Axolotl floating head up

[kuphie]

I took in some little axolotls from a pet shop knowing they might be sick, but it seems to be worse then i thought. The tank did have gravel which the two goldens have been pooping out. Those two are eating some tubifex worms but not as much as i would like. The white albino is in a bad way tho. I noticed it swam funny at the shop, but when i got it home things changed. This little one can't seem to keep it's head down and it's always belly facing up. Obviously it's stressed and can't right itself to eat properly. This doesn't look like floating from impaction to me, which is usually tail up, head down, so I'm searching for other answers. I tested the water from the pet shop for PH 7.5, nitrites 0, but nothing else do to lack of test equipment. my water tests the same PH and nitrites.

i have since lowered the water so it can touch the bottom and somewhat flip back over. The next step is fridge and possibly salt baths. I feel as if I'm missing something tho.

[Chris]

From what I have picked up from this forum, salt baths are really only for fungal infections and flesh wounds.

any sort of floating could be due to impaction, fringing is the best method, they usually poop within the first day or two.

I'm suspecting impaction with my axie too, but he lives in a bare bottom tank, and has not lost his appetite and is still as active as ever, and is not floating at all.

I have not seen any "mess" from him in about a week, despite his ferocious appetite.

[daremo]

salt baths are indeed for fungus and I don't think they would help in this case

if you don't see the mess is probably because its already dispersed, their poop is like dirt and dissolves very fast... and also, I found that my adult golden poops every week or 10 days and it's normal... I don't think your axie is impacted.

for the floating axie, that looks very bad :'(
I really don't know what to suggest, is he eating at all?

[kuphie]

Yeah, I know salt baths won't help with the floating but I thought it couldn't hurt to do it a couple times just prophylactically. The tank they were in was 3 inches or more thick with dirty substrate. You know when it hasn't been gravel vacuumed because you can count the sediment layers. It looked like a breeding ground for all kinds of things.

When I first brought it home a couple days ago it was not floating and tried to eat but spit most if not all back out. Since then it hasn't eaten. I tried to use an eye dropper to see if it would still eat even tho it's floating up but it's too stressed to snap at the food. I know it is pooping because the water it very dirty everyday. It seems as if something in the upper chest is the cause of the floating. The chest looks like it might have mild swelling now. I'm wondering what I could be overlooking.

[daremo]

sorry, I really don't know what could it be :'(

maybe you can consult with a vet? he seems to be having a hard time poor little axie...

[kuphie]

I don't have a vet that i trust enough with my amphibians. When i state that i work in the vet industry they usually openly admit they know nothing of axolotls. Most just pretend anyways, it's a sad truth. So i end up a little on my own.

Anyways, I think i fixed her on my own. She had been floating head up for about 5 days. Only eating a couple small frozen bloodworms once or twice.

I put api aquarium salt in the tank with api general cure, active ingredients: metronidazole and praziquantel. I was assuming this was a possible G.I. infection. I use metro with prazi on dogs and cats all the time for strange intestinal infections caused by anaerobic bacteria, protozoa, flukes or worms. 24 hours later, i woke up and she's not floating. Now she just needs to gain some weight like siblings ans we are in the clear. I am now treating all for infection prophylactically.

[Zoe]

wow good for you will keep fingers crossed she stays the right way up, she looks much happier

[daremo]

great news!!

your axies are really very very cute

[kuphie]

48 hrs since first dose of medication. she is eating like a pig and still at the bottom like she should be. No more swimming sideways in circles and floating upside down.

I went ahead and put the second dose in like the directions said. I'm so glad this is over. she already looks well rounded with a belly full of food after 72 hrs. I'm glad i took a chance and rescued this little one from the pet store. they encouraged me not to buy her, saying she had been sick for a while and would probably die.

[Kelpie]

What a cutie :) Good info, so glad she made such a nice recovery!

[kuphie]

Just thought I'd post a picture of "pearl" eating. She can now have a name since i know she will not die. This axie sure was lucky to turn around as fast as she did. I truly think this little one was going septic and dying. Erratically swimming sideways in circles and floating with her head at the surface of the water for days to COMPLETELY NORMAL in 24 hours time after metro/prazi.

It must have been that lucky 7th mini gill branch. i couldn't be more tickled with joy to have this special axie.

[axolotlfriend]

nice to see a success story.

shes lucky to have you

[mewsie]

Aww, I love the minigill!

Well done Kuphie, she certainly lucked out being spotted by you :)

[Zoe]

seriously good job she looks happy

[Dolores]

She looks great and happy to be back on her feet :) Luckily you bought her.