Biting issues

[Underachiever]

I have 3 axies. 2 boys and a girl. I got 1 boy and 1 girl first an they've always been fine together but since I got the new male they seem to get their tails bitten a lot more. Nothing too bad at first, thought it was probably just them thinking it was food etc. Then I went away for 4 days. The 2 boys were separated from the girl because she laid eggs a few months ago and although they were fed etc while I was away, most of the end of Erics tail was missing. I assumed maybe they weren't fed enough an swapped him over with the female so he could heal. (making sense so far?) I've now noticed the females tail to be missing little lumps and I don't really know what to do? I don't want to get rid of my newer axie but is he really goin to have to live separately forever?
Is this a behaviour thing that I can't change? Or am I maybe just not feeding him enough? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated

 

[Kaysie]

How big is your tank?

 

[Underachiever]

It's big enough for the 3 of them they've been in there bout 8 months and at the moment there's only 2 in that tank anyways so I don't think it's a space thing?

 

[animalloversfb]

It's big enough for the 3 of them they've been in there bout 8 months and at the moment there's only 2 in that tank anyways so I don't think it's a space thing?

If they are in the 40 litre(10 gallon) tank you mention here - http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-be...axolotl-free-all/69893-new-axolotl-owner.html - then that is way too small for 3 axies. There is not enough space for them to have hiding places or get far away from one another. 10 gallons is typically the minimum space recommended per axie and that is really pushing it for an adult.

 

[Underachiever]

They are in a much bigger tank that I bought before I got my 3rd axie, not the first tank that I mentioned which I got for the first 2 when they were bubs

 

[iChris]

you can help lower the risk of your axies nibbling on each other by adding more hides and visual barriers, ie, preventing them from being able to see each other all of the time.

it makes a world of difference.

 

[Underachiever]

So i added more plants and put the axies back together.... seems that 1 axie is NOT getting bitten tho, so I assume he's the one doing the biting. am I going to have to keep him separated forever?

 

[mewsie]

So i added more plants and put the axies back together.... seems that 1 axie is NOT getting bitten tho, so I assume he's the one doing the biting. am I going to have to keep him separated forever?

It'd be really, really helpful if you could post a picture of your tank, and answer directly the question about tank size. Doesn't take much to be much bigger than a 40 litre tank!

The other two axies could be nipping at each other, might not be the nibble-free guy doing all the biting!

It might be worth considering swapping out your girlie though - poor lass could end up having eggs quite frequently with two boys around, and it's not terribly healthy to be constantly laying.

 

[Morrison]

I pretty much have the same problem. 2 boys, 1 girl... Both guys have bits of their tails missing and they always 'annoy' each other. They have enough hides and space but somehow they like to nip each other... I also have an open tank and when one axie gets bitten by another axie he swims around like a freak, splashing a lot of water out of the tank...
(They have ruined so many of my drawings by doing that, haha)

 

[vampybabe]

we are having the same problem. Our 3 have been living together fine for just under a year and then after moomin laid eggs twiglet seems to be biting lots, so much so that poor moomin had her back legs ripped and we think possibly broken, front leg had skin hanging off and tail munched. At 1st we weren't sure if it was evo or twiglet being the bully, so moomin went in the new 4ft tank on her own and we left evo and twiglet in the old tank, but after a week twiglet started munching evo too. so now evos back in with moomin in the big tank and touch wood are gettting on ok! but it seems twiglet will have to stay in the old tank. dont want to risk any more stress to our other 2.