My Axolotl wont eat

[blakec1211]

I recently got an axolotl about 5 days ago, my tank has cycled for about 5 weeks, my water is 68 degrees F. The axolotl has normal coloration and full gills in perfect condition. But I just can't get him to eat. He stays in his small wooden log most the day and sleeps but when he does come out and j try feeding his he either ignores it or swims away very fast. He is starting to get a little skinny so I've been trying to find out how to get him to eat. I'm going to try nightcrawers tonight.

 

[wolfen]

what food have you tried him with?
68°c is too warm 59°f - 64°f max

 

[blakec1211]

what food have you tried him with?
68°c is too warm 59°f - 64°f max

I have ice bottles I'll let them sit in there and cycles them in and out to lower temp, I've tried blood worms but he shows 0 interest in them

 

[wolfen]

if he is a young juvenile he will be more movement orientated, try live shrimp or fish as well as live bloodworm, maggots can also be fed.
adults are more smell orientated, frozen food such as krill, mysis, chopped cockle, chopped mussel, chopped prawns etc..
make sure to do a full test on the water parameters, make sure if you have a substrate ie.. sand, that it is turned over regular.
is he showing any signs of discomfort ie.. gill scratching, tail chasing, retching movements.
feed at night, remove waste in morning.
try to find others means to cool water as ice bottle are ok in an emergency but can drop the temperature too fast.

 

[blakec1211]

if he is a young juvenile he will be more movement orientated, try live shrimp or fish as well as live bloodworm, maggots can also be fed.
adults are more smell orientated, frozen food such as krill, mysis, chopped cockle, chopped mussel, chopped prawns etc..
make sure to do a full test on the water parameters, make sure if you have a substrate ie.. sand, that it is turned over regular.
is he showing any signs of discomfort ie.. gill scratching, tail chasing, retching movements.
feed at night, remove waste in morning.
try to find others means to cool water as ice bottle are ok in an emergency but can drop the temperature too fast.

My pond has recently had a few dozen tadpoles hatch, would those be good? I also have a fan over my tank for evaporative cooling I just didn't have it turned up because I though 66-68f was within parameters

 

[wolfen]

tadpoles should be fine although they will require quarantining to make sure they aren't carrying anything nasty.

 

[blakec1211]

tadpoles should be fine although they will require quarantining to make sure they aren't carrying anything nasty.

I wasn't able to get him to eat but about a week ago I put a small dish in the tank and put some blood worms in it. I woke up to see he ate them! I guess he is to afraid to eat when my hand is dropping them on him but he has been eating consistently and is now more active then he was. His gills are full and his color is normal so it seems he is fully healthy for the time being.