Question: Diet: Pellets And Floating. Food Intolerance? Brand?

[RabbitOfAurora]

Hey all! I'm bringing in the heavy artillery on this one (you lovely super knowledgeable people!) because I feel like I won't get much from my usual sources of help.

My Axolotl is about a year old and has been raised on pellets. When I got him, I also got given a bottle Blue Planet Axolotl pellets. He eats them just fine, but I noticed he always used to float/butt float all the time. I just accepted that's the way he was; a weird little guy.

Cut to three weeks ago, I finally ordered him some worms and he LOVES them. He's been getting between 1 - 2 worms a day with no pellets and his weird floating stopped entirely. Suspicious enough on its own right?

Today I was cleaning poop from his tank and he kept trying to eat my turkey baster and being low on both cash and worms (these were a trial batch, to see if he'd eat them. I'm starting a worm farm next week!) I decided to feed him his pellets again and lo and behold he's floating again, so those are 100% out now.

So now my question: Has anyone else had this happen? Does anyone know why? Will a different brand make a difference?

Thanks in advanced guys!

 

[Hayleyy]

Interesting! I have the same brand and haven't really had this issue, but I imagine it's taking in too much oxygen when eating them. Did he eat them from the surface? Do you soak the pellets before feeding them (this plus squeezing them a bit will get rid of air).
One of my axolotls likes to float around (no digestion or gas issue, she just enjoys it lol) so that behaviour can be fine, but it does sound like it's connected to the pellets!
Glad he is enjoying the worms so much, mine do the same thing with turkey basters and/or tweezers haha

 

[KumquatSquats]

pellets tend to be a little more fatty then worms (or at least have less fiber to go with the fats) so that might be the cause of the floating. i rotate feeding with the same pellets you use and worms with repashy grub pie as a treat or for when the worm stock seems low.

i also notice a little more butt floating when they get pellets but they dont seem too distressed by it