Not eating axolotl

[kevhutc]

My adult female axolotl is not eating.her tank mate a wild female axolotl is eating fine.water is good and I'm doing all I should.itd been over two weeks since she took food.i usually give beef heart but I've tried everything.im feeding earth worms at the moment

 

[wolfen]

what are the water parameters? what chemicals ie.. salts/minerals etc.. declorinator etc.. are used? how is the food introduced? has there been any changes to the aquarium recently that could cause stress etc..? how is she acting apart from not eating, ie.. surface gulping, jumpy, hiding etc..?

 

[kevhutc]

what are the water parameters? what chemicals ie.. salts/minerals etc.. declorinator etc.. are used? how is the food introduced? has there been any changes to the aquarium recently that could cause stress etc..? how is she acting apart from not eating, ie.. surface gulping, jumpy, hiding etc..?

Water test and temp are fine.she is moving around the tank now but not swimming.she seems very heavy and flat to the floor.not very boyent.i normally tong feed them.usually beef heart although I am now using worms

 

[axolotl nerd]

Water test and temp are fine.she is moving around the tank now but not swimming.she seems very heavy and flat to the floor.not very boyent.i normally tong feed them.usually beef heart although I am now using worms

"water test and temp are fine" isn't a sufficient answer to @wolfen's question, we need the exact parameters to help you. we also need to know what's used in the tank (dechlorinator, salts, etc) and whether or not there have been any changes in the tank. pictures would also be helpful.

 

[kevhutc]

Water test and temp are fine.she is moving around the tank now but not swimming.she seems very heavy and flat to the floor.not very boyent.i normally tong feed them.usually beef heart although I am now using worms

"water test and temp are fine" isn't a sufficient answer to @wolfen's question, we need the exact parameters to help you. we also need to know what's used in the tank (dechlorinator, salts, etc) and whether or not there have been any changes in the tank. pictures would also be helpful.

 

[kevhutc]

I
Use api tap safe.see how she sits heavy on the sand.she reacts to food but turns away without taking it .where as she used to see me coming and be ready for her meal.i fed beef heart in small pieces every other day .I've since decided to use worms but she hasn't had one yet.her tank mate another large female eats very well.ive had them about 2 months month

 

[kevhutc]

I
Use api tap safe.see how she sits heavy on the sand.she reacts to food but turns away without taking it .where as she used to see me coming and be ready for her meal.i fed beef heart in small pieces every other day .I've since decided to use worms but she hasn't had one yet.her tank mate another large female eats very well.ive had them about 2 mont month . water temp is about 16 ,18 degrees.i normally change 30 % water on Friday.

 

[kevhutc]

Photos

 

[Autistic Catholic]

"My adult female axolotl is not eating.her tank mate"
I thought you were saying she wasn't eating her tank mate and thought that was a good thing...

Did you recently make the change to worms? Certain worms give off an odor when they are stressed and she is probably repelled by the odor. Try blanching them. They can go three weeks without food so if she still won't eat the worms if cut up or blanched, then you might just need to give her beef heart again. It's not the most nutritiously sound due to its high fat content but it's better than nothing.

 

[wolfen]

looking at the test strip (please get liquid test kit as strips aren't as accurate) your gh/kh and ph are bad. gh should be 7 - 14, kh should be 3 - 8, ph should be 7.4 - 7.6, if these are correct then you are going to have issues with your ammonia etc.
axolotls can be finicky with worms as some don't like the taste, try blanching a worm before hand to see if there is any difference.

 

[kevhutc]

looking at the test strip (please get liquid test kit as strips aren't as accurate) your gh/kh and ph are bad. gh should be 7 - 14, kh should be 3 - 8, ph should be 7.4 - 7.6, if these are correct then you are going to have issues with your ammonia etc.
axolotls can be finicky with worms as some don't like the taste, try blanching a worm before hand to see if there is any difference.

Thanks chaps.i switched to worms because she wasn't eating but I'll bear that in mind and try beef heart when I sort out the water..I know I should know this but,the tap safe I'm using only required 1ml per 76ltr of water .using the cap measure I used over 10ml every water change..The tank holds about 80ltrs.(90-30-30).I've been overdosing the water.could this be the reason I think?

 

[kevhutc]

"My adult female axolotl is not eating.her tank mate"
I thought you were saying she wasn't eating her tank mate and thought that was a good thing...

Did you recently make the change to worms? Certain worms give off an odor when they are stressed and she is probably repelled by the odor. Try blanching them. They can go three weeks without food so if she still won't eat the worms if cut up or blanched, then you might just need to give her beef heart again. It's not the most nutritiously sound due to its high fat content but it's better than nothing.

Ha.Arowin did take a nibble out of Aria's tail when they moved in....great advice thank you.its water change day today.i do it every Friday.

 

[kevhutc]

Well she has just taken two small pieces of beef heart.fingers crossed chaps.thank you

 

[wolfen]

Thanks chaps.i switched to worms because she wasn't eating but I'll bear that in mind and try beef heart when I sort out the water..I know I should know this but,the tap safe I'm using only required 1ml per 76ltr of water .using the cap measure I used over 10ml every water change..The tank holds about 80ltrs.(90-30-30).I've been overdosing the water.could this be the reason I think?

the only way of finding out for sure would be testing the tap water before and after, also neither of the ingredients in api tap conditioner are acidic so shouldn't reduce ph, although sodium thiosulphate (the chemical that removes chlorine) will deplete oxygen in the water so try to stick to recommended dosage.