Fungus/bacterial in fection has spread!

stipe · Jan 9, 2006

Ok you know how my axolotls left eye was infected, now here right eye is two. exactly the same. Rheanm, Joan, Ed, a little help please would be really appriciated.

stipe · Jan 9, 2006

Sorry i ment Rheann.

Btw theres a no way chance of me getting her in the fridge. WIll it spread and im using melafix now and i dont think its working, HELP!.

sharn · Jan 9, 2006

well because your in aussie the fungus is just going to keep spreading because of the heat unless you get the tank down to a steady 10C or so to slow it down.

if you want to slow it down long enough for the meds to help your axie you have to put it in the fridge or get the eskie out.... why cant you put it in the fridge? what about the neighbours fridge? (i have fishy neighbours so they would let me lol)

im not sure if theres a fungus that just attacks eyes, its wierd it hasnt affected anywhere else... maybe because eyes are more sensitive?

stipe · Jan 9, 2006

I dont know my mum doesnt want it in the fridge and then when i do if my dad finds out he'll keep goin on for days how i wanted a pet and couldn't take care of it and he wont shut up, so ye. I love my parents though but sometimes they do get frustrating. Dont get me wrong i'll rather take my dads ranting then not put her in the fridge but i just cant. And sorry i dont even know my nieghbours, lol.

It started with a misty fog over one eye then grew to a lump like a tip of a spermathore and then did the same to the other eye. There is no wound so its not damaged. I think shes blind now, has no idea where she is goin. I feel so sorry for her.

I just did a 60% water change just in case (as you know i havnt done a change in a long time) and i added stress coat/declorinator, has aloa verer (have no idea how to spell it).

Heres a pic of what it looks like.

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Oh ye in the pic it says the tip is white but thats changed now to a shade of gray.

(Message edited by stipe on January 09, 2006)

sharn · Jan 9, 2006

keep up with the water changes (think i said that in another post), clean water will help her heal.

tell you parents that in order to look after your pet properly you have to put it in the fridge.... if you had a dog and it got sick would they want to leave it that way and not have you take it to the vet? pets get sick, theres nothing you can do about it.

stipe · Jan 9, 2006

Yeh i jaut told them that, using the same thing yo jsut mentioned. SHe goes she might consider it, hmmm....She goes she hates the mess i make with the water changes and etc. SHes already fed up with the mess i make taking care of my tadpoles and guppy fry. I'll jsut put her in and wont worry what she thinks.

Sharn can you go through the process of putting them in the fridge, like how big should the cotainer be, how much to feed, how to do water changes (should i put a bottle of declorinated water in the fridge so the water is the same temp when i do water changes) also whats the min temp i can have her in, and all those types of questions.

Thanks, stipe

sharn · Jan 9, 2006

container: big enough to lie straight, with no sharp bits
food: offer when you do water changes, wont eat as much in there though
water changes: keep enough water in the fridge to do full water changes without using any extra from the tap etc. dechlorinate as you fill them.
min temp: around 5C

also helps to wrap the container in a towel so the light doesnt startle them and temp doesnt fluctuate too much from opening/closing

stipe · Jan 9, 2006

So full water changes not partial? and should i use the water in my tank adn cool that in bottles as it'll already ahve the medicine in it or should i add medicine straight to the actual container.

alex · Jan 9, 2006

full water changes.

use fresh water from the tap and have that refrigerated.

i dont think medicine will be neccesary stipe. i would just give salt baths and keep him in the fridge till the fungus clears up.

alex · Jan 9, 2006

dechlorinated water of course

stipe · Jan 9, 2006

ok, thats all i needed to know., thanks.

stipe · Jan 9, 2006

Um...the fridge idea is off, i think. My mum would let but she wont let the fridge temprature go above 4 degrease or else the milk and eggs would go stay'll, so its 4 degress or stay in a 25 tank.

WOuld a bigger tank mean lower water temp, because of the more water and bigger surface area?.

edward · Jan 9, 2006

snip "well because your in aussie the fungus is just going to keep spreading because of the heat unless you get the tank down to a steady 10C or so to slow it down."

Actually most aquatic pathnogenic fugal infections have optimal growth in cooler temperatures as opposed to warmer temperatures. If the aquatic animal will take the temperatures one of the cures is to warm the tank above 80 F (not recommended for axolotls or other caudates but as an FYI).

Stipe, I think these growths need a look under the microscope to determine the actual cause. Wounds to eyes are often not visible unless special dyes are used under a UV light so the fact that you do not see anything doesn't mean that the axolotl did not damage both eyes.

I am not a vet and could be very wrong but this presentation doesn't sound like a primary fungal or bacterial infection. It sounds (to me) like a infection secondary to another cause...

Ed

stipe · Jan 10, 2006

Guys since i couldnt use the fridge i got 10 2l bottles and cycled them around in the tank adn now the tank is at a steady 16 degrese C.

Ed- I heard that parasites and other pathogens die with i sudden tamp change wether it be hot or cold. They can adapt to different climates though as they are onyl single cell organisms unliek us who take millions of years to adapt.
I think the cold water as you said slow it down.

WHat i ment is that i can not see no physical damage, eg punctures or scratches. The thing that makes me think it is not is becasue after the first eye i took out all rocks/decorations and the other eye still got affected.

So water is at 16 degres C and they're on melafix for a week. Further advice needed, thanks.

Ps. When i add melafix and swirl the water around it gets soapy, i mean like bubbles appear similar to soap. There is no way soap got in the tank, it always have a lid and i wipe down all stuff befor they go in the tank ( i have special cloth just for the tank). Any ideas, or is it normal to melafix.

sharn · Jan 10, 2006

its normal, dont worry.

ed i have another question too! since fungus happens most to axies in warmer temps wouldnt it prefer warmer water? this is just my logic, if you could please explain itd be much appreciated (your like a book! you know everything!)

joan · Jan 10, 2006

Sharn, there are different species of fungus that infect axolotls. Species such as Chytrid and Saprosomething or other prefer cool water. Fungus happens to infect axolotls more in warmer water because the axolotls are stressed and are more suseptible to disease.

rheann · Jan 10, 2006

Ok, Sorry I don't have time right now to read all through the posts, so sorry if I am repeating anything.

Stipe, find some room in the fridge, keep them in there until the infection clears up. Give them salt baths every day. You will need to clean your tank out, full water change. Since you are setting up your new tank, I don't think tearing down your old one right now would be too much of a hassel.

But your axolotls will need to get into the fridge.

Also, if the infection insists on remaining after a week or so of being in the fridge, you will probably have to take your axolotls into the vet and get them an antibiotic. Your axolotl may permenantly loose her eye site if the infection gets any worse.

If you can't get your axolotls into the fridge, see if you can find a food and soda cooler, a large one. Pack in some ice and also some saw dust if you can get it and put a smaller container inside of that and put your axolotls in it. Whem my mom was younger she had an ice and sawdust house that they used during the summer. The sawdust kept the ice from melting.

If all else fails, find the vet.

Good luck Stipe

Let us know how things are.

mouse · Jan 10, 2006

stipe said:
Ps. When i add melafix and swirl the water around it gets soapy, i mean like bubbles appear similar to soap. There is no way soap got in the tank, it always have a lid and i wipe down all stuff befor they go in the tank ( i have special cloth just for the tank). Any ideas, or is it normal to melafix.

Thats normal for melafix. I use it a lot with my fish & bubbles etc are very common

lynn · Jan 10, 2006

Hi.... I have a very sick axi but my lfs told me not to give it salt baths but to use myxazin which doesn't seem to be helping...... So i might give the salt baths a try.... What sort of salt are we talking about i.e marine salt??
Any help would be very appreciated
Lynn

joan · Jan 10, 2006

Lynn, yes, marine salt or special salts used for baths such as Holtfreters solution or ones you might find in your LFS. There's an article on http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/salt.shtml

Rheann, antibiotics don't cure fungus. Antibiotics cure bacterial problems.

Fungus/bacterial in fection has spread!

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