Clear slime

Hi guys,

I am new to this forum and I am also new to the axolotl world.

Floyd moved in on Wednesday and unfortunately we listened to the pet store employee and didn’t cycle the tank first (but I obtained some filter media from an established fresh water tank and put it into my new filter).
After he arrived he threw up 3 small snails, he was gagging for another 3-4 minutes and then he seemed to be fine and explored his new home.
Yesterday morning I fed him a red wiggler and he seemed to like it. I also did a 20% water change (water parameters were: ph: 7.4, nitrite: 0 ppm, nitrate: 0 ppm, ammonia: 0 ppm, water temperature: 69 degrees).
In the evening he pooped and in his poo were 14 tiny snails (much smaller than the snails he threw up the day before). I, of course, removed everything immediately.
This morning I checked the water parameters again (pH: 7.4, nitrite: 0 ppm, nitrate: 0 ppm, ammonia: 0.25 ppm, water temperature: 68.8 degrees) so I changed 25% of the water ( I am using aged tap water and a dechlorinator.). I tried to feed him a red wiggler, but he refused.
After the water change I noticed clear slime coming out of his cloaca and it seems kinda stuck there. His cloaca doesn’t seem to be swollen, though.
He looks pretty stressed out and doesn’t move around a lot, he actually is hiding in his house the entire morning. I am wondering, if he’s digesting the snails (or snail houses) he has been eating at the store or if something else is wrong with him?

Thanks in advance for your help. I appreciate it.

I just cleaned up some of the slime that came out of his cloaca. It's basically clear and gelatinous (it's on the right side of the photo).

I have a vague recollection that such mucus is something to be concerned with, but I can't remember what it might be a symptom of. You can try searching this forum and see if you can find better info than that, while waiting for the experts to reply.

A general piece of advice is, whatever happens, don't panic. Keep your axolotl in good conditions like you are - keep up the water changes until the tank is thoroughly cycled.

If you can, drop the temperature more, by perhaps blowing a fan across the water. (If you do that. make sure the water level is low enough that he doesn't panic and jump out, or keep a mesh screen over the top.) Usually, evaporative cooling can drop a tank a couple of degrees Fahrenheit. If you have a light, keep it off as much as possible to reduce heat going in. Those temperatures aren't in the "danger" zone, but axies like it cool. (Think ahead to summer though - can you keep the tank cool then? Plan ahead for whatever your summer is like.)

LSuzuki said:

I have a vague recollection that such mucus is something to be concerned with, but I can't remember what it might be a symptom of. You can try searching this forum and see if you can find better info than that, while waiting for the experts to reply.

A general piece of advice is, whatever happens, don't panic. Keep your axolotl in good conditions like you are - keep up the water changes until the tank is thoroughly cycled.

If you can, drop the temperature more, by perhaps blowing a fan across the water. (If you do that. make sure the water level is low enough that he doesn't panic and jump out, or keep a mesh screen over the top.) Usually, evaporative cooling can drop a tank a couple of degrees Fahrenheit. If you have a light, keep it off as much as possible to reduce heat going in. Those temperatures aren't in the "danger" zone, but axies like it cool. (Think ahead to summer though - can you keep the tank cool then? Plan ahead for whatever your summer is like.)

Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply, LSuzuki. I really appreciate it. I tried to search the forum but I didn’t find anything. Perhaps I just used the wrong keywords?

I try not to panic, although I am really concerned. I’ll keep up the checks on the water parameters (using the API fresh water kit) and the daily water changes.

Do you think it’ll help to put some frozen water bottles in tank to drop the temperature or buying an air stone? What would be the ideal temperature?
For the summer time we definitely need a plan, it can get really hot in North Idaho. Perhaps an aquarium chiller would be the best plan in the long run?
The light is usually always off - if it is on, then only for a few minutes. I try to keep the room (which is the kitchen) as dark as possible.

Unfortunately "mucus" and "poop" show up in so many posts ... I was hoping I would think of a better search term overnight, but I haven't.

I'd say, just keep feeding him and keeping him in good conditions, and chances are he will be fine.

According to Axolotls - Housing in Captivity, 50-68 F is a good range of temperatures. Evaporative cooling can keep the temperature a few degrees below room temperature as long as the humidity isn't too high. (The dryer the air, the more a temperature drop you will get.) Do you have a basement? That is where I keep my axies, since it is cooler down there.

Don't bother with the ice bottles - that makes the temperature swing, and you are close enough to "OK" zone right now. They are a good emergency measure, though.

LSuzuki said:

Unfortunately "mucus" and "poop" show up in so many posts ... I was hoping I would think of a better search term overnight, but I haven't.

I'd say, just keep feeding him and keeping him in good conditions, and chances are he will be fine.

According to Axolotls - Housing in Captivity, 50-68 F is a good range of temperatures. Evaporative cooling can keep the temperature a few degrees below room temperature as long as the humidity isn't too high. (The dryer the air, the more a temperature drop you will get.) Do you have a basement? That is where I keep my axies, since it is cooler down there.

Don't bother with the ice bottles - that makes the temperature swing, and you are close enough to "OK" zone right now. They are a good emergency measure, though.

Click to expand...

I just figured out that Floyd is a girl and not a boy.
I also posted my question in a FB axolotl group and a lady suggested that Floyd is probably leaking deformed eggs due to moving stress. That sounds plausible to me.
She's fine today. No more mucus/slime is coming out of her cloaca. She ate a red wiggler this morning and I performed another 25% water change (water parameters were: pH: 7.4, ammonia: 0.25 ppm, nitrite: 0 ppm, nitrate: 0 ppm, water temperature: 68.3 degrees).

We unfortunately don't have a basement, but a good working a/c.
I'm gonna use a fan to cool the water temperature down a little right now, the air in the house usually is pretty dry.