Question: Person who can grow my axie needed

Evidently not enough, given you have a nitrite of 2+.
 
You should change as much water as necessary to bring your water parameters into acceptable levels. Until you get a feel for how big/often your water changes need to be, you should test your water daily and do a water change whenever necessary.
 
Kaysie said:
You should change as much water as necessary to bring your water parameters into acceptable levels. Until you get a feel for how big/often your water changes need to be, you should test your water daily and do a water change whenever necessary.
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Ok, thanks. So back to the feeding issue, what do you think i should do? Im going to pick up some crickets tomorrow. (previous owner fed crickets) so it might get it to eat something at least.
 
Your tank isnt cycled, just swapping to a weekly water change isnt enough.
You need to do daily 10-20% changes until you get readings of 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and a nitrAte reading of less than 40ppm.
THEN you need to be doing weekly 20-30% water changes.
Test strips are notorious for being inaccurate, a liquid test kit is far better.

Crickets arent nutritious for axies and you need to pull the legs off them.
Keep persisting with worms (earthworms, blackworms, waxworms, bloodworms) until they eat. Pellets are also a good option for axies (axolotl or salmon).
Shrimp wont be harmful either if you buy some live ones and after quarantining put them in the tank.

The most likely reason your axies arent eating is because of your water quality, as soon as you get that in order, they will find their appetite again.
 
layna said:
Your tank isnt cycled, just swapping to a weekly water change isnt enough.
You need to do daily 10-20% changes until you get readings of 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and a nitrAte reading of less than 40ppm.
THEN you need to be doing weekly 20-30% water changes.
Test strips are notorious for being inaccurate, a liquid test kit is far better.

Crickets arent nutritious for axies and you need to pull the legs off them.
Keep persisting with worms (earthworms, blackworms, waxworms, bloodworms) until they eat. Pellets are also a good option for axies (axolotl or salmon).
Shrimp wont be harmful either if you buy some live ones and after quarantining put them in the tank.

The most likely reason your axies arent eating is because of your water quality, as soon as you get that in order, they will find their appetite again.
Click to expand...

The crickets will only be to make him start to eat. Since he ate them so often he might be more accustom to them being food. I might get waxworks instead of crickets then.

I swear it was cycled when i started using it. It had 0 nitrite and 0 ammonia when i put the axies in, I've just been a bit slack with water changes. maybe thats why nitrite + ammonia is up. hmmmm this is very interesting…..
 
Jawdoss said:
I swear it was cycled when i started using it. It had 0 nitrite and 0 ammonia when i put the axies in, I've just been a bit slack with water changes. maybe thats why nitrite + ammonia is up. hmmmm this is very interesting…..
Click to expand...

But did you specifically cycle it before you started using it? If your tank is cycled you'd have nitrAte readings of <40ppm and 0 ammonia 0 nitrite.

All water* starts out with 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite before you put an animal in it. It's the nitrate reading that tells you the tank is cycled.


(*with the exception of the tap in some cities etc - in my city the water has .25 ppm of ammonia)
 
Yeah it was fully cycled. But then it sat there for about a week with just little fish in it until i put my axies in it.


I just did a 35% water change and I'm doing a test on it now.

Nitrite 0.5
Nitrate 10
Ammonia 0.0 - 1.0
Ph 6.0

Is that better now?
I will continue to test it each day for the next week and change the water until it is showing the right readings.
 
Your ph is very very low. Are you sure it is 6? You should try to get it up over. 7 at least. 7.6 is ideal.

I like crushed coral to keep my ph stable. I use a bag in my filter with my filter media, and i just slowly added(testing it everyday/ sometimes twice) the coral until i got a consistent level that i liked. And it just stays in my filter media all the time. You never want abrupt ph changes, so gradually. My tap water is naturally about 6.5 so I have to use it to keep my ph over 7.
 
Nitrites still going funny after another test. I have put a partition in my other tank (nitrite 0) and i am putting them in that tank. Thew tank has another axie in it, but its too big for them to be with, so i have partitioned it and I'm putting the little axies in there until i get the other tank under control.
 
Jawdoss,

Please listen to what these people are telling you and you'll get through it.

Forget about the food for now, you need to focus on the water.

You probably need to do a 20% water change DAILY, or at least every second day for a week or maybe even two.

Are you using dechlorinated/aged water?

Are you vacuuming the poop out of the bottom of the tank when you do your water change? This is important.

Maybe try this:

Get 2 identical big buckets from Bunnings.

Fill one with tap water, add water ager, throw a clean towel or cloth over the top to keep dust out and LEAVE IT IN A COOL PLACE FOR 24 HOURS.

When you do your change, use one of those siphon vacs to clean the bottom of your tank and drain it into your other bucket till its full.

Then put your bucket of clean water on top of or above your tank, and use a bit of air line to siphon the new water into your tank very slowly. This will avoid shocking your axolotl with a water change.

Refill your bucket with clean aged water and put it away again for the next day.

DO THIS EVERY DAY WITHOUT FAIL FOR A WEEK REGARDLESS OF TEST RESULTS, THEN THE FOLLOWING WEEK DO IT EVERY SECOND DAY WITHOUT FAIL.

The next morning, drop a medium sized garden worm in front of them and see if they take it.

If not taken within 10 minutes, remove it and leave it till the next day.

If taken, don't give him another till the next day so he keeps it down, you can build it up later as his appetite improves.

Also...what is your water temperature??

If it's over 22 deg C and with the water readings you've described, the things almost dead and crickets won't change anything.

If you want to keep these animals successfully in Australia you need a chiller.

Please read this through and try doing it.

It may be too late, but it's a start.
 
Last edited:
axowattyl said:
Jawdoss,

Please listen to what these people are telling you and you'll get through it.

Forget about the food for now, you need to focus on the water.

You probably need to do a 20% water change DAILY, or at least every second day for a week or maybe even two.

Are you using dechlorinated/aged water?

Are you vacuuming the **** out of the bottom of the tank when you do your water change? This is important.

Maybe try this:

Get 2 identical big buckets from Bunnings.

Fill one with tap water, add water ager, throw a clean towel or cloth over the top to keep dust out and LEAVE IT IN A COOL PLACE FOR 24 HOURS.

When you do your change, use one of those siphon vacs to clean the bottom of your tank and drain it into your other bucket till its full.

Then put your bucket of clean water on top of or above your tank, and use a bit of air line to siphon the new water into your tank very slowly. This will avoid shocking your axolotl with a water change.

Refill your bucket with clean aged water and put it away again for the next day.

DO THIS EVERY DAY WITHOUT FAIL FOR A WEEK REGARDLESS OF TEST RESULTS, THEN THE FOLLOWING WEEK DO IT EVERY SECOND DAY WITHOUT FAIL.

The next morning, drop a medium sized garden worm in front of them and see if they take it.

If not taken within 10 minutes, remove it and leave it till the next day.

If taken, don't give him another till the next day so he keeps it down, you can build it up later as his appetite improves.

Also...what is your water temperature??

If it's over 22 deg C and with the water readings you've described, the things almost dead and crickets won't change anything.

If you want to keep these animals successfully in Australia you need a chiller.

Please read this through and try doing it.

It may be too late, but it's a start.
Click to expand...

It seems like you are getting a bit angry with me, for no reason. I have listened to them, as i posted in this thread saying that they are in a different tank, and their original tank is being cycled. They are in a tank that is around 23 Degrees Celsius and has perfect water readings. The tank they were originally in has had a 35% water change and the axies are out of the tank. (I also posted that too). Please don't get angry at me, I'm a doing EVERYTHING they are telling/asking me to do.

The tank they were in currently has minnows in it, and has had a 35% water change. THe readings have gone down a bit. I will continue to cycle the tank using minnows and other things that cause ammonia.

Are you using dechlorinated/aged water? Yes
Are you vacuuming the **** out of the bottom of the tank when you do your water change? Yes
Also...what is your water temperature?? its 23C i know it should be lower, but as long as i keep it under 25C its is relatively safe. And they have had no problem with temp prior to this.


Sorry for the misunderstanding, i don't know if your having a go at me or not. Im doing everything i can, trust me :) Im not angry, (i know its hard to tell somones tone/mood over text).
 
The second axies (brother) is eating well, and it thriving. Do you think the smaller one has a north defect? Hence the smaller tucked up leg?

The tank he is in currently is healthy, showing good readings, and the axolotl isn't stressed (gills not turned up and tail not curled), still not eating tough.

As far as the old tank goes, i did a water change this morning, and as i mentioned before, its empty of axolotls. I will cycle it over the next couple of weeks until it shows good readings. Then i should be able to add the axies back into that tank.
Sorry if i seem angry, I'm not.
 
No, I am not angry...why would I be??

I am spelling it out a bit I guess, and using capital for the important bits.

I'm trying to help you, as your animals are very much at risk of dying.

23 deg C is not OK...not at all. You need a chiller.

The steps I have outlined for you are a bit labor intensive, but are a great start to sorting it out.

I don't mean to sound patronizing, but the basics are often where the problems lie.

May I also suggest you try some "Aquasonic goldfish natural home water conditioner" to harden up the water a bit.

If the large rainwater fed dam supply in the Gold Coast is as soft as it is where I live, this product will harden the water up a bit.

I absolutely swear by it.

Please just read through my post and try the steps outlined.

I don't claim to be the guru of all things axolotl, but have given you what I hope is sound advice with nothing but the best intentions.

It's up to you how you take or use that advice.

PS. I've got one with a "tucked up" leg at the moment.

I wouldn't worry too much, they seem to just forget to use one sometimes, then all of a sudden it's all good.
 
axowattyl said:
No, I am not angry...why would I be??

I am spelling it out a bit I guess, and using capital for the important bits.

I'm trying to help you, as your animals are very much at risk of dying.

23 deg C is not OK...not at all. You need a chiller.

The steps I have outlined for you are a bit labor intensive, but are a great start to sorting it out.

I don't mean to sound patronizing, but the basics are often where the problems lie.

May I also suggest you try some "Aquasonic goldfish natural home water conditioner" to harden up the water a bit.

If the large rainwater fed dam supply in the Gold Coast is as soft as it is where I live, this product will harden the water up a bit.

I absolutely swear by it.

Please just read through my post and try the steps outlined.

I don't claim to be the guru of all things axolotl, but have given you what I hope is sound advice with nothing but the best intentions.

It's up to you how you take or use that advice.

PS. I've got one with a "tucked up" leg at the moment.

I wouldn't worry too much, they seem to just forget to use one sometimes, then all of a sudden it's all good.
Click to expand...

I did and have read through your replays/posts. Thankyou for your help and input. Theres nothing left for me to do now part from getting the empty tank to the correct water reading before adding the axies back again. I will look into the water hardener.
 
I know this point has been covered already, but I'll emphasize it for importance.

Axolotls can not live in temperatures above 20C for prolonged periods of time. You are currently keeping yours outside the parameters considered safe. Heat stress and subsequent infections are a real possibility now.

If they appear very active with a lot of swimming at those temperatures, it's probably a symptom of heat stress. There has to be some way to get your temperature down that works for you. I'll include an article that covers a lot of methods and ideas on the subject:
Caudata Culture Articles - Cooling
 
Elise said:
I know this point has been covered already, but I'll emphasize it for importance.

Axolotls can not live in temperatures above 20C for prolonged periods of time. You are currently keeping yours outside the parameters considered safe. Heat stress and subsequent infections are a real possibility now. There has to be some way to get your temperature down.
If they appear very active with a lot of swimming while at those temperatures, it may be a symptom of heat stress.

Caudata Culture Articles - Cooling
Click to expand...

Most of the time they are inactive, only when feeding do they want to swim towards me. I use ice frozen in bottles. The bottles are put in the tank every night and ever morning. Other then that, a chiller is what i need to look into. I need to find one that is second hand due to cost issues.
 
Jawdoss said:
Most of the time they are inactive, only when feeding do they want to swim towards me. I use ice frozen in bottles. The bottles are put in the tank every night and ever morning. Other then that, a chiller is what i need to look into. I need to find one that is second hand due to cost issues.
Click to expand...

I always get quoted mid-edit and I feel so silly after. It happened to me in the other thread too. People are too fast with the replies!

If your temperatures are that high with ice bottles, no wonder so many Aussies stress the importance of chillers. You might find other options in the article I gave to supplement your cooling until you get a chiller. Some other ideas would be a fan for evaporative cooling and insulating the outside of your tank walls.
 
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