HELP sick axie's

Please help! I am urgently needing information and ways of dealing with the problems my new axolotls are having!
After reading a little they are currently in the fridge as I cannot get my water temp down under 25 and both are suffering to excess body slime due to high temp, and perhaps a fungal infection?
They have both been off their food for a couple of days....how long can I keep them in the fridge? Do they need anything extra in the water (apart from dechlorination)? Temp in fridge is 8 degrees, so still not eating, but body slime seems lower.
Tank is infested with more life than when the axie's were in it! Please help, my local pet shops have only given me the wrong info so far!!

[kapo]

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>Quoting Row on Sunday 03 December 2006 - 07:46 (#POST113374):</font>

They have both been off their food for a couple of days....how long can I keep them in the fridge? Do they need anything extra in the water (apart from dechlorination)? Temp in fridge is 8 degrees, so still not eating, but body slime seems lower. <!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

While in the fridge their metabolism slows down and they may not eat. Nothing unusual about this, but offer them food every few days just before a waterchange.

We've kept our axies in the fridge (at a 5deg cel temp) for up to 3 weeks max. Another axie owner, one who lives in one of the Scandinavian countries (think it was Tina), kept her axie in the fridge most of the summer, but her temp was slightly higher (might have been about 9deg cel. as she was able to feed him/her).

If there is fungus (sort of cotton wooly or furry looking) start saltbaths (2=3 teaspoons per litre/pint of dechlorinated water; make sure the water is same fridge temp as their container they're in so as not to stress them; bathe for 10mins twice daily).

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>Quoting Row on Sunday 03 December 2006 - 07:46 (#POST113374):</font>

Tank is infested with more life than when the axie's were in it! <!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote> what do you mean by infested? If you mean worms and stuff, read this link might be of help: www.caudata.org/cc/articles/Tank_critters.shtml

Also how long have you had your axies? = Ah, just read your other thread; did you cycle the tank? How often were you feeding them and how big are they?



(Message edited by kapo on December 03, 2006)

Yeah worms, and little white things that crawl around on the glass, baby snail looking things (could be a worm thing? or a snail), free floating worms about 5 mm long and tonight I found a new species - something that looks like an underwater grasshopper! Thanks for the link - i'll have a look.

I cycled the tank as in accordance with the pet shop guidelines - wack everything thing in, we'll leave it a day, check the water and plonk them in!!!!! Which as I have read is peharps not ideal. They also told me not to worry about temperature because I shouldn't need a heater up here! 26 degrees with ice blocks!!!!!
They are approx 17 cm and 19cm, although the smaller one almost seems to be shrinking from not eating. How long can they go for without eating before I start to get really really worried? I know its too cold, but they didn't eat before they went in the fridge either so its been a while!
I was feeding them half a beef heart thingy each a day, and they were eating happily until the slime seemed to cover their eyes.
What sort of salt should I use. Sea salt? Normal salt? I have read differing post.
Also I haven't done a full water tank in the five weeks I have had them. Could that be causing the problems? Ph levels were ok. Thanks so much for responding and helping to save my little guys!

[kapo]

Regarding your tank and cycling read this article: http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/cyclingEDK.shtml

Your tank may be cycled, but you need to check the other water parameters not just ph. So if you don't have any test kits for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate then take a sample of water to your petshop and ask them to test it for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and give you the no.s. You shud try and test your water parameters regularly, weekly, and/or when there appears to be a problem with your axies.

Iceblocks (esp. if they weren't dechlorinated water) are not ideal to pop into your tank. This can cause fluctuating temperatures which in turn stresses your axies, which may lower their immune systems which is when fungus can develop.

Other ways to cool your tank, are keep it away from direct sunlight or light. If possible, move your tank to the coolest part of the house. Use a fan to blow across the surface of the water, pedestal fans are great for this as you can raise and angle them. Use bottles of frozen dechlorinated water, or those icebricks but sealed in plastic bags in case they leak, and rotate them before they melt so the temp doesn't fluctuate too much. The most ideal way would be using a chiller but they;re very expensive.

The size your axies are they shud be fed once every two days, sometimes their appetite increases when temp goes up. Are you using beef heart cubes? If you can try and feed them earthworms, crickets, pellets, 1/2inch to inch sized thin strips of raw meat (fat and tendons cut off). Some people use frozen bloodworm cubes, but we personally find them too messy.

How much of a waterchange and how often do you usually do? You shouldn't need to do a full water change at all, only partial waterchange (20-30% of tankwater). Also, how often do you clean up any uneaten food/poos daily or weekly and do they have any other tank companions apart from the critters?

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>Quoting Row on Sunday 03 December 2006 - 09:42 (#POST113380):</font>

What sort of salt should I use. Sea salt? Normal salt? I have read differing post.<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

use aquarium (also known as tonic salt) salt or if u don't currently have that and need to start saltbaths straight away uniodised table salt. I assume you have a bottle/container of dechlorinated water in the fridge near their container for the daily 100% waterchanges. Might pay to have an extra one and when you need to do the saltbaths use the water from the chilled bottle, use icecream container or plastic bowl (someone even used a casserole dish) for the bath. No more than 10-15mins max. The axies may find it a bit uncomfortable the first few baths but persevere and it may take longer than a week or two. Try not to mix/add any medicines - do the saltbaths and see how you get on.

(Message edited by kapo on December 03, 2006)

Also, the longest one of ours hasn't eaten was 6-7weeks.

(Message edited by kapo on December 03, 2006)

I will take a water sample in tomorrow. The last one I had done at the pet shop only told me about the ph kit, so I bought that but we didn't talk about the other levels! I'll also get some salt from them.
I was doing a 20% water change weekly in the tank and cleaning any uneaten poo or food out at each feeding time ( as I was feeding by hand, daily).
Also, will they be ok in the fridge for the duration of their salt bath treatment? I think that is the safest place for them at the moment - at least I can control the temp. I do daily water changes there into same sized/temp water container.
Thanks so much for all the help! I almost feel like I know what I am doing.....sort of.

[kapo]

Yes fine to do salt bath treatments for duration of fridge residence if it means it will help with any fungal infection.