Question: New Axolotl owner, read plenty (now: diary of Fred's new owner)

In this video he did seem heavier you're right, but I think its due to lack of practice, he's only just got enough of the gravel out to float :)

Glad Gomez likes his new tank and hide, he sure is lucky, that's a lot of space. Which I had a flat the same size (scaled).

I'm unsure about guppies, like you I don't want to introduce anything that can harm my Axie, he's had a hard enough time up until now :)

Over the last 2 days he's barely been on the sand. Yesterday I almost had to tell him to shut it as he was swimming around the surface like a shark slapping the roof of his mouth on the water surface making clicking noises.

He's got the idea of the taking in air to remain buoyant, and now he's a swimmer i may just turn the aeration back on to see how he reacts to that.

One funny incident, that i caught on camera was yesterday when he was swimming about and climbing.

He seems to enjoy using his hands to climb up the aeration tubing and the thermometer probe and sit there in the corner sniffing out the crickets, or trying to catch a glimpse of them.

He got the idea one was in there and went swimming for it and forgot about the filter outlet. It look like he swam past the spray and got spooked by the flow of water, which resulted in some very unexpected behaviour. Watch the video to see, he definitely doesn't look heavy here.:

(I edited it this time too :) no need to wait 2 mins. )

YouTube - Fred the Axolotl properly swimming
 
I dont think the guppys can really hurt a large axie they'll just get eaten if they get to close I just had one that was abit boisterous he never touched gomez tho (he wouldnt dare!) it was the lucky guppy in the videos i think he just got abit bored and lonely by himself and was trying to get gomez to play with him (hes in with a bunch of girls now and loving it!),

Decided not to put all the gups in the main tank as they make alot of waste and will ruin my perfectly vacuumed sand! mountain minnows are pretty much perfect theyre very small (smaller than guppys) so cant harm your axie and as far as i can tell just dont seem to poop (alot less than guppys anywayz!)! they just hang around waiting to get eaten (i put 6 in 3days ago and have 4 left which is alot better survival rate than what ive had with my guppys, put 6 in had one left next day!)

I dont really know how fish rate in an axie diet and I only feed them occasionally or if he can catch them, (they cetainly liven up the tank when gomez is hiding in the shadows!) I just think it must be quiet good stimulation being able to hunt down and catch some moving prey every now and then. It might not be necessary though axies might just be content with the easy option of stumbling across abit of munch, not really sure bout it. I think with freds timid nature they may spook him a bit being in the same tank, you never know tho he might go nuts for them!
 
Some very distressing news.

I was questioning whether I'd write this on here in fear that I would be judged about my Axolotl keeping abilities but here goes anyway.

Got a call last night from the GF letting me know Fred's bum looked sore, sore enough for me to come home and take a look.

I returned home to find, from his right hand side his cloaca (i think that's the correct term) looking very red and swollen, and from his left a clear view at what looks like a Red sore bum hole with what looks like a bubble of pile (or I suppose a small prolapse).

We're talking about a bubble 2-3mm across, not anything the size I've seen while searching "axolotl prolapse) but it's worrying all the same.

His behaviour last night was overly active, and he seemed very cheery, but this morning he's looking sorry for himself, staying pretty still staring at me through the tank wall standing still.

My immediate assumption is that he's got a blockage. After the 8-10 pieces of gravel removed from the tank perhaps he's trying to now pass a large piece?

I can't help but feel I've done this to him though. I know it's probably not the case but I've given him a few Crickets this week and I'm worries that perhaps I've got the wrong sort and he can't digest them, or they were too big.

Needless to say today I'm a very sad and broken man with one thing on my mind. I've made the water as still as possible to keep him relaxed and turned off anything that could cause him stress. I hope that he passes the stone or whatever blockage he has and that the early signs of prolapse are just that, and he returns to normal.

Fingers crossed, It's a good job they're pretty good healers by nature.
 
How old/long is he again?

My male albino's cloacoa?sp swells sometimes I think it is a sexual maturity thing

Crickets are not really recommended I think they cant digest the exo-skeleton
 
9 months, 8-9 inches.

This is more than a swelling, it's asymmetric and there is clearly signs of trauma in the area, I'll try and get a photo.

Regarding crickets not being recommended, they are well recommended by lots of people here. Maybe not as a staple but lots of people feed their Axolotls Crickets.

I was not aware though that they couldn't digest the exoskeleton? Surely there's no way that a huge cricket skeleton would ever pass through the digestive tract of an Axolotl?
 
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Things like mealworms have hard skeletons that can cause impaction, as your axie has had impaction I thought you would try to avoid
 
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Sorry if all that soundes rude but right now I have an issue, which I'm fairly sure is not down to Crickets, as I've read fairly thoroughly the posts here and been involved with lots of discussion and Crickets appear to be a favourite of many people's Axolotls.

What I need is for people who are familiar with Cloacal prolapses, or haemorrhoids to give me their input. That way I can get him back to health. What I don't need is theorising and guesswork.

I've been very transparent that I'm a new owner, and the issues that Fred has come with. The only way I'm going to get him to full health is to follow the guidance and advice set by those with experience of the individual problems he faces (and we face).

I'm capable of guessing what may or may not work, but I am no Caudate expert and so am guided by only real life experiences.

I obviously won't be feeding him anything larger than a bloodworm until the issue goes away. That goes without saying.


If I could turn back time I would, and would have maybe left him on his bloodworm diet for a little while longer, but I cannot. I just am worried and praying that whatever is wrong with him will sort itself.
 
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Hi Daz,

Sorry to hear your axie is feeling poorly. A photo of course would be very helpful. I have only read the last few posts so I apologize if I have missed some information...

You say his "bum" is swollen, is it also reddish? If it looks like a bubble, it could very well be a prolapse even if it doesn't look exactly like the pic. It could also be an impaction.

Crickets are not a recommended staple. Their exoskeletons are extremely difficult for axolotls to digest. Unfortunately, despite several people doing the same thing, this does not make it any safer or advisable. Crickets are fine to use as an occasional treat. Earthworms/nightcrawlers are much easier for them to digest as well as being very nutritious. Frozen bloodworms and sinking axolotl pellets are other suggestions to use on occasion.

Here is an article about food if you haven't read it already. FOOD

I would suggest possibly fridging your little friend for now until we can have a pic. Take care.
 
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Dragonlady, I feel very foolish, he's eaten about 3 of them so far, and it's too much of a coincidence for it not to have some impact.

I had read that guide, which is why I decided it was a good option as well as earthworms and bloodworms, to create a more varied diet.

As Tom has rightly posted the recommendation is "Good" with no mention about the exoskeletons.

What it does mention though which i can only assume i chose to ignore was the bit about "Not for most aquatic caudates". I should have taken more notice.

Perhaps a new Axolotl specific food faq would be useful for newbies?

I also am surprised that it could have gone through his system that quickly (2 days) as he seems to take longer than that to process bloodworms even and I swear there's still plenty of them in his belly to be excreted.

It's hard to get a photo as he isn't darting around much or swimming today (and I'm now at work), but from the photos I've seen it looks at the moment like a very early prolapse, not anywhere near as bad as everything hanging out, just a bubble of Cloacal developing.

I have my fingers crossed that he will pass whatever is causing the blockage and heal up. Right now though I feel sick to my stomach with worry.
 
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Oh no sorry to hear the news as dragonlady mentioned it sounds like fred could do with a holiday in the fridge! I think this could be caused from passing all that gravel maybe he still has some in him?

As for crickets theyre pretty much digestible theres occasionally one or two almost identifiable parts of exoskeleton that get through but i wouldnt have thought would cause problems as are very tiny bits and freds a good size so shouldnt cause problems (crickets have a high meat to chitin ratio(especially when compared to mealworms), so they're not bad just not a good staple) you are still feeding him other stuff right?

Tis just the fact that you are doing everything by the book which makes me feel that this is previous owner related (the gravel being the main thing) im just thinkin if i had been pooping out that much gravel i would surely have a sore bum! lets just hope its something as simple as that!

From what ive read the solution may be to put him in the fridge untill it clears up(especially with the hot weather at the moment he'll probably find it rexaling), im sure someone will tell you what to do for sure!
 
I agree matey, I believe its gravel, and will hopefully pass and he can heal.

I'm glad you've commented on what to look out for in his poop, I'll keep an eye out.

I don;t feed him everyday or anything. He's had a mixture of Crickets and Bloodworms. Only about 3 Crickets to a large packet of worm (4x cubes maybe) in the last week. every other or 3 days. Basically when his gills go pink, I know he's hungry, when he's been fed they go dark red.

The Crickets were also pretty small, maybe the size of a wasp?

I may well fridge him when I get back but he'll be traumatised that he doesn't have his log or trees to climb.

All a chapter of the life of Fred, I'm sure he'll pass whatever it is, and it'll move him forwards to being even healthier.
 
When you put him in the fridge just make sure you put a tea towel over the container so the light doesnt startle him as long as its dark he'll feel secure he wont move much in the cold either so dont worry.(i have never needed to fridge so cant really help further but from what ive heard its not stressful to the axie, quite the opposite!)

I doubt wasp sized crickets im guessin around 2cm? (we only get tiny wasps in the u.k) could do any kind of damage or even have a problem digesting, Gomez eats crickets that are bout an inch or bit bigger and has no problems.(was feeding him "wasp sized" crickets since he was half his size) It is only since feeding these bigger ones I have noticed anything in his poo, its just the occasional tiny armour plate what seems to be the shape of the top of the crickets head that gets through, unlike entire meal worm shells so would have thought a nicely gutloaded cricket would be quite a nutritious snack, just not the all in one package of a juicy earthworm!

Hopefully you can find out for sure if fridging is the best solution soon as poss (i have a feeling it might be), in the meantime i'd reccomend researching the process of fridging just incase (you probably already have knowing you, haha!) need to get Fred all better for his next photoshoot!

Keep us posted!
 
haha,

I had the fridging researched from day 1, in case that time ever came.

Luckily I have two fridges, one is a beer cooler so will turn that up, which i believe sits around 7-8 degrees at the top end and put in in an ice cream tub in there.

That way we won't disturb him getting food in and out of the fridge.

It will be horribly upsetting seeing his empty tank and I fear my GF is going to be distraught at the thought of him being locked away in the little fridge.

I'm just praying for a miraculous recovery in the time I've been at work today, combined with a pile of gravel :)
 
Sorry to hear about Fred! He's such a cute little dude, I really hope he gets better for you, especially after all your hard work. :)
 
I dont know if this is of going to be a concern or not (certainly not trying to worry you im just intrested what the answer would be myself!) but presuming your axie may be away from the tank for a couple of weeks im just wondering what effect it will have on a newly cycled tank? just thinking that maybe without an axie there may be lack of ammonia for the bacteria (will a few weeks be fine?) i dunno if you have to supplement the tank with an ammonia source like abit of food for the cycle to continue, just wondering if all the work getting the tank cycled could be effected in the space of 2-3weeks of nothing in the tank?
It may not even be an issue tis just a thought, would be nice to know if its needed!

All id say about fridging apart from what you'd already know is avoid taking him out of the fridge except to change water and change the water with water kept in the fridge to avoid temperature changes just keep him at a constantly cool temperature ooh also maybe try and get hold of a clear as possible plastic tub so you can easily see in to avoid spooking him by lifting the teatowel lid!

wishing you all the best dude!
 
hi all, on my mobile so please excuse any typos, just wanted to let you guys know...

just went home to find fred very chilled out. swelling is practically gone, no sign of blood or any bubble just a particularly pink or sore patch where the trauma was.

i'll obviously be keeping an eye on him but as the large swelling is literally no longer there at all i can only assume somewhere he's passed whatever was causing the issue.

Looks like I've dodged a bullet here, certainly am not going to upset him as he seemed very glad to see me when i got back so hopefully he'll continue recovery at the rate he has today.

I'm sstill leaning towards a stone as i can't find any sign untill i do a spot check for them under the sand i won't know. theres certainly no exoskeletons knocking about.
 
Just my 15.3 cents worth on crickets. Good for reptiles as they chew pretty extensively and typically have teeth or bony ridges that are up to the task. Many amphibians (well... frogs mostly in my no way complete experience) also have the ability to chew up bugs pretty well. I'm lacking in experience with Axolotls... but I avoid crickets based on my previous experience with other animals and that fact that Axolotls don't seem to chew very well. They inhale food like an old Hoover and while I see things go in and out a few times on occasion the food items seem to remain pretty whole. :happy:
Crickets are more nutritious than many other bugs... but they are very chitenous (assuming that's even a word)..... and unfortunately the chitin to "guts/nutritious gooey goodness" ratio goes up as the crickets get smaller. I.E. smaller crickets have more chitin than guts. :eek:
Earthworms are more fun to culture and can be cultured in a shoebox size (small) container. They smell better and you won't find one running across your bathroom floor either. ;)
 
Great news, keep him cool still and hopefully all will be well for the little guy.
 
Just to give you guys an update:


  • Fred's Cloaca has continued to reduce in swelling, there is now practically no swelling on the sore side.
  • The pink signs of trauma and sore flesh are now gone.
  • He still has a pink dot in his bum hole and just around it, but everything looks far more normal.
  • He's been very active and is walking, jumping and swimming around happily.
  • A fairly large piece of white gravel was found inside his log.
  • A decent sized poop was found at the back of the tank this morning. No visible signs of undigested bugs
As a bonus:

  • With close inspection it's clear that on his short side, he's definitely regenerating a missing top gill. Right now it's the starting, a thin white filament with minimal feathering but is growing slowly daily.
  • His other gills on his short side are filling out.
  • His gills on his longer side appear to be getting longer.
  • He seems to have grown an affection tot he bubble disc in his brief period of sickness and pines for it when not on. I now reserve it for a treat :)
As everything is looking a bit better I may begin feeding him again tonight, perhaps just 1 small bloodworm cube and monitor his processes.
 
Great news, good ol' Fred pulled through! It must have been that gravel! Haha you gotta get a vid of fred playing in the bubbles! Its so strange that some axies love em and some are frightened by them, maybe you just gotta get the flow just right!

Im so glad everythings fine, i bet thats a massive weight off your shoulders thats one thing about axies, they make their owners worry sick about them by acting weird, doing strange things and having strange eating habits (like going off food for weeks!) but its usually just the weird and wonderful way of the axolotl, such strange creatures!

nice one!
 
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