HELP! Floating at an angle and not eating...

[PanickedPanda]

Hello everyone,

I'm new here and hope you can help me and my axolotl. My axolotl has been floating at an angle in the water for several weeks now. Other than that, it doesn't show any unusual behavior and is still its usual relaxed self, except for hanging at a steep angle in the water most of the time. We have two other axolotls in the same aquarium, and they are doing very well; neither of them floats or hangs at an angle in the water. Because our floating axolotl has two tank mates, I can't say for sure if it has been passing stool. The water parameters are fine, and the temperature is kept quite constant at 18 degrees Celsius thanks to the chiller.

Unfortunately, we don't know the exact age of the axolotl, as we found it in a lake where it had apparently been abandoned. When we found it about six years ago, it was missing many limbs, and its gills were already significantly regressed. The gills have regressed even further since then, but given the condition of its tank mates, we know it’s not due to water quality issues, as they would also show signs of regression.

I've read online that if axolotls start floating at an angle, you should put them in a shallow container to help them pass stool. However, it's midsummer here, and the only way I could keep its water cold without the chiller would be the refrigerator. Should I really do that? I want to emphasize just how steeply it is floating, almost like this "".

It might also be worth mentioning that we suspect it is a female, and externally, there doesn't seem to be any noticeable change at the rear end. There are no visible signs of constipation or anything similar.

Thank you for your help!

Update:

I wrote this post a few days ago, but since then, things have changed. We're not sure what happened to its legs—whether they got caught on something or if another axolotl nibbled on them. Additionally, its belly appears to have sunken in, and it’s still floating. We've now separated it from the other two axolotls. The other two are still doing well, but this one seems to be getting worse.

P.S. As I sayed we found it in a lake.. so we don't know how old it is. I love it, it has been at my side for more than 8 years.. is it possible that it's just that old and nature is taking its corse? Please help.

This Picture was taken yesterday.

This picture was taken about two weeks ago.

 

[wolfen]

reduce tank temperature to 15°c if possible.
add 50% holtfreters + 0.1g/l magnesium sulphate (100% would be better but can be built up from 50%).
give daily methylene blue/acriflavine baths.
some of the limb will fall off but if it rots further up the leg amputation may be required.
fit a sponge around the inlet for safety.
feed a varied balanced diet.
because of a lack of gills floating may be a recurring issue (the salts in holtfreters will help regrowth), fridging would be safer if the fridge temperature can be increased although could spoil any food stored.

 

[PanickedPanda]

Thank you for the suggestion! We did that yesterday evening. It's still not eating tho.. Would you recommend putting it in the fridge? I've read online it might help.. but I'm not sure.

 

[Autistic Catholic]

comment deleted.

 

[wolfen]

because of the risk that fridging poses I wouldn't recommend fridging at normal temperatures ie.. below 5°c unless the axolotl is already facing a poor outcome, this is because at low temperatures an axolotls organs can shut down causing death, if on the other hand the fridge is used soully for axolotls the temperature can be set higher ie.. around 8°c which is a much safer temperature.

 

[PanickedPanda]

because of the risk that fridging poses I wouldn't recommend fridging at normal temperatures ie.. below 5°c unless the axolotl is already facing a poor outcome, this is because at low temperatures an axolotls organs can shut down causing death, if on the other hand the fridge is used soully for axolotls the temperature can be set higher ie.. around 8°c which is a much safer temperature.

I have the Tank set up for 15°C. I do not carr about my stuff in the fridge. It can go bad for all I care. So let's say i turne the fridge up to 8°C and clean out the bottom shellf. Would i just take a Container with a lid and put the Axolotl with water from the Tank in the Container and in the fridge? How long do I leave him? Can I just put him out of the fridge and back in the Tank after? Is there anything I need to prepare beforhand? Do I put the lid on the Container? Does he need anything while in the fridge?

I'm sorry for all the questions I'm just really scared for him. I don't want to hurt him in amy way and putting your pet in the fridge sounds like a big step.

 

[wolfen]

because he/she is mainly being tubbed due to floating he would need to remain in the tub until he/she stops doing so.
tub in just enough water that feet touch the floor, make sure there are air holes in lid, because of using a fridge using two equal containers will be easiest, fill both with same amount of dechlorinated water, put axolotl in one tub, put both tubs in fridge, after 24hrs transfer axolotl into second tub and clean first and refill placing back in fridge, this will ensure that the temperature remains constant, to re-acclimatise to tank temperature leave tub out to slowly warm up or float tub in tank until temperature is equal.
feed at night change water in morning.

 

[PanickedPanda]

So we didn't do the tubbing but we Tank Temperatur is now 15°C and we put in the holtfreters solution. He's still partly floating but one of his hurt legs started to heal after it fell off. Until the day bevor yesterday he was not Eutingen any food we offerd him (like earthworm, pallets or dryed mealworms) then as a last resort we tried a fish (pure fish filet / i ate that too but obv. cocked (pinkish fishmeat) and he went crazy for that piece. He swolled it but didn't want to eat more after that one piece. Yesterday we tried to give him some of the other foodes again and he refused that again so at night we gave him another piece of another fish we esp. bought for him (a differtent fish filet with white meat) and he aet it too but didn't want more after one piece. We feed him at night if thats Importen. So now I get home from work and find this in his side of the Tank. Is it vomit or poop? Did he throw it up? Could it be poop? Do they digest food that fast? The pink meat Was two das ago and the white we gave him yesterday around 20:00. It wasn't there when i left for work at around 07:00. Help.

 

[wolfen]

whether it is from his stomach or as faecal matter it doesn't look digested, if you do manage to get him to eat feed small amounts over a shorter period of time as the food he had may have been too much for him.

 

[PanickedPanda]

So little update.
He put him in the fridge for one and a half weeks. He ate 3 Times while He was in there. We gave him little pieces of fish. The last fish He threw up again but but that could be because the fridge got too cold over night (like 8°C). Yesterday (Sunday) we saw that he pooped and took that as a good sign so we put him back in the Tank (Tank has the Holftester Solution and 15°C). Maybe to Note is that He always swallows a lot of Air, He just has alwas done that. He also did that while He was in the fridge, He couldn't floate there since we didn't put so much water in so He started floating sideways. Before it was like ass up and in the fridge it was more like a plane flying a sharp curve (like one side legs up almost touching Air). Since He's back in the Tank He only floated once and not nearly as bad as it was before, just a little ass up. I tried to feed him a few minutes a go (hence the little palets in the water) and i noticed He looks like he is swollowing even tho He didn't catch and of the Pellets. Is that normal? Is that just him breathing or is it a sign that He still feels unwell/ill?

 

[wolfen]

the swallowing movement is normal.