Axolotl 911 (head swelling)

Where to begin.

Size: 20 gallon high tank (no filteration)
Substrate: caribsea (now gravel)
Tempature: 60-65 (has yet to go higher)
Axolotls: 2 (6 inches or less)
Water treatment: Prime


Recieved advice through this forum to provide my axolotls with more hides and switch them over to sand instead of gravel. Purchased two decorations from Pet*** and caribsea sand and all was well for about two weeks. Then I noticed that the water was becoming cloudy more and more often, which is strange because I usually dont feed the axies in the tank, I take them out. The water has also had a strange "chemical" smell to it recently that's been bothering me, but I can't attribute it to anything, so just kept with water changes.

Last night came home to see that one of the axies was "u" bent and floating. Did a decent water change to clear the water and gave them the night to recoup. This morning when I got up the water was cloudy AGAIN. Tore the tank apart, removing the sand (which was white when purchased, but now an off grey color) and replacing it with the gravel that was originally in the tank when the axies were smaller ( I know this is a "no-no" but I was desperate).

Came home from work today and one of my axies was belly up and had passed on.The other I assumed dead, but he suddenly lurched to life. Instantly grabbed him and fridged him with clean water.

What concearns me is that his head is HUGE and his mouth looks as though it's swelling shut. He's very, very swollen and his eyes are bugging out, and the tips of his gills are very short and brown, where they are normally long, red and flowing. He moves in short spurts, but is not himself at all. Note, ONLY his head is swelling, the rest of his body is normal.

Looked through the forum for some kind of answer, but most of the "swelling" people notice happens over a span of weeks, where this happened in less than ten hours.

Not sure that he'll make it through the night, but any advice would be greatly appreciated. I have two other axies in a smaller tank, and they're doing just fine.

Can you see anything in his mouth? Do you have anything like snails or large pebbles in the tank?

What are the levels of nitrate/nitrite and ammonia like?

How often are you doing water changes?

Did you rinse the sand?

**Can you see anything in his mouth? Do you have anything like snails or large pebbles in the tank?

No, can't see anything in his mouth, it's pretty swollen, but there are no snails in the tank whatsoever.

**What are the levels of nitrate/nitrite and ammonia like?

I'd love to tell you, but I don't have a test kit at the moment. Assuming it would have been 0 on both, seeing as the water was 100% new as of 10am.

**How often are you doing water changes?

Every other day I was doing a 20% water change, and a 100% at the end of the week.

**Did you rinse the sand?

No, too the sand out and it's in a bowl. Planning on disposing of it.

Not sure why you were doing without a filter or how large your axolotls are but two sub-adult/adult axolotls with no filtration will create lots of ammonia. This is probably why you were getting the cloudy water so quickly.

If you didn't rinse the sand before putting it in, it will be full of dust and that would have made the water very cloudy. How deep was the sand? Sand if kept at an inch deep or more will trap gases - chemical smell and gray color you were getting. It has to be stirred often to prevent these gases from building up.

Without being able to check your parameters (pH, nitrite, nitrates, ammonia), there's no way to know what condition your water is in to start with. If you have city water, it could contain chlorine/chloramines which axolotls are sensitive to. It may even contain some ammonia which axolotls have a varying degree of sensitivity to. Even if you have well water, there could be trace metals in it which axolotls are sensitive to.

You have mentioned gravel, if he is on gravel or has ever been on gravel - he may have ingested some. I would suggest fridging him until you can get some things sorted out. You will not be able to keep his water temp regulated in a bowl and that could harm him as well.

Without seeing him, I would guess that he has ingested something or that he has developed an internal infection. Fridging will help both, but an infection will need to be treated by a vet.

Nuka is now upside down (like his brother was) and his swelling has not subsided. He was able to wiggle his arm at me, but that was all. Did not try to feed him, changed his water and lowered it so he could turn more easily and returned to fridge.

To answer more questions:

I started with a submersible filter and a bubble wand, both turned on low. Both axolotls responded badly and would swim up to the current and fight against them until they were so stressed they'd lay on the bottom of the tank. I removed them to stop this behavior, but intended on returning the bubbler.

Caribsea boasts that it's sand is "prerinsed" so you don't have to do it. I did it anyway.
The tank WITH the sand had already been running for almost a month without problems prior to this. As I said before, it wasn't until I added the "hides" that the water began to cloud. Sand was kept at 3/4'' depth, siphoned the top clean every other day with water changes, and removed decor and stirred the sand to remove toxins (I'd heard about the bubbles before, and was fearful of them).

I just recently ran out of my temp. test strips, and my new masters kit isn't here yet (ordered online). The water is well water that goes through a softner. What I don't understand is that it's the same water I've used for them since april, and the same water my other two axies recieve, but they've experienced no problems.

They have not had gravel since they were very, very small. I know about gravel impaction, and quickly switched them over to sand. I highly doubt this is the case, but I'm not an expert, hence why I'm here.

I would take pictures for you, but a.) I dont want to stress him further, and b.) my camera's quality isn't very good, so I dont think it'd help you any.

There are no local vet's in the area for axolotls, currently looking for one somewhere in the state.

Try Dr. Beasley at Cedar Creek Vet in Williamston. I used them with a roughskinned newt abscess once.

Dr. Jen Periat at Parkway Small Animal and Exotic Hospital in Clinton Twp (39321 Garfield, 586-416-8800) is a personal friend, and a herper, and if she can't help you, she'll know who to contact. I've never used her directly (I lived in Lansing), but she's my go-to for any vet questions.

Thank you for all your help but Nuka has also passed on.

Sorry to hear that he passed on.
3-4" is way too deep for sand and I would say that the bad smell and darkening of the sand may of been gas pockets. Just a thought, I could be wrong.

3/4''. Less than an inch of sand.

I'm not sure, but I feel awful. I still have the two leustics, but im so fearful the same thing might happen to them.

Going to bleach the tank and start fresh.

Don't bleech the filter or its media or you will kill all the benifical bacteria.
Sam:happy:
P.S sorry to hear about your loss

Just a couple of tips for your leucies - bare bottomed tank is better than gravel, if you don't trust the sand.
And, since you said it all started going wrong after you added the hides, what hides are they? Brand / material may help. Just wondering if they were made from something / coated in something that isn't suitable for aquariums.

Sorry to hear about poor Nuka

Re: Axolotl 911 (head /body swelling) RESOLVED

Just a follow up on my horrible experience.

Found out the cause of my axies swelling..... supersaturated water. We live closer out towards the country, and despite living in an apartment, we have well water. It always comes out of the tap milky white with air, but (mostly) clears after a bit.

Had a relapse of my night with my wildtypes. Did a water change, returned the axies to the tank, and moments later one started floating, followed a few minutes later by the other. Started freaking out, and to avoid loosing them both, fridged them.

While searching online for a solution, somehow stumbled across an article about supersaturated water, and how gases build up and pass right through the axies skin, causing a slew of problems for them. To release these gases the water has to be aged (left out) or agitated (stirred and shaken like crazy). Did this with the same tap water I used to fridge the axies, and they're doing well. Coughed up their meal, and super skinny, but not floating and active.

Just wanted to post this to help anyone else who might experience this problem.

I got the exact same problem here.

Hopefully it's not too late.