Floating axolotl.after.feeding

[Tenshihime]

I've had my.axolotl for a month or.two; she.is.very.picky.and.doesn't eat the pellets only.bloodworms. After.I,feed Her, her back end tends to float. It only lasts for.20 minutes, then there's bubbles and she stops floating.
It's only after she eats; she can't stay.on the.bottom of the.tank. The water is.at 22-21 'C and I.change about.1/3 the water every week, week and.a.half.
Is she okay? She hasn't swallowed any gravel I,dont think

 

[Skudo09]

How old and how big is she? She may just need to pass some gas. Is she fed at the surface? She may be swallowing some air with the food which may cause some gas.

22C is a bit high for axolotls. It is best to keep them under 20C (16 to 18C is ideal). Is your tank cycled? What are the water parameters - ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, PH? If there is gravel in the tank it would be best to remove it and keep it bare bottom or replace with silica based sand. play sand is often used and works well.

 

[Tenshihime]

I think she might be swallowing air with the half-frozen bloodworms (by the time she gets to them they have defrosted) I feed her in the water at her level. I don't know how old she is, when I bought her a couple of months ago she was a 'baby axolotl' she is about/just under 16cm long?
She only floats after I feed her but lately it's been happening every time I feed her. I have another axolotl in the tank a bit older and he seems to be perfectly healthy although he won't eat bloodworms only pellets.
This morning she was opening her mouth and her mouth looked swollen like a frog's and then she was okay but she isn't moving much.
I have a filter i nthe tank and I do a water change every week/week and a half. It sits ar 21'C as I haven't got enough money to buy a cooler so I use ice. Now that Summer is over it's getting a bit cooler.
I changed it to a thin gravel that is almost the same consistency as sand it is just a little rougher.

 

[Lianne]

Why don´t you give the frozen bloodworms time to defrost and see if that makes a change? Either leave them in a puddle of water or put the cube in a sifter and run it under the tap, they'll be ready within 30 secs.

 

[Skudo09]

Personally, I would go with fine sand as if they swallow some, it won't be as nasty going through their system as thin gravel.

At that size I would move them onto earthworms. Blood worm is ok for juvies but once they grow, earthworms are far more nutritious and less messy. You can make your own earthworm farm and have a good, cheap supply.

I don't have a chiller at the moment but could you try fans? You can get clip on fans from Guppys. I have these for my tank and they work surprisingly well. My tank is sitting at 18C.

What are the water parameters - Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate?