Bloated Axolotl

[Karsten]

Hello
I hope somebody can help us!

For 2,5 week ago we bought 3 small axolotls and it was love, at first sight.

The first two days we feed them axolotl stick food from the animal store, but they did not very seem interested that. So we bought frozen mosquito larvae and they seem more pleased with that except one, that did not eat much.
Now this morning one of them is laying on it back, at the bottom and is very bloated.
The other two are fine with nice bellies that are more red due to the mosquito larvae.
Can someone help? - we fear the other two will end up like this one.
- I read on website that we should put it in the fridge with no food for 2 weeks. To lower stress and slow down the metabolism. Is that true?

 

[axolotl nerd]

View attachment 90298

Hello
I hope somebody can help us!

For 2,5 week ago we bought 3 small axolotls and it was love, at first sight.

The first two days we feed them axolotl stick food from the animal store, but they did not very seem interested that. So we bought frozen mosquito larvae and they seem more pleased with that except one, that did not eat much.
Now this morning one of them is laying on it back, at the bottom and is very bloated.
The other two are fine with nice bellies that are more red due to the mosquito larvae.
Can someone help? - we fear the other two will end up like this one.
- I read on website that we should put it in the fridge with no food for 2 weeks. To lower stress and slow down the metabolism. Is that true?

are you sure the one with bloat is alive? it appears to be dead (or close to it) in the picture. i suggest bloodworm cubes and very finely chopped earthworms as a staple, and perhaps buy some sinking carnivore pellets for them as well. do you have pictures of the others? this would be helpful in determining what happened. i also recommend an autopsy for the one on it back (if its dead, and if/when it does die)
i hate to be so negative but i doubt the one on its back will live. it’s not a simple case of swallowing too much air and floating around, it seems to be an internal issue that probably couldnt have been avoided. what substrate and they on? i’d also like to know parameters, as having a cycled tank will prevent the other two from dying.

 

[Karsten]

are you sure the one with bloat is alive? it appears to be dead (or close to it) in the picture. i suggest bloodworm cubes and very finely chopped earthworms as a staple, and perhaps buy some sinking carnivore pellets for them as well. do you have pictures of the others? this would be helpful in determining what happened. i also recommend an autopsy for the one on it back (if its dead, and if/when it does die)
i hate to be so negative but i doubt the one on its back will live. it’s not a simple case of swallowing too much air and floating around, it seems to be an internal issue that probably couldnt have been avoided. what substrate and they on? i’d also like to know parameters, as having a cycled tank will prevent the other two from dying.

Thanks a lot for your reply.
It was dead. :-((
My daughter have buried it the garden.
We have bought an Corner Juwel 190 L. cycled fish tank.
Filters are new and top filter is being changed once a week.
I’m sorry I can’t remember the name of the substrate, but it was recommended by the animal store.
It should be small enough to pass thought if they swallow it. I hope you can see it on the pictures!

We have bought some carnivore pellets in addition to the worms.
I think they grow quickly and looks healthy what do you think?

 

[axolotl nerd]

Thanks a lot for your reply.
It was dead. :-((
My daughter have buried it the garden.
We have bought an Corner Juwel 190 L. cycled fish tank.
Filters are new and top filter is being changed once a week.
I’m sorry I can’t remember the name of the substrate, but it was recommended by the animal store.
It should be small enough to pass thought if they swallow it. I hope you can see it on the pictures!

We have bought some carnivore pellets in addition to the worms.
I think they grow quickly and looks healthy what do you think?

i personally think that for their size the substrate is just a tiny bit too large (see the second picture) for them to pass all that well. i suggest bare bottom for a good while until they’re to a decent size, then switching to a good, fine sand (caribse naturals works wonders)
im actually running an experiment to see wether or not small pebbles may be beneficial to the gut health of an axolotl. i have small pebbles substrate on top of my sand and i know for a fact she has eaten some- so far she is acting perfectly eating just the same (perhaps a bit more?) and seems to be even a bit healthier and more enthusiastic in general. i may be biased, but this is what i’ve discovered this far.
here’s a picture of the substrate, to give you an idea of the maximin size a substrate can be for an axolotl (ft. my pretty girl)