Axolotl on the mend?

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Melanie6

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Hi everyone,

I am just after some advice. My water parameters are within normal limits.

I have been keeping axolotls for some time now and have had my first real dilemma. Suddenly my 18 month old axolotl was floating on top of the tank with a bloated abdomen. I have commenced fridging which did not help alone so took it to the vet. The vet withdrew 20ml of gas and took an xray which showed gas in the peritoneum but not in any organs. There was some gas in its rectal area. I have been giving it Gentamycin baths and injecting it with Baytril daily and will complete the 7 day course on Monday.

All is looking well at the moment except that it has not eaten for at least a week and I have tried a few different types of food but it has not wanted it. I have decided to stop fridging to try to encourage it to eat again. Also with really young axolotls, what is the normal frequency for feeding? The young axolotl has refused food for over a week now too. Is there any ffod that axololts simply can't resist?

Any help is much appreciated:happy:.
 
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Hi,

I wouldn't worry too much about your sick axolotl not eating, just follow what the vet has told you to do, but keep trying.
As for your young axolotl, how young are you meaning? I have a 2 month axolotl who usually eats up to 4 times a day. It all depends on your axolotl really, try some chopped up earthworms or nightcrawlers.
 
Thankyou. My vet has been talking with another specialist as she openly admits she does not know about axolotls. I am unsure about definite ages with either of the axolotls as I bought them from our local petshop. I have had the older one for about 18months now and the younger one I have had for two weeks.
 
I have just added some photos to my gallery with the two culprits on it :happy:. Gold Dust is about 20cms and Wriggles must be about 15cmsish..

melanie6-albums-axolotl-picture12353-juvenile-wriggles.html
Wriggles

melanie6-albums-axolotl-picture12351-gold-dust-having-gentamycin-bath.html
Gold Dust

I have noticed that they both keep coming up to the top of their tanks and 'burping'?
 
Just a quick update on my axolotl, it is again floating on the top of its tank :(. I will try to attach a photo. I have popped it back into the fridge but any further advice would be much appreciated.
 

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Hi again,

Axolotls spend a lot of time near the water's surface when their gills aren't able to take in enough oxygen from the water. This lack of oxygen can be due to gill shrinkage, and it can also be due to inadequate aeration or water contamination. Is your tank cycled? Your water sounds toxic. Do you have any water drop tests to test the parameters of your water? (ammonia nitrates nitrates etc)

Also, your axolotl has no gills and his skin colour is almost looking like a morph colour... Your axolotl may be morphing. Please take action for the water in your tank as soon as possible.
 
The axolotl is at the top of the tank because of the gas that is in his abdomen- he can't get to the bottom of the tank- he tries to. His gills have always been like that?

All of the water parameters are within normal limits nitrates, nitrites, ammonia etc. I have another axolotl in the same tank which is fine- eating, remaining at the bottom of the tank.

I really am not sure what it is. It has been unwell since it came into contact with another axolotl.

Thankyou for your time...I was thinking maybe it is bloat or something like that?
 
Having looked in your gallery , one of your axolotl (Wriggles) is extremely thin.
I am not sure what is wrong with your floating axolotl. The current treatment will help if the problem is maybe bacterial.
Would you have readings for your current tank water, especially ammonia, nitrate , nitrite and water hardness? Also what has the temperature been in this tank? Finally what do you feed and how often do you feed?
Sorry for all the questions, but the more information we have the better.
 
The axolotl that is extremely thin is one that I bought from a petshop about two weeks ago..I am having troubles with getting it to eat anything. It was extremely thin when I bought it so it is adding to my axolotl worries :(. I am considering returning this one to the petshop because it has been sick since I bought it.

I am not sure about water hardness, pH is 7, ammonia and nitrates- 0. Temperature sits around 17 degrees but I have the bloated axolotl in the fridge. The temperature in the fridge varies between 5-10 degrees but sits near the 5 side. I feed them beef liver, pellets and bloodworms. I live in a regional area and do not have access to any other food. The axolotls seem to prefer beef liver the most.

I hope this helps. Thankyou for your time, I am getting pretty stressed out over my poor axie..The vet taught me how to withdraw gas from the axolotl so I have done that just now and it is back on the bottom of the tank with its bottom lifting a little. I will give it time to settle and then give it the last penicillin injection.
 
Can you set up a second tank? It probably wasn't the best idea to introduce a not-so-healthy one from a pet-shop right away, especially without a quarantine. Since you noticed the floating since introducing the new one, I'd assume it likely has something to do with the new one - maybe a disease, bacteria, stress, etc.

Also, in one post you said the other one is eating fine, but now you are having trouble getting him to eat? I'd keep offering foods - if you can get anything live(like earthworms - you can usually find those at shops that sell bait or for organic gardening or order them online), that would likely encourage him - or use some tongs and wiggle some bloodworms in front of him.

I'd definitely keep them both separate until you ensure the newer one is back up to a healthy weight and get your original one back to good health as well...his gills really should be a lot larger. What type of filter are you using? It could be the current is too strong...
 
my god the new axie looks in a terrible state. It needs calories pronto.

Get him on a diet of earthworms and bloodworms, feed both everyday until he's up to size.

As he has no gills make sure you're getting plenty of air into the water, make sure you use a air pump, or direct your filter to break surface tension of water.

As for you existing and now sick axie, the guys are right, keep them separated. Put him back into his home on his home and return to business as normal.

I agree though, the sick axie is looking alot like a morph. Look how large his legs are? That is one of the symptoms of impending morph.

Do you have anything ready for should he continue this path?
 
I wonder if the beef liver is playing a part in this, raw liver in particular can cause vitamin A toxicity (excessive amounts of Vit A) and malnutrition due to active enzymes. I personally would only offer this as a rare option. Have a look and see if you can get hold of some earthworms as this would be the best source of food for your axolotl.
 
Thankyou everyone for helping :happy:.

I have been trying both axolotls with bloodworms- I have some special long tweezers (not sharp) that I use to feed my axies with. I have been holding the bloodworms in front of them and wiggling it with not much response.

I know that I made a huge mistake introducing without quarantining :(. I do have another female that is doing really fine (ie eating and happy)and she is still in the original tank.

I am not sure about the name of my filter but there is a long spout which draws the debris from the bottom. The filter is at the top of the tank and it cycles the water to drop from the top.

The younger axie is still refusing to eat but I will have to try some earthworms..I have him in a relatively shallow tank (he is quarantined by himself). I have been offering him a variety of foods with no avail.

The bloated axie is on the bottom of the tank and I have continued to fridge it. I will have to take some more pictures. In regards to morphing..what would be the next stage I would have to look out for? I am just really worried about them not eating.
 

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Some more photos...
 

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I would also lower your water level - this will make your bloated guy feel more comfortable when he's not in the fridge. And because his gills are so tiny, the closer he is to the surface of water, the greater the dissolved oxygen for him to take in and the easier it is for him to come up for air as well.

Also, make sure you change the younger guys water at least daily and just keep offering him foods - will he take the pellets? Have you asked the store what they were feeding him? Were they keeping him on gravel and perhaps he is blocked by a piece?
 
I have been doing 100% water changes with both of the axolotls each day. I have lowered the water level on the bloated axie. I am pretty sure it was just pellets they were feeding..I have tried blood worms and pellets- even tried soaking the pellets. I just guess I will keep trying? They are tough little creatures because even without eating they are both acting fine..
 
Things are not looking good...Wriggles passed way today :(. I am not sure if that is any indication of the implications for my other sick axie :(:(.
 
I'm so sorry :( I've just been reading through your post for the first time. I've been really stressed lately about my axie too b/c he's not eating and getting thinner so I was trying to get some ideas. But what a sad sad ending for Wiggles. I really feel for you. It's amazing how attached we can become to those cuties and they become such a part of the family.
Take care:(
 
I am sorry to hear about your loss. Best wishes for your other axies, try to avoid 100% water changes though. This distrubts the cycle of bacteria in your tank, which will have to start again now.
 
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