What's the deal with Tea Baths?

Hello everyone!

I'm a member of an axolotl enthusiast group on Facebook. In that group, its very similar to here as people will post questions and concerns about their axolotl. It seems like every time someone has a problem with an axolotl, on Facebook, the whole group recommend tea baths. When I recommended a salt bath (with citation to this forum!) I was actually chastised because salt will sting the axolotl. This is completely contrary to what I have learned (and experienced) my self. I thought tea baths were meant to regrow slime coats (or something like that) rather then treat physical damage or infection.

Are tea baths a new thing?

Disclaimer: No, I do not assume information from a Facebook group is always accurate. That's what this forum is for and I have had great success with all of the advice I have ever gotten here. It just seemed weird that many different people recommended it so confidently. Any way, Thanks everyone!

I find that people in certain groups on Facebook tend to get all of their information from other people on Facebook, and repeat it as fact. I haven't been able to find a single source that recommends tea baths, other than the following one, and only in specific circumstances, not as a cure-all:

TEA BATHS: RISKS AND BENEFITS

“Tea bath for axolotls” By Daniel Weiner (Note: The author does not recommend doing tea baths to treat fungus.)
Caudata Culture Articles - Illness Part 2
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“Skin flaking off after a short tea bath?”:
Skin flaking off after a short tea bath? - Caudata.org Newt and Salamander Forum
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“ Pesticide traces in some tea exceed allowable limits” (CBC News)
Pesticide traces in some tea exceed allowable limits - Canada - CBC News

The only time I do tea baths is for soothing skin purposes, I've now learnt not to use it to treat fungus etc.

I think the logic behind it is, if it's mild mild fungus, the twice a day or however many water changes and the cold water and the cleanliness of the water will help get rid of the fungus, the tea is perhaps just there to soothe the skin that's been attacked by the fungus.

I've only used a salt bath once and my axolotl died shortly after, so I'm not too comfortable doing salt baths. 2 of my axolotls had fungus recently and I did use tea, mainly to soothe though, whilst keeping Crystal clean water and the temperate nice and cold with lots of water changes. It cleared right up.

However I've noticed my copper is having a skin peeling issue, as I treated her for the longest. It's been weeks now and she still has flakes coming off.


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I have also noticed that most of the facebook love tea baths.

I have used tea once to treat a slime coat issue, which didn't work at all, it got worse, so I gave up and orded indian almond leaves online and added them to the tank. But for fungus I have always done mild salt baths and found they worked really quickly and effectively.

Personally i have used tea baths with good results. Though i only use it for treatments of the skin, such as any irritation or problems with the slime coat. I am also in favor of Indian Almond leaf forsimilar reasons, though it is a good idea to keep a close eye on PH as it can soften the water greatly. - I do not like using salt at all for any reason. But this is just my personal preference. I have found that cool clean water and plenty of food more often then not can cure just about anything with these guys.

I have an axolotl that has developed white patches, all the others are albino or pink, so I cannot tell if they are effected. I have 4 juvies in this tank temporarily. 20gal

But my black one seems more sluggish every day, and this morning he did not eat much.
water levels are good

he also recently lost a few toes ans the tip of his tail, a tank divider is going in today.

Would a tea bath help him?