Illness/Sickness: Wrinkled arms and white spots,

Hello guys,

That's several days that I noticed Pilku got her arms and legs skin kinda wrinkled. Big wrinkles. The hands are normal.
She also got white spots on the skin of her cheeks, under her mouth, on the knees.

3 days ago I found her waking up with her left leg totally turned up, foot to the sky but still moving. She swims very odd because of that.

Her tail and back legs are also floating up.

She hasn't any tank mate and all water is fine (except the city's water troubles reported previously), she eats normally and poops. Her gills are normal and red.

Please help if you can!

Thank you a lot in advance.

Pictures of Pilku's position nowadays, cheek's white spots (they are same in both sides, appeared a week ago), and turned up leg =/
Couldn't really take a close up of the wrinkled upper parts of the arms.

I wonder if the white spots have anything to do with the water troubles that you had last week? I did notice that Axle (I know not very original) my axolotl did get wrinkly legs especially where they met the body as he matured a little more.

They are not like fungus looking spots, are just part of the skin color, like bleached. The water should be normal again from the lab's words but maybe something intoxicated her?

Pilku is around a year old, is that old enough to get grand-ma arms?

PS: Axle is a cute name! I almost called Pilku, Axelrose but apparently she's a female so doesn't fit!

That's funny, because I have two wild color axies and once I figure out who is a girl her name will be Rose. And the other one is still a mystery depending on boy or girl. But I was thinking that maybe she did get bleached or chemically burnt before.

Here is what i suggest.

1 - Test your water parameters in your tank and from your tap. Let me know what the parameters are.

2 - If you use a filter, put in activated carbon and zeolite granules. This would remove any toxins or organic debris in the water as well as counter any sudden ammonia spikes.

2 - If you use a good dechlorinator, it might be a good idea to put an additional half dose/water volume in your water. Use one that can detoxify heavy metals.

Sometimes when the water pipe line has been worked upon, some heavy metals and other contaminant can enter the water supply. The amount is normally insignificant to cause harm to humans but axies are more sensitive and can react to them.

Based on the photos, the axie don't look too bad. Sudden change in skin texture (wrinkly,flaky, spotty) as well as unusual posturing/stance/ position of limbs could indicate toxicity.

By using the activated carbon and zeolite granules coupled with detoxifying heavy metals, it eradicates a lot of possible toxin types.

You can also always put axie in the fridge and monitor.

Another common cause of this unusual posturing is constipation/impaction. In this case, you might like to fridge the axie for a week and see if it passes out any offending material. Constipation and impaction can also pinch the nerves around the hindlimb and cause the unusual positioning.

Thank you very much Darkmaverick for so professional answer, it feels so good to get some help!


Freshly checked water results:

-Tank: Nitrates 25
Nitrites 0
GH >6°d
KH 3°d
PH 6.8

-Tap: Nitrates 10
Nitrites 0
GH >6°g
KH 3°d
PH 6.8

I use a dechlorinator which neutralises aggressive chlorine, binds toxic heavy metals (copper, lead), adds natural bioactive ingredients. The complete care complex inside it valuables colloids and aloe vera protects gills and mucous membranes, Dexpanthenol helps to heal minor injuries, active iodine ensures healthy thyrioid glands, vitamin B complex protects from stress and immune stimulators boost resistance to infection.
The shop who sold it reccomended it and assured it's safe for axolotls.

I'll buy the activated carbon and zeolite granules monday and let you know how it goes.
Would these be enough to eradicate toxins also from her body?

She's quite fine, moves a lot today, and pooped yesterday so no impaction.

Hi,

What type of test kit do you use? Is it a solution type or a dip stick type?

Does it test for ammonia? The top three most important parameters to test for are ammonia, nitrites and nitrates.

The carbonate hardness (KH) measures dissolved bicarbonate and carbonate ions. These ions determine the buffering capacity and thus determines how stable the water pH is. KH of 70ppm or less tends to be more prone to pH fluctuations and crashes. General hardness on the other hand (GH) takes into measurement calcium and magnesium ions and have no bearing on ph.

At 3 degrees, there is about 30 ppm for KH you got there which is actually on the soft side. Your general hardness is about 100ppm (6 degrees), which is still moderately soft. Although axies prefer and do better in hard water, in most instances there is no necessity to adjust KH or GH. In your case however, it might be a good idea to increase the hardness a bit by adding freshwater aquarium salts. Most commercial preparations will increase hardness by 120ppm per flat level teaspoon (5g)/10L. Another good idea is to use a bit of calcium carbonate (crushed shells) by putting them into a small stocking and then placing in your tank. It will raise the pH and increase the buffering capacity as well.

The dechlorinator you are using is a bit fancy. Aim for those that removes chlorine, chloramines, binds heavy metals and detoxify ammonia only. The other compounds in your current dechlorinator may not be appropriate for axies. Dexpanthenol is basically just a precursor to vitamin B5. Although vitamins have a role with wound healing. They only exert their effect when its in the axies bloodstream (via food, medication, injections). A bath in vitamins does not deliver the vitamins in effective concentration into the bloodstream. I really believe a lot of the 'special formulation' are a marketing gimmick and are catered more for fish than axies. The presence of 'active iodine' is a worrying as well. Supplementary iodine is very rarely indicated and has to be used with caution with axies.

Activated carbon and zeolite only removes toxins and ammonia from the water only.

Thank you again Darkmaverick for all these precious explanations!

I use a dip stick type test kit since the solution ones are damn expensive in Finland, I could probably get one but not more!
I'll check abroad or online as soon as possible.

The calcium carbonate and crushed shells you wrote about, are eggs shells alright?

Unfortunately I didn't find any not fancy dechlorinator, they all contain lot's of extra stuffs which is rather normal in a country obsessed by technology. Maybe the activated iodine did bad to Pilku?

I just found activated carbon that I placed in a well washed stocking and this little pocket between the two layers of foam of my filter. Hope it is ok like this?
Zeolite can't be found in Finland, so I'll have to order.

Pilku is better since sunday. Her tail is back down, her leg is in a better position but not totally back in initial place. She eats normally, poops and swim around. Still have white spots on the cheeks and some limbs but it didn't get bigger.
Is she really a her btw?

Greetings from the getting very cold Finland.

Dip stick test kits are very inaccurate. Its more worthwhile investing in a solution one over the long run. You can stagger your acquisition. The ammonia and nitrite ones are the most important to acquire. Thereafter you can get nitrates. Any other tests are a luxury.

You may use crushed sea shells and some aquarium stock them in granule form as well.

There is a possibility that the other 'fancy compounds' in the dechlorinator adversely affected your axie. Do continue scouting around for basic ones.

Yes the activated carbon foam works fine.

Its good that your axie is on the mend.

Seems like most of what's needed isn't possible to find in Finland, gotta check online for solutions that sells abroad (even trout/salmon pellets aren't sold in shops!).

Pilku has now a huge white bubble looking on her left side. She swims very oddly and her tail is up again. Her both back legs are in an strange position.
She's in a bucket temp 13° at the moment, hope this will help in case of impaction.

Pic of the white belly:

She's in the fridge now, 7°.

Couldn't find any amonia test kit in any of the shops I checked today (wtf?), neither crushed shells.
Starts to be annoying that there's nothing!!

Please help! I love her too much to let her go!

I would leave Pilku in the fridge for now and while she is in there you can do daily 10% water changes on your tank water. If there is a problem with the levels of your water (ammonia, nitrate etc) this will help to rectify it.

Her belly doesn't look too bad to me, perhaps someone else will have more ideas.

Does the bubble feel solid, gas or liquid?

Solid - Impaction (probably need surgery)
Gas - Maybe gas bubble disease
Liquid - Peritonitis/Ascites - Fluid buildup in belly - need vet to aspirate it out with needle

Nontheless fridging is a must.

Thank you both for answer.

The bubble isn't too big and is whitish. It makes her back legs not being in proper position.
It could be gas or liquid, or poo..

She's moving in her fridge box, hasn't poop yet.

What to do if it's gas disease?
Can a housing conditions change affect an axolotl that way (she was kept at 26 degrees and fed meal worms and insects pet shop)?

High temperatures and poor diet can definately affect an axolotl that way.

The ideal temperature is no higher than 20 degrees and 16-18 the absolute best to aim for.

The diet should either be axolotl pellets or earthworms, or a combination of these, with occasional treats of other suitable foods.

Yes, and that's how it was in the shop where she comes from but since she's here she has a 17° water and is fed earthworms, occasionaly fish or shrimp stripes. She'll get pellets after Christmas!

Hopefully she'll soon be on the mend then with you providing her what she needs.

Little update after Pilku spent over a week in the fridge. She ate and pooped there.
I've put her to the new tank yesterday evening and she seems very fine! Her leg is back down and the white spots haven't grown bigger. The white bump disappeared.

Right now she's exploring the new tank and she looks extremely small in such a space!

Thank you for your help Darkmaverick and Kerry!