Bc-Floaters

[TallTree01]

Hello,
If you have spoken to me for any time in the last few months you will know that my axolotls float consistently. That is rather rare in the axolotl world as even after fridging them and isolating them their condition did not improve.
I have found out why they float:


You will notice that ' Does the Floater Phenotype go away? ' says that recovery is most likely in deep turbulent waters. Now at the moment my axolotl tank is deep but not overly turbulent. As you may know axoltols do not like turbulent water.
Should I add a filter to the water to make more turbulence or would this stress them further?
Click here for a bigger article:
http/i1359.photobucket.com/albums/q783/TallTree01/Axolotls%20and%20tanks/image.jpg1_zpsntc4kszy.jpg

 

[betta fish]

Interesting I wasn't aware of this, I currently have around 20 youngsters that I am growing out they have only just got their back legs, when would this express itself if they were to have it?(sorry if it mentions it in the article I can't enlarge it in order to read it for some reason) they are all appearing normal at present. I think it would help to have a waterfall filter of some type pushing them down to the bottom perhaps to try to cure them (even though currents may stress them out somewhat) I don't think I could live with a constantly floating upside down axie 

 let us know how you get on.

 

[TallTree01]

Hi Betta fish, they don't float upside down, there backs are always floating above the surface.
Also I will say that they will almost certainly not have the gene if their parents did not have the gene, it is a rare gene that may become more common as poor breeding of axolotls continues.
I will snip out the graph from the article about when the floating first appears.

" THe BC-Floater phenotype appeared between 3-15 weeks post-hatching and 21-80mm total length."
The average was 8 weeks and 43 mm.

I notice that my own BC floaters were about 4-5 inches when I got them and they only started floating a few weeks after purchase. I guess mine were just late developers of the phenotype.

 

[betta fish]

Thank you, I will be keeping an eye on mine, I have no idea if they have the gene as I don't own the parents and never saw them 

 would they always show the floating behaviour so you know not to breed from them or are people unaware as they can carry it but not show it? I can imagine they would find it hard to breed floating all the time if at all!

 

[TallTree01]

I would definitely not breed any axolotls that were BC floaters or had any BC floater brothers or sisters.

 

[TallTree01]

I have neglected to post progress reports on this thread.
On the fourth of February i put in a big filter that would create water movement and stimulate the conditions in the article which suggested recovery was most likely.
Day 4 of the treatment.
I've noted that both of the Axolotls slightly stopped floating with just a little tail float on seperate days. Today, my leucistic has stopped entirely. He is happily sitting in the bottom.
I am ecstatic to say the least. My golden one is still floating but considering the treatment is not even half way through I am still very hopeful and optimistic.
Also I've begun to develop a little theory as to why the water movement helps. The article at the top says that the floating is caused by the axolotls breathing in but not often breathing out. My theory is that the turbulent water surface gives them motivation to not float and over the course of the treatment they figure out that exhaling regularly results in them sinking. The water agitation makes them uncomfortable and want to not float

Just a theory of mine that makes more or less good sense.
I'll give you pictures of my new sunk axolotl. Hoepfully he'll stay that way.


As you can see he is quite unaided. Here is my setup:




The grey thing on the left is the filter that is providing about 1100 l/h of flow.

 

[betta fish]

Excellent news! 

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

Aww that's good news. You should look on the site, caudata, recommended in my footer.

They grow so quickly, enjoy them

 

[TallTree01]

Unfortunately the whiteone started floating a few days later. Both are floating again so I turned off the filter as the treatment wasn't working. I'm gonna try again though as soon as my holey tetra vacates the separation net.
Here is a photo I thought was cute of an axolotl poking his fat head out a floating log.

 

[TallTree01]

I seperated my gold one today and out him in front of the filter. It's positioned in such a way that flow is stronger in the top/ middle and there is less at the bottom. Hopefully he'll figure out that if he goes down he will be more comfortable?

 

[TallTree01]

Day One:



I'll keepp him Ina little while longer to make sure he'll stay that way.

 

[TallTree01]

I think I'm going to keep him in til the end of March or maybe a little while longer. Just to make sure he will stay down.
Today the white one has also came down so all three of my Axolotls are non floaters at the moment!!!

 

[TallTree01]

The white one started floating again shortly after, and the golden one is barely staying down.
I have failed. I'm gonna release the gold one soon as all I seem to be doing is annoying him. Very disappointed. I'm just gonna try to make their floating lives as comfortable as possible and hope they forgive me eventually for blasting them with a Filter.

 

[iliveinazoo]

I've been keeping an eye on this post and thought you'd Sussed it. I'm sure they'll enjoy their floaty lives with you.