Help!! Im New to Axolotls and worried.

[QueenKris]

My axolotl, Sage is swimming around a lot and its almost 12 pm. He's about 2 years old and he's staying close to the surface and swims down to the bottom but just wont stop swimming. I don't have any water test kits yet due to lack of money unfortunately so i worry about the water quite a bit and change it often. Is that okay and should I change the water? He isnt frantic from what it seems maybe just restless. Or is this just normal behavior?

 

[michael]

If you change to much water at a time water quality will fluctuate more. Have good biological filtration and do water changes of about 20% at a time. It is not normal for an axolotl to be real active.

 

[wolfen]

axolotls are more active at night as they are mostly nocturnal, make sure you have an air-stone in the water to increase oxygenation as being near the surface can also be because water tends to have more oxygen the closer to the surface it is. axolotls tend to relax and sleep during the day although it isn't unusual for them to be active if they are looking for food.

 

[QueenKris]

If you change to much water at a time water quality will fluctuate more. Have good biological filtration and do water changes of about 20% at a time. It is not normal for an axolotl to be real active.

axolotls are more active at night as they are mostly nocturnal, make sure you have an air-stone in the water to increase oxygenation as being near the surface can also be because water tends to have more oxygen the closer to the surface it is. axolotls tend to relax and sleep during the day although it isn't unusual for them to be active if they are looking for food.

I have been changing the water 20% at a time and I'll try to get a water test kit as soon as i can. I changed the water yesterday as well as fed him and he seems to be settled down now and today he has been performing normal behaviors. I have a good filter and will try to get a air stone as well. Thank you both for the replies!!

 

[michael]

I have been changing the water 20% at a time and I'll try to get a water test kit as soon as i can. I changed the water yesterday as well as fed him and he seems to be settled down now and today he has been performing normal behaviors. I have a good filter and will try to get a air stone as well. Thank you both for the replies!!

Air stone is not needed. Oxygen enters the water at the surface from water circulation. Your filter should adequately circulate the water. Axolotls do best if the water is not to turbulent.

 

[wolfen]

an air-stone is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to ensure that the water has enough oxygen for both the axolotl and the aerobic bacteria, axolotls don't like forceful turbulence but have been noted as enjoying sitting over air-stones letting the bubbles flow over the gill filaments, always try to get a stone that produces fine bubbles as the smaller and finer the bubbles the better the oxygen saturation, without adequate oxygenation an axolotl will resort to frequent surface gulping which can then cause air to get trapped causing floating which is very stressful, also if the aerobic bacteria in the filtration is unable to receive oxygen then spikes in harmful nitrogen compounds can occur.

 

[The_Blade]

Yeah one of my axies loves to do zoomies around his tank at around 6 in the morning! It's just what they do, and like many of you said, it could just be bursts of energy. If its after a water change and/or if your axie does it constantly, I would test