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Need help, she stoped eating

Mackiot

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I have some conflicting updates on my axolotl. If you have seen my past threads, you may have known about the odd bumps that have covered my axi for a few months now. (Here they are if you want to look)

https://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=111170

https://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=111426

I have taken her to a vet, given her salt baths, I have her in a quarantine tub with daily water changes. The vet knew it was something bacterial, but he could not figure out what it was himself, and suggested on taking her to a specialist that is a minimum 3-4 hour drive, which i cannot afford, and i do not want to stress her out on the trip there and back and cause more harm than good.

I think I figured out what caused whatever she has. It was a stupid mistake and I feel terrible for it. A couple weeks before I noticed she started getting her first bump I had bought an aquatic plant, because I wanted to see if I can try a planted tank, because I hear it helps keep the water cleaner and fresher. I bought a single live plant, mainly to see if she would leave it alone or tear it up(she destroyed it in less than a day). But I only quarenteened it for a few days. I was too eager to add it to the tank, and I messed up. While it's not for sure that's what caused them, I'm very positive that's what did it.

For the longest time she would still eat and she acted just fine. However, I have not been able to get her to eat in the past week. No luck whatsoever, she has shown no interest. However, three days ago I started adding Meliflex to her water, (literally just a drop, she is in just over a gallon of water)(i also thought about primafix but there was a lot more negativity behind that product being used for axolotls from what i could find) and miraculously there has been a huge improvement. The bumps are starting to shrink and disappear already. I can physically look at her and see the improvement to her skin. I would be so happy right now, but I still have not been able to get her to eat. That's the main reason I started Meliflex, I have heard so many mixed results with it, but at this point it's a last resort for me.

Does anyone have any tips on getting her interested in food again? Her main diet right now is pellets because its much easier for me to keep the tub clean for her, and they are small and easy to break up into smaller bits she can easily swallow, but at this point I'm willing to try anything to get her interested. Even cut up I don't think earth worms would be a good idea because how big they can get, would blood worms be ok? Just something small She could suck right up? I'm really not too sure anymore, I feel terrible about the whole thing.
 

Hayleyy

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It's great that you're seeing progress!
When feeding anything other than worms or pellets I move my axie into another container (or use a feeding jar) so that may be worth trying as it makes clean up so much easier. Bloodworms are a great idea to try and get her appetite back, just defrost them in a bit of water. I'm not sure if they make them where you live but I also get frozen axolotl food cubes, Bucky goes crazy for them. If you have earthworms give them a try cut up, it's surprising how easily they can eat them even when they are big.
 
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