Question: Fungal Infection!

[Dinky!]

Hi all,

I've had to fridge my big girl as once again, I'm having problems with her.

I thought as soon as I saw the yucky cotton wool like substance on her gills she had fungus and used the fantastic info on caudata to confirm my diagnoses. I fridged her straight away and have been giving her salt baths, again, using directions from the forum. Her gills seem to look much better and there's certainly a decrease in fungus so hopefully shes on the mend.

Prior to this I was having trouble getting her to eat and her abdomen was incredibly swollen. I asked for advice and was told she was either gravid (no larvae so I doubt its that!), had an impaction or was suffering from bloat. I invested in a brand new air pump (the old one was getting a bit well...old) and the swelling seemed to go down.
Now that shes fridged she's still eating very little, if at all, and today it seems like shes trying to be sick or regurgitate something causing me to think maybe she does have an impaction or is constipated. I haven't seen her go to the toilet since being in the fridge.

She has a male tankmate who is in perfect health; looks wonderfully healthy, eats well etc, but I just keep getting problems with her.

I was just wondering if there's anything else I can do to help or if I'm doing anything wrong? This is my first time trying to treat anything like this...

[Kaysie]

It sounds like you have a good grasp on things! You're well informed and are taking all the right steps.

Best of luck!

[Dinky!]

Update:

It's now day 4 of fridging and my girls fungus has unfortunately gotten bad again - is it usual for the fungus to get worse before it gets better? She's still having her salt baths and I found this whilst out shopping today:
http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/aquariu...source=message

Obviously, It says it's for fish but it got me thinking. I didn't buy it as I wanted another opinion first. Do you think it could help the healing process or do damage, or in fact nothing at all? Is it best just to keep giving her the salt baths and hope the fungus goes away?

[Josh]

Most fish medicines are actually harmful to salamanders including axolotls. I would keep up with the salt baths, and maybe do them twice a day, or increase the salt or leave her in the bath for longer. Just something to gently increase the strength of the salt bath.

Just don't over do it. The best of luck to you!

[Dinky!]

Ah thanks for letting me know, like I said I wasn't 100% sure hence why I didn't buy it. Glad I know that its a definate no-no for future reference! I've been giving her salt baths every 12 hours (basically twice a day) for 10 minutes in 2 tea spoons of salt to a litre of de-chlorinated water and of course cleaning out her fridge bowl once daily.

[Staci]

Sounds like you are doing everything right to me. I found this page really useful when I was worried about my axie developing an infection from a tail fin injury: Axolotls - Health & Diseases

At the bottom is a list of unsafe/safe products for axolotl use. Have to be really careful about using medications and the dosage is usually less than for reptiles or fish. Honestly I'd go with jdlqh8's advice and strengthen the salt baths a little.

Best of luck to you and your little one(s)!

[fried_green_axolotls]

Originally Posted by jdlqh8

Most fish medicines are actually harmful to salamanders including axolotls. I would keep up with the salt baths, and maybe do them twice a day, or increase the salt or leave her in the bath for longer. Just something to gently increase the strength of the salt bath.

Just don't over do it. The best of luck to you!

What do you base that on?

[Kaysie]

It's based on science. Amphibians are not fish, and with their lack of scales semi-permeable skin, fish medicine can kill them. That's like recommending human medicine for birds, or lizards, or whatever.