Illness/Sickness: Is my Axy as happy?

Hi Everyone! Love reading all your Axy stories and queries.
What a Fantastic resource Caudata Org is! Thank You!
I have come to this page as i have had my Axy 'tiki' for a couple of years now, amd although she looks happy, she hasnt ever reall grown her red gills and she also has some growths on her. I have read thats its lack of oxygen, so i have modified her tank with more, but still no difference. Is she ok? What can i do?
She eats dried bloodworms every second day and occasionally frozen community food.
She seems so happy, but i do worry about her gills and growths??
I have attached a photo..
Hopefully you smart Axy peeps have some answers.
I live on the Gold Coast and its hard to find any Axy guru's here
Thanks so much in advance!
Tamara

Welcome to the forum!

To be able to help further we will need to know more about your setup.

Do you check your tank for levels of ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and PH?

Do you know if your tank is cycled?

Do you keep anything else in the tank with your Axolotl ?

What temperature is your water?

What do you mean by frozen community food?

You should feed your Axolotl a more varied diet to give the right nutrients such as worms (night crawlers, lobes) or certain pellets contain the correct nutrients.

The picture you attached does seem to show black marks which don't look normal especially with the build up over and around the cloaca. Your Axolotl is a luecistic and this type can develop dark dots/freckles on their faces and bodies but your image does not quite resemble this. I'm struggling to find other cases that are similar to your image, but this image I found seems to be a close resemblance: http://www.caudata.org/forum/attachments/f46-beginner-newt-salamander-axolotl-help-topics/f48-axolotls-ambystoma-mexicanum/f58-sick-axolotl/33022d1379711724-my-axolotl-has-black-stuff-all-over-here-please-help-frangipane2blackness.jpg

The appearance of the gills and the noticeable veins on the head are most likely due to poor water quality. You will need to review some husbandry information and correct your axolotl's environment.

The black segments and abnormal lumps around the cloaca looks to be a parasitic or bacterial infection. This has shown up on the forums before and it isn't something that can be easily corrected at home and will continue to progress. You will want to consult the expertise of an exotics vet for a diagnosis and treatment plan.

Ok. Thanks so much. I will take some water to my local pet shop asap and get it tested. Unfortunately we do not have an exotic vet here on the gold coast that i know of. :-( I have searched for one
Can i buy a parasite treatment? I will also look into testing the water myself regularly.. i will also try and introduce more variety in food. Tiki just seems to outright ignore anything else i give her! Any suggestions on that?
Thank you again for your help., I'll keep you posted..
Tamara

Don't use any parasite treatments unless you know what your treating first.

To learn about cycling your tank and water quality read these:
Caudata Culture Articles - Water Quality
Caudata Culture Articles - Cycling

You must check your water and make sure your tank is cycled or you could kill your Axolotl with Ammonia and Nitrites as they are highly toxic.

Get the API Freshwater Master Kit - great test kit