Illness/Sickness: He/she was bitten a lot by my other Axolotl

[Marlar87]

Hello everyone

I'm so glad that i found this forum! Maybe you can help me.

I think my axolotl might be dying, or at least very sick after being bit last weekend. He/she is in isolation, so the other axolotl will not continue.

They were bought together, so they are used to each other. They were even living in the store (temporary) in about 1-2 liter aquarium.

But after 2-3 weeks my husband saw that this one was missing out 3 legs, the tip of the tail and a bit of the gills... Im very worried about the poor one now - i was told that i did all the right with it.

The first picture is from yesterday evening and the other one is a couple of days old. I see a difference, and sadly not to the good side.

I'm very new into axolotl's but i've been reading a lot.

Any suggestions on how i can help this poor one the best - even if peace is the best solution. I just want the best for it!!!
It's so skinny now and looks so small - it barely eats, but it looks like she ate some of the food i gave last night..

Hoping for good advices - the other two is living the good life (thank god), but i would love to save this baby!

>> Marie

 

[Marlar87]

A before picture (the one to the left)

As you can see - a huge difference

 

[Marlar87]

Oh well it found peace now. How sad. I was away for 2 hours and when I came back it was all red... I ended the suffering ?
Rip best ever looking axolotl!

 

[AxolotlChris]

Sorry for your loss.

To find out why he didn't make it we need some information: How long was the Axolotl missing limbs? Is your tank cycled? Do you check your water for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and PH? Do you dechlorinate your water? Do you do water changes at all? What temperature is your tanks water?

When an Axolotl has been bitten or lost limbs they need the best water quality to allow healing.

What do you mean you ended the suffering?

 

[sebguy]

I'm sorry for your loss, It's always sad when this happens

 

[Marlar87]

Well he was in isolation for a week all in all. It happened last Saturday.
The water was changed more often to give him better chances. for each water change I put water things in that I have no clue what's called in English, but to stabilize the water values. We found this place/forum too late. Nothing indicated that he had fungus or anything in his lost limbs. Maybe I should have tried to give him a go in the refrigerator as I read could help on the healing. It might be the temperature. I had a bit problems keeping it under 20 degrees Celsius as the isolation tank was only 19 litres.... I just wanted him away from the one who did this and the store that sold the axolotl to me told me it was good to keep it in isolation.

I had to give him peace manually as his gills suddenly turned all white and his body red. He had almost no powers left to try and escape. (edit: he looked like he was waiting to die ) I had felt so bad for him for days, as it only went the wrong way.... If only I had found this place earlier. A Danish place didn't know too much

 

[AxolotlChris]

Have you ever checked your water for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, and PH?

What's the name of the stabiliser you used?

When he was in isolation, how often did you change the water?

 

[Marlar87]

I use "Sera - bio nitrivec" to stabilise bio culture and remove bad things like ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. Whenever i do water change i also use "Happy-Life - Evolution" that prepares the water (removes chlor and such).

I check values now and then with a stick that turnes colors so i can check on a schema. I'm new to all this, but my husband have fishes, so the water values are pretty much the same to take care of, just axies needs a bit more cleaning

When he was in isolation i changed the water daily, 1/3 of it. I have no clue what else i could have done to be honest

 

[AxolotlChris]

I'm not sure if using a chemical to remove ammonia and nitrite is the best thing to do, as your tank should be cycled by the natural nitrogen cycle using bacteria as a biofilter. If your removing ammonia and nitrite then the bacteria can't feed off it to survive thus killing your bacterial colony's. I can see that this 'Sera - bio nitrivec' is a 'biostarter' so seems like it should be used for when 'starting' a cycle, not for adding once a tanks cycle is established. Although the use of 'biostarters' and bottled bacteria is not really advised compared to a natural cycle. Also not sure if the Happy Life Evolution is good or not, can't find any reviews on it, although I would have thought all you really need to use is a a basic dechlorinator which removes chlorine and metal toxins.

When an Axoltol is in isolation due to fungus, infection, ammonia burn, or missing limbs, the water should be changed 100% everyday with dechlorinated cool water.

When testing for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrAtes you should used a liquid test kit, as the test strips are unreliable and give false readings. I recommend this test kit: Welcome to API Fishcare: FRESHWATER MASTER TEST KIT

I had an Axolotl which had 3 limbs bitten off and he survived even after fungus began growing on the wounds.

I think if he was kept in 100% fresh dechlorinated cool water everyday he should have had a chance to recover, but its sounds like you only changed 33.3% of the water and then added various products to the water and the temperature was at 20 degrees.

I don't think killing him yourself 'manually' was needed since he may have just needed more time and the right conditions to recover.

Hopefully you'll have all the information you need for the future now.

Use these links to give you guidance in the future:
Caudata Culture Articles - Cycling
Caudata Culture Articles - Water Quality
Caudata Culture Axolotl Articles
Axolotls: The Fascinating Mexican Axolotl and the Tiger Salamander

 

[Marlar87]

Thank you very much!! It was very helpfull!
I think i'm very suited for the future and the 2 other axies (they are very fine btw)


We were both very sure that he was suffering a lot when we came home to him looking almost dead!! But in back flash, i think the fridge technique might have helped and now i know i should have removed 100% water (i thought it would stress him more than nessesary)

So thx!! I'm enlightened now - and yes with the right knowledge i might have had the chance to save him.

A danish site told me to end his life as soon as he was bitten and called it animal cruelty to let him live - that was very cruel, and i tried my best anyway - but the infos are very little in danish, so im glad i found this site! Unfortunately too late for the bitten one.


Over and out! Im more Axolotl-clever now

 

[AxolotlChris]

Well I don't know what dutch site told you to kill him just because the Axolotl lost limbs but that's awful advice.

Axolotls are blessed with the rare ability to regrow limbs, even parts of the brain, organs, and spine.

Good luck for the future!

 

[Marlar87]

回复: He/she was bitten a lot by my other Axolotl

Yea thats what i had read as the first thing too. I just wasnt sure how to help the little guy regrow the best and fastest - now i do

 

[Nienora]

FYI: In the future I would look to adopt an Axolotl from a breeder from this site or a reputable one. Many pet stores who sell axolotls receive them from breeders who keep them in heavy populated containers/aquariums which causes them to attack and eat each other. I noticed it from the picture you posted of your two axolotls above. The one on the right has altered head development most likely due to eating other axolotls. You can also tell from the gills of the one on the right that they have been regrown, considering they are much less "fluffy" than the one on the left. A nip here and there is not uncommon, but the extent of injury sustained to your poor axolotl shows the other to have predatory tendencies. I would not recommend housing it with others in the future, you may find it happening again!

You have come to the right place here for all your axolotl's needs. Best of luck to you in the future.

 

[bingfisk]

For future references Marlar, always do your crisis search in english, as danish sites have failed to inform, at least me, 99,9% of the time.

BTW: it's good to finally see another dane in here

 

[AxolotlChris]

The one on the right has altered head development most likely due to eating other axolotls. You can also tell from the gills of the one on the right that they have been regrown, considering they are much less "fluffy" than the one on the left. the extent of injury sustained to your poor axolotl shows the other to have predatory tendencies. I would not recommend housing it with others in the future, you may find it happening again

All Axolotls have predatory tendencies its inevitable, all you can do is keep them well fed to stop them being tempted to nip at each other and they also gradually become aware of their tank mates. I know a lot of keepers that keep up to 6 in a tank without issue.

Seems quite speculative to say it has altered head development, and that all its gills have been regrown due to being bitten off. Water quality would be more likely to affect the gills if anything. Also nutrition affects the growth of fimbriae.

Marlar, are your Axolotls doing okay being in the same tank together now?