Question: Newt cloaca swollen and very erratic swimming please help!

[jjatdvs]

Hi there yesterday i noticed on my newt he has a very large swollen cloaca and he has been only swimming with his head down and the rest of his body vertical. he walks with his front lets on the bottom of the tank and the rest of his body straight up. he seems to not be able to walk or keep his body straight.

this is a pic of him. i don't know if anybody can help. yes i have gravel in the tank and don't know if he is impacted? i have felt his belly and i don't feel anything in there. he is a big i been trying to put him on a diet but he doesn't lose weight. but can anybody help with this issue ???

 

[jAfFa CaKe]

If you know the risk of impaction then why keep the gravel? If you didn't know your newt is some species of warty newt (Paramesotriton) I reckon its P. chineses but I can't be sure. This happens with axolotls and it's normally a result of constipation. Could you give me temperature, food and tank details?

 

[jjatdvs]

the tank has been the same for the last 4 years. when i originally set up the tank they had come from a tank with gravel as well. this was never an issue before so i left it the same… the tank is about 69 degrees but fluctuates with temperature. as of now he's been eating red worms the red wiggler kind. small ones. everything has been the same for awhile but this is the first time he has gotten anything like this. he's in a 30 gallon tank.

 

[Azhael]

The animal seems to be mildly bloated. It might be an aeromonas infection, which could explain the floating.
Just because the gravel hasn't been an issue yet, it doesn't mean it can't be one...the best prevention is not taking silly risks.