etansel
New member
I recently inherited a pair of axolotls in fairly poor condition. I have been slowly trying to rehab them, but things have taken a turn and I'm not really sure where to go from here.
Backstory:
The two lotls are of indeterminate age (possibly around 5 years old?). They used to be housed with cichlids who bit off their gills, so unfortunately they have very little remaining and I don't know how this affects their health. They are currently housed together in a 40gal breeder with a canister filter. Over the last month-ish, I've been trying to set up a new tank (30gal) with the intent of splitting them up and giving them each a little more wiggle room. The new tank is still a work in progress and hasn't been properly cycled.
The Turn:
Two nights ago, the smaller axolotl began floating. He made many attempts to return to the bottom, but could do no better than float with just his toes touching the substrate. He seemed very disoriented and stressed. The other lotl was not floating but was similarly disoriented. I've read that floating is commonly caused by constipation/gastro issues and that the best treatment is fridging, so I prepared the fridge and both lotls using this guide. Then I tested the water and learned the nitrate levels were off the charts and KH was at a solid 0. I used testing strips, which I have since learned are not very reliable.
My plan is to empty the tank entirely and start over. I have taken apart the canister filter and tubes and have thoroughly rinsed them and replaced the filter media, but that filter isn't going back in that tank (I'm moving it to the smaller one and have a new one for the 40gal). However, I am very scared about how long it will take a completely fresh tank to cycle and therefore how long the lotls will be stuck in the fridge. I know they can be in there for a couple of weeks if necessary but they're already in such poor condition that I worry prolonged fridging will be too much for them. Is there anything else I should be doing?
Backstory:
The two lotls are of indeterminate age (possibly around 5 years old?). They used to be housed with cichlids who bit off their gills, so unfortunately they have very little remaining and I don't know how this affects their health. They are currently housed together in a 40gal breeder with a canister filter. Over the last month-ish, I've been trying to set up a new tank (30gal) with the intent of splitting them up and giving them each a little more wiggle room. The new tank is still a work in progress and hasn't been properly cycled.
The Turn:
Two nights ago, the smaller axolotl began floating. He made many attempts to return to the bottom, but could do no better than float with just his toes touching the substrate. He seemed very disoriented and stressed. The other lotl was not floating but was similarly disoriented. I've read that floating is commonly caused by constipation/gastro issues and that the best treatment is fridging, so I prepared the fridge and both lotls using this guide. Then I tested the water and learned the nitrate levels were off the charts and KH was at a solid 0. I used testing strips, which I have since learned are not very reliable.
My plan is to empty the tank entirely and start over. I have taken apart the canister filter and tubes and have thoroughly rinsed them and replaced the filter media, but that filter isn't going back in that tank (I'm moving it to the smaller one and have a new one for the 40gal). However, I am very scared about how long it will take a completely fresh tank to cycle and therefore how long the lotls will be stuck in the fridge. I know they can be in there for a couple of weeks if necessary but they're already in such poor condition that I worry prolonged fridging will be too much for them. Is there anything else I should be doing?
