INTRODUCED BLOODWORMS.....and now they are dying!!!

[jemmapatten1]

I have just introduced bloodworms to my wee axies and the have started dying!!

I cut them up and they started eating them like crazy, but the their tails curled up and half have died....whats going on!!!!!?????

The babies have front legs and if they are eating them I presume they are ready but I don't know what to do, please help!!!

 

[michael]

Were they live or frozen blood worms? Can you give a scientific name or description of bloodworms? When I say bloodworms I mean midge larvae also called red mosquito larvae.

 

[sek]

Are they live bloodworms? If they were, they may have had some kind of parasite.

 

[melfly]

Could it be water quality. Frozen bloodworm are gross and can pollute the water quickly.

Mel

 

[sek]

Could it be water quality. Frozen bloodworm are gross and can pollute the water quickly.

Mel

I agree with Mel, make sure you clean up any uneaten bloodworms...

 

[daniellog]

Since you cut them up, all their insides will of just messed up the water quality. Put them in clean water and they should recover. Next time don't cut them up.

 

[melfly]

A quick question, are these babies from your own axolotls? Is it their first batch of eggs?

Mel

 

[bayhicoach]

How long between when you fed the worms to the axies and the axies started dieing? How are your axies housed? Are they in a group tank setting or housed individually? Did you thaw the worms first (if they were frozen)? What other things might have changed in addition to the new feeding regimen? Water temp? Water change? etc.

 

[jemmapatten1]

Yes they were frozen bloodworms...
I cut them up because my wee babies couldn't seem to eat them as they were too big...

Sooo...water quality, I am meant to feed them and then remove all uneaten worms after how long? I was removing most of the left overs but I noticed it didnt take long for the worms insides to be all around the tanks...

they are housed in fives, according to size...this is my first time raising axies and I was super happy!!!!

Yes these babies were from my own axies, their first batch and I was SOOOOO proud after 6 years of nothing!!

It was about 3 hours before their tails started curling up and they went all lazy...then I transfered them to clean water...but they didnt perk up...and then transferred again and unfortunately lost all 15 of my baby axies.

I thawed the worms and was so excited about the next step of rearing and to be honest excited to be rid of the BBS hatchery...

Oh well...the most disappointing thing is that my female axie laid another batch about a week ago but I thought I was doing so well with the babies I had I did not remove any from the tank so they have since hatched and been eaten....

It is a sad day in my house.

 

[jemmapatten1]

a few pics of the wee guys!!!

 

[melfly]

I think thats it then.
1st batches of eggs dont do too well.
I got one out 7 of my 1st batch and 12 out of 25 on my 2nd
My previous eggs from other axolotls I had an 80-90% survival rate.

They live and eat and appear to thrive and die off all of a sudden.
I dont believe its anything you've done wrong.

Mel

 

[bayhicoach]

It is a weird situation. Your pictures look great, btw. If all of your animals died and they were in separate situations, I'd think there was some issue with the blood worms. That is, of course, if everything else was held constant. Always look back at your water quality issues when looking for possible solutions. It is good news that your axies are actively reproducing so you'll get another chance at this.

I think it would be interesting to retry the blood worms on a small subset of your new babies to see if you can actually connect those two things.

 

[crazyferret]

I also chop up frozen bloodworms for my 19 babies have done so now for afew weeks as the bloodworms are to big.
I've rasied afew batches of babies, and i've never had a problem with frozen bloodworms,
my babies are just getting there back legs now.

My babies get frozen bloodworms in the morning about an hour before a water change then they get live food in the evening/ night, this may not work for everyone but it is for me. my babies seem happy enough

 

[jemmapatten1]

Frozen bloodworms just before your morning water change...that is a great system....will try that next time!!! (hopefully I will get a chance!) thanks heaps!!!!

Can I ask your method of water change? do you catch all of them??? or just a 50% or what???

 

[crazyferret]

There are so many ways to catch them and i pretty much fail at most of them. Just hatched babies are so tiny.
I use a very small fish net scoop them up and put them in another plastic tank,(which is set up to the same temp as the tank the babies are in)
i keep them together its seems easyer until they start outgrowing eachother plus i have an air tube in there for them its turned down so it not to powerful

i do a 100% water change daily as the tanks are only around a foot long

Until they move to a 3 foot holding tank they will a sponge filter and pump, hides and plants in there for them i will still do a 50% water change daily or every other day
(I'm in the middle of seting up for them now)

Everyone rasies their babies differently what works of one person may not for another
hope this helps :happy:

 

[crazyferret]

Then the ones i can't keep i rehome them when they are around 6 months old
i know other people rehome them sooner i just feel they should stay with me until they are at a nice size and weight and eating pretty much anything