Illness/Sickness: Limp Tail

[Dan]

Hey Guys,

I came home yesterday to fine one of my axies (Boba) with an odd tail. Basically it wasn't straight but rather flopped to one side. I also noticed he had his back legs up quite a bit so maybe he has costipation? Also when I was trying to get him out of the tank I noticed a small red patch on his belly. I put him in the fridge overnight with some food (couple of pellets) which he didn't eat and he didn't pass anything. I put him back in the tank this morning with his pals, and he seemed to be more active and looking a bit better with his tail.

I did a water change in the tank, and I keep them on sand so I can't see impactation being an issue, unless he ate a bit of loose drift wood.

Any help would be most appriciated!

[Leanne]

hi danI hope your boba gets better soon. Maybe his/her tank mates?? Sorry I'm not much help. Please let us know how he/she goes.lea

[Dan]

They get on actully pretty well, when I moved him out the other two looked a bit lost without him. Then when I put him back in they were all swiming together straigh away. I did bring them up from babies together tho so I think they are just used to eachother.

[melfly]

Is there no sign of fungus or anything?

I'm glad he's feeling a bit better :)

Mel

[Leanne]

that is so sweet. i'm sure he will be ok, he is in great hands.

[Dan]

I had a look today and couldn't see any, I saw some very tiny white patches but nothing huge. Whats worrying me is the red patch on his belly, I remember nathans (my flat mate) having a similar thing before he died, but he did have him with pebbles.

[melfly]

Has he pood yet?

Mel

[Dan]

I'm at work at the mo, but he hadn't this morning and he's been in the fridge all night.

[melfly]

I'm just worried that there may be food going bad inside him.
Might be worth putting back in the fridge tonight to monitor it.

Mel

[Dan]

I'll see how he is tonight, I'll give him some blood worms, if he doesn't eat them I will. He looks a bit bloated too, maybe he has eaten a few too many pellets? I fed them quite a bit because I had to leave them for a day.

[Meredyth]

I do hope he's ok, good luck when you get home.

Edit...
Is his belly usually that big?
Could be he's just well fed and it's all normal for him.

[Dan]

I had to go away from home and leave them for a day, so before i went i gave them quite a few pellets to fatten them up a bit, maybe thats why.

[Meredyth]

Originally Posted by daniellog

I had to go away from home and leave them for a day, so before i went i gave them quite a few pellets to fatten them up a bit, maybe thats why.

I hope that's what it is. One VERY well fed axolotl.

[Dan]

He is a greedy one usually, he didn't eat any pellets last night though.

[Dan]

Ok update, just fed them, boba didn't eat anything and he's just sat under the drift wood gulping an awful lot. What do I do?

[Dan]

Another update, after speaking to Mel I decided to put him in the fridge. Checked on him this morning and there was quite a bit of white stuff that he has passes, looks like fungus or something. I'll take a picture when I get home tonight but i have just left him in the fridge for now.

[Julia]

I would definitely have him in the fridge, however passing white stuff, plus the red patch makes me wonder if this is a bacterial infection. Are you sure he is male ? and what sex is the tank mate ?.

[Dan]

I'm not sure, they are still not that old really, his backend is swollen up though. Vet is out of the question really, no one here will know what to do and I really don't have the money.

[Meredyth]

Oh no I hope he pulls through this one.

I've been searching off and on all day for what could be causing it (there really isn't much out there about axolotl diseases)
this is the only reference I could find to red patches on any part of axies from axolotl.org

Aeromonas hydrophila, one of the "red leg" bacteria, is one the most common diseases that axolotls can suffer. It is septicemic, i.e. it can be widespread in the body because it is carried by the blood. Common symptoms are red patches on the limbs and parts of the body. Other bacteria such as Proteus, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Mima, and Alcaligenes, have been found to affect axolotls. Salmonella is also known in axolotls and it is almost impossible to eliminate from effected animals as it becomes resident in the digestive tract. Treatment for most bacterial problems is best left to an expert, but the hobbyist has some means at his or her disposal. Obviously, changing the water is a good idea, but 100% Holtfreter's solution can also help to reduce bacterial numbers in the water and to aid osmo-regulation in effected animals. Antibiotics can be used in axolotls and the the most reliable form of antibiotic delivery is by injection, but this should usually be left to an expert.

It says ONE of the "Red leg" bacteria so maybe there are others as well but it seems it's a vet deal
Hoping it's not that

[Dan]

Thanks for the info! I think mostly that he is constipated, or that's only what I can put it down to looking at the sick pictures. I'll see what his condition is when i get back, I'll probably put him in the tank again and see how he is.