a bowel movement or vomit so I eventually reintroduced him. Another week passed and he’s floating off and on, so I fridged him for a week. He eventually stops floating and seems content in the fridge so I try and, again, reintroduce him in the tank. Within the next 24 hours he’s floating on his side and his cloaca is swollen. It’s a little pinkish on the bottom too. The picture quality is bad so I apologize but at this point he can’t even swim to eat from the bottom of the tank when his food goes down there. His leg is sticking completely out of the tank! I’m not an expert and I’ll admit that I got him 4 years ago with an ex-boyfriend at a reptile expo and knew nothing. I’ve educated myself over the years, and I think I’ve given him a decent set up, but I can’t understand what’s wrong and I’m distraught to think that he’s suffering. I know he’s “just a but I do love him and I want him to be healthy and I hate seeing him in pain/distress.
For reference he has a sand substrate, his tank temp is normally between 18-22 C, and he eats a pellet diet. He’s had the sand for years and never had an issue and he has some fake silk plants that he’s never had an issue with either...I just don’t know what it is. Water flow??? Blockage??? Ugh
thank you for any help you can provide
