Please help! his foot is gone!

[Leana]

Hi,

Please help! my axelotl's foot is gone! I dont know what it is. Its white and it was covering the whole leg. then i cleaned the tank and the next day the leg was gone! but there is still a piece of bone sticking out. He moves aroud and dont look very sick. but the othet leg is starting to get the same white stuff on it. What should i do? if its a fungas how do I give it a salt bath and put it in the fridge? sorry never done this before! and what else should i feed them?

Thx!

[kapo]

Before putting in the fridge you need to check the temperature.

Place a thermometer in a glass of water and put in the fridge. Check in 20-30mins. If temperature is 5C/41F or above, it's okay to fridge your axolotl.

For the salt baths:

Mix 2-3 teaspoons of non iodised table salt (sea salt or aquarium/tonic salt) with dechlorinated water (tapwater treated with water dechlorinator/water ager drops to remove chlorine and chloramine drops.)

===

What is your current tank temperature? Have you tested your water for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? Temperature and water quality may be causing the damage/fungus to your axolotl. How long have you had your axolotl and tank setup?

Remove your axolotl from the tank, place him in the bath, cover in case he jumps out, leave him in for 10-15minutes max. (no more as it burns gills/skin).

While he's in the bath, you can prepare his fridge container (use one that fits his length so he's not squashed and has a lid to seal.

Fill the container with dechlorinated water, once the salt bath has finished, transfer your axie to the fridge container.

Cover with lid and wrap in a cloth (to stop the light flashes and temperature flucutations from the fridge door opening and closing).

Put in the fridge.

Also, put a bottle or two of dechlorinated water in the fridge. You will need to use this for both the salt baths and to change his fridge container completely each day. The waterchange and saltbath need to be chilled the same temperature as the fridge container to be changed.

While in the fridge your axolotl may not eat as its metabolism will slow down.

Salt baths need to be done twice a day.

[Leana]

Hi!

Thx for helping! I've had them for about a year now, nobody at the petshop said anything about testing water! He just said put them in and feed them bloodworms. I didnt worry because they grew and was healthy. I will definatly try the saltbaths and the fridge. How do I test the water? How long should i give him the baths. And the other one? he has no white stuff but should i give him a bath too or not?

Thx again!

Leana

[kapo]

No only saltbath the one with the whitestuff. Twice a day treatments until about a week after it drops off.

To test your tankwater, check if your local petshop tests tankwater, take a sample in and ask them to test for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Ask them to write the figures down for you. Don't buy any products they suggest. Basically, if the figures for ammonia and nitrite are higher than 0 you'll need to do frequent partial waterchanges daily. At least 20%-30% of tankwater to be changed. Nitrate levels should be under 60-80ppm.

What is the size (length x width) of their tank? What is the tank temperature? Do they have any other tank companions? What is the substrate used, and how often do you usually clean/waterchange?