Question: One Axie behaving very strangely....help!

Hi All,
We have 3 Axolotls. One of them has been acting increasingly strange over the last couple of weeks. She had really large fluffy gills, now they are not so exuberant. Her fin (clearer) part of the tail seems to be getting thinner and every time we do partial water changes she tries to climb out of the water on anything above the water level - it is quite distressing and also quite funny at the same time! She also spends a great deal of time "floating" with the tip of her head above water level. She is eating well, (quite round and healthy) and would perhaps be 12 months old. All PH, Nitirite, Nitrate, Amonia, Temp OK. Other 2 axies are not behaving any different to normal, spend most of the time on the bottom. I am getting worried that we may be starting to experience a "morph". I know this is extremely rare, so if anyone has any opinion as to what else may be happening, please help

As an immediate precaution, add some sort of flat platform right at the water level. If she is morphing, she may drown if she does not have something to climb out on. (Also be sure that the tank is escape-proof, as a morphing sal can climb!) The platform could be a flat rock on top of bricks, or a floating turtle dock, or something else.

As for other reasons for her changes, illness and water quality problems can cause some of these symptoms too. From what you've said, we can probably rule out water quality problems. Any evidence of fungus or abnormal redness on her body?

No, nothing unusual on her body at all except the shrinking gills and paddle. We had one young one die earlier this year from heat stress & a fungal infection, so we know the signs. We do have another tank and lots of extra stuff, so I think we may transfer her into there for a little while with a climb out space just in case. I hope this is NOT happening........I like my axies! If the other 2 were acting stressed I could assume there was something wrong with the parameters, but no changes at all.
What about a bacterial infection? Can that infect just one? How do you diagnose these?

Re: One Axie behaving very strangely....help! Things are bad!

OK we were preparing to move her and now things have taken a turn for the worse. She is a leucistic and has gone quite pink and her gills have gone pale. Has stopped floating and she is quite lifeless.......
Have put her straight in the fridge.....no signs of fungal infection, what is going on here?

Re: One Axie behaving very strangely....help! Things are bad!

How is she now? Have you seen any movement or gill movement? Im sure you are aware that they do change colour when inactive especially the gills, they will go very pale. Can she raise her head above the water you have in the container she is in?

Just made my husband look because I am too scared to. She is still lifeless, no movement.
Yes, water is shallow enough to get her head out if needed. Can't even tell if she is alive How can you tell to be sure? The one we lost ages ago you could tell he was dead. This is horrible.

Have you tried touching her to see if she squirms? Can you see any mouth movement, gulping perhaps?
I know you're thinking the worst, I'm wondering if she has drowned. The coldness of the fridge may cause her to move about less, she may just be in a resting state.

Tried touching her, totally unresponsive. No mouth movement........nothing.

Have just been reading some old posts as I am unsure how to tell a dead axolotl having never seen one, apparently these are some of the signs.
An axolotl that has died has it's mouth partially open, back legs tend to hang in and backwards towards the tail as opposed to out the side. No flickering gills and no flicker of the eyes.

You might also notice a sort of greyish film begin to develop over the skin as the hours pass.

I am sorry, I hope I'm wrong and it will be ok.

Thank you Becky, will check again in a couple of hours and keep you posted.

She didn't make it Frustrating because I have no idea what happened there......

She may have drowned unfortunately. It does sound as though you may have had a morphing axolotl.
I'm sorry she didn't make it.

Your axi did sound like it was morphing bless it, sorry to here of your loss shes gone to heaven now with the other axis.