Full time headstand?!?

[caudataman]

Hi all,

I have an interesting situation. I have a male Mesotriton alpestris cyreni who has developed an odd condition. He cannot get his body leveled out under water. He swims (when he's not lurking in the rocks) with his tail and hind quarters up in the water while his forearms and head are in the normal position. The position he's in looks like a handstand breeding position, but breeding activity has ended and he can't shake the position even when the females are nowhere in sight. He picked up this position a month ago during breeding activity, so at first I thought it was a display and he was just showing off for the ladies, but he hasn't kicked the habit. His appetite is fine and he gets around okay, if not awkwardly and can swim horizontally just fine. He's got good body weight and his tankmates are fine. The vertical part is the problem. His back legs and tail are fully functional. Even a big chunk of worm won't weigh his butt down. Any suggestions what it is and how it's fixed?

 

[terrytherat]

when my alpestris do the headstand trick i usually find they are ready to go terrestrial have you got a terrestrial part of your viv

 

[caudataman]

I've got a rock pile that breaks the water, with a bare large flat stone as an island, but they rarely go there. I'll place some moss up there for them to hide under, but I was really hoping to keep them aquatic. Thanks Terry!

 

[rigsby]

could have some trapped wind..