Constipated Axolotl

[Mal9185]

I thought my Axolotl was constipated so I put it in the fridge last night and woke up this morning with it barely moving and floating sideways/upside down with its gills latex down on his sides. Not thinking, I believe I shined it a killed it by immediately pulling him out of the cold fridge water and placing him in his tank water which is 68-70 degrees but now it’s not not moving at all. I’m freaking out and don’t know what to do

 

[Autistic Catholic]

What were the water parameters? How was the tank set up? Was the water dechlorinated? Was the axolotl experiencing health issues prior? Etc.

I'm no expert, but I think that while the drastic temperature change like that would certainly cause stress, I find it doubtful that would actually kill the animal. Typically, you want to gradually acclimate it to new temperatures and new climates. So I think it's possible that your axolotl may have been having a health problem that was killing it prior to your fridging it. It would help to know the answers to the prior questions so that any other mistakes can be weeded out in the future.

Hopefully, more experienced people can also provide comment too.

 

[Mal9185]

What were the water parameters? How was the tank set up? Was the water dechlorinated? Was the axolotl experiencing health issues prior? Etc.

I'm no expert, but I think that while the drastic temperature change like that would certainly cause stress, I find it doubtful that would actually kill the animal. Typically, you want to gradually acclimate it to new temperatures and new climates. So I think it's possible that your axolotl may have been having a health problem that was killing it prior to your fridging it. It would help to know the answers to the prior questions so that any other mistakes can be weeded out in the future.

Hopefully, more experienced people can also provide comment too.

I’ll start from the beginning…
I bought my axolotl from a breeder at a Reptile Convention on 2/27/22I was told my Axolotl was 3 months old. I was advised by the breeder to use the Seachem Prime Fresh and Saltwater Conditioner-Chemical remover and detoxifier. On the bottle it says to use 1ml for 10gal of water. I bought the Prime that night from Amazon so I didn’t receive it until 3/3/22. I bought an external sponge filter, use aquarium sand, and decorated with a couple glow plants. I made sure everything was rinsed well before placing it in the tank and filling the tank with water. Meanwhile my Axolotl I kept in the container I bought him in but changed his water every other day until the tank was ready a few days later of receiving the water conditioner. I did weekly 20% water changes in the tank, rinsing the sponge filter as well and adding 1ml of conditioner with each water change. About a week ago I did add 2 small shot glasses filled with Seachem Fluorite Black Sand Substrate with baby live plants (not sure what they are) that I got from a neighbor that I had in my Betta tank for a couple years now. I forgot to mention that a couple weeks having my Axolotl in the tank I did check the water for Ammonia levels with a test kit for Ammonia (not a strip test) like every 2 days. After changing the water it read 0.25 but the closer it got to needing a water change the Ammonia level read 4.0. Last weekend I took the sand completely out of the tank, did a 80% water change, rinsed everything in the tank out really good. I’ve been feeding my Axolotl live red wrigglers, Frozen blood worms, soft sinking pellets for Axolotls. I did buy a week ago freeze dried brine shrimp…well they were more like shells of brine shrimp. I did feed a little piece that did seem like a shell to my Axolotl on Sunday. My Axolotl was at the top of the tank floating and there were times it had its tail up/head down floating in a corner of the tank so I took it out of the tank and placed it in shallower water in a plastic tube that was conditioned. That’s when I noticed my Axolotl wasn’t pooping like he was. It looked like it had tried to poop and maybe liquid w/ food contents or it spit up w/ food contents on Monday and Tuesday. It’s appetite was still there but starting to turn away after a little bite. That’s when I read about fridging and we’ll that’s where I’m at now. So I don’t know. Please anybody have any thoughts. Maybe it wasn’t constipted maybe I did something wrong

First pics the day I got my Axolotl:

Cage setup at beginning:

I don’t have any of the new tank setup with out the sand or with the live plants.

 

[Autistic Catholic]

My thoughts:
Possible ammonia poisoning. Axolotls are extremely sensitive creatures and need it 0. Also, just a lot of additional stress from it being a baby. IMO, the breeder should have also made certain you had a home for your axolotl too before selling it to you.

When I read your ammonia was 0.25 then read 4, my presumption led me to ammonia poisoning. The little guy can't handle that.

Sorry for your loss.

 

[wolfen]

floating tail up is air lock, the tank wasn't cycled and by cleaning everything you would have removed any bacteria forming, without the bacteria to consume/convert the ammonia the levels will go up, it isn't just ammonia that is tested for but ph/nitrites/nitrates if there are no nitrates then the tank wont have even started cycling. adding chemicals in a bottle may be a temporary solution it is not a permanent one.
although it is very nice have everything glowing, uv light will disinfect and destroy any bacteria.
your axolotl was to small for sand but I think that the water parameters caused him/her to resort to gulping at the surface and getting air trapped.
when you tub a axolotl that is floating you only use enough water so it can stand in the water until it passes the air.
axie poop changes dependant on what it has eaten.
fridging is a last resort when everything else has failed, never place directly back into the tank after fridging, they should always be acclimatised before moving to prevent shock.
if an axolotl is dead then rigor mortis will set in so it will become very stiff like a piece of rubber.

 

[Mal9185]

My thoughts:
Possible ammonia poisoning. Axolotls are extremely sensitive creatures and need it 0. Also, just a lot of additional stress from it being a baby. IMO, the breeder should have also made certain you had a home for your axolotl too before selling it to you.

When I read your ammonia was 0.25 then read 4, my presumption led me to ammonia poisoning. The little guy can't handle that.

Sorry for your loss.

I appreciate your help. Now that I’ve put all the pieces together it makes more sense now that it was possibly ammonia poisoning. I just wish I could’ve caught it sooner and saved my Axolotl.

 

[Autistic Catholic]

I appreciate your help. Now that I’ve put all the pieces together it makes more sense now that it was possibly ammonia poisoning. I just wish I could’ve caught it sooner and saved my Axolotl.

A way to fix this in the future is to prepare your Axolotl's home first. You may want to view Aquarium Info's YT channel too for future aquarium research.

I've been learning here too about tank setup. Like I said, the breeder at the reptile expo shouldn't have let you take home the animal you weren't prepared for either. He could have given you a background check too.

It was a mistake on your part. We've all made mistakes.

 

[Mal9185]

floating tail up is air lock, the tank wasn't cycled and by cleaning everything you would have removed any bacteria forming, without the bacteria to consume/convert the ammonia the levels will go up, it isn't just ammonia that is tested for but ph/nitrites/nitrates if there are no nitrates then the tank wont have even started cycling. adding chemicals in a bottle may be a temporary solution it is not a permanent one.
although it is very nice have everything glowing, uv light will disinfect and destroy any bacteria.
your axolotl was to small for sand but I think that the water parameters caused him/her to resort to gulping at the surface and getting air trapped.
when you tub a axolotl that is floating you only use enough water so it can stand in the water until it passes the air.
axie poop changes dependant on what it has eaten.
fridging is a last resort when everything else has failed, never place directly back into the tank after fridging, they should always be acclimatised before moving to prevent shock.
if an axolotl is dead then rigor mortis will set in so it will become very stiff like a piece of rubber.

I appreciate your help. Now that I’ve put all the pieces together between everyone’s responses and the “signs” my Axolotl was actually showing it makes more sense now that it was possibly ammonia poisoning. I just wish I could’ve caught it sooner and saved my Axolotl.

A way to fix this in the future is to prepare your Axolotl's home first. You may want to view Aquarium Info's YT channel too for future aquarium research.

I've been learning here too about tank setup. Like I said, the breeder at the reptile expo shouldn't have let you take home the animal you weren't prepared for either. He could have given you a background check too.

It was a mistake on your part. We've all made mistakes.

WOW…yea we all make mistakes but Thanks a lot for really making someone feel like they killed their Axolotl purposefully!

 

[Autistic Catholic]

I said nothing which would make you feel like you killed your axolotl purposefully. Though we have had one person here who has been doing that.

Reread what I said as you have severely misconstrued it. Based on the large amount of animal cruelty that does go on, I have become highly inclined to supporting increased vetting and background checks for future and prospective owners.

This doesn't mean that a new owner kills their animal purposefully when they make a mistake. If you feel like what I said makes you feel like you killed your animal purposefully, then it isn't what I said that made you feel that but how you decided to maliciously misconstrue what I said.