Illness/Sickness: Tea Baths extra info needed please.

Its been a trying few days...
Came back from holidays to find my axies very sick...
Their 'so called' carer did not care for them very well.. I have never had an illness with my axolotls until now..

My juvenile axie 'Freckles', has just been fridged.. You can read about the problems I have had with her in the forum on sick axolotls..

Well, now 'Coco' my adult, black wild type, female axie has a skin problem too.. I dont think it is fungus, as she seems to be shedding her skin, I ran my hand along her body and small pieces of her skin detached.. I think if it was a fungal, her mate would also have it, as they live in the same tank?

I have run out of room in the fridge with Freckles being in there.
So I am going to try a Tea Bath.. Have read the post on the instructions; yet I have a few questions that were not answered within the information.

1): So I put her in a quarantined tank is that right?
Should the tank be emptied of plants etc?

If so do I keep a filter attached?
Do I remove the filter media, ie, the carbon, noodles etc)?
Or should I use air stones?

2): For every 10 L of H2O I use 1 Black Tea Bag?
Do I add more of the tea solution everyday or just the once?

3): After 1 week, do a 60% H2O change, I get this..

4): How long do I keep her in this solution for?
Until her skin has returned to normal, and will she loose her appetite?

5): Finally, whats the situation with the H20 testing?
Don't bother until she is better, or test everyday?

Sorry for all the questions, but they were not covered in the fact sheet..? If they were somewhere else in the forum I have not managed to find them. So Please bear with me.. I can see you all rolling your eyes.. Just joking..

Also I am totally sleep deprived from staying up caring for my babies, I Love them and would be heartbroken if they died.. Its crazy but since I got divorced they are the loves of my life right now...:wacko:

Oh, Francesca... I feel your pain.... I have my big girl Lottie in fridge at the moment... she hadn't eated for 16 days! I am SO worried. I am all new to this, too, and my husband thinks I'm a "loo-loo", worrying over an axie!! My posts and replies are on this same forum page.. you may already have read them.
We are going away for 2 weeks end of Feb, then home 1 week , then away another 2, so I am going to try some "pet sitters" who come to your house daily.
How awful to come home and find them sick. You are sure to get some good advise here. Best of luck ! Lottie's Mum :happy:

Ok,

No comments?

Well I have put her in a different tank, adding the black tea for 40L of H2O. left all the filter media in. After 12 hours, the H2O has darkened due to the tannin, i expect.. she didn not seem to please about being in there, but I hope I am doing this right...

I am not sure if I add more tea daily, but judging on the darkening of the H2O I guess not!
So I just leave her to stew in it and do a H2O change in a week?

Hi Francesca,

please do not use a carbon filter in the quaratine tank with any medications, because it will remove the active ingredients......so, it cannot work.

This is how I´m doing tea baths, if necessary.
1 tea bag for 10 liter water, no filter.
I change the tea bath every or every other day.
After one week you might see, if it works. Your axies skin should look much better.

Tina

Unless you see white puffy fungus or where you say her skin detached is now a red open sore I don't think you have a problem. It sounds like she is just shedding. Pictures would always be helpful. I personally would have treated the whole tank with black tea if I thought one was having a problem as a precaution to all that lived in the tank. It can't hurt them. It's the safest treatment you can use. Even safer than salt bathes or fridging.

Thanks Guys for the help..

No I didn't remove the carbon from the filter, was wondering why the tannin in the water was reducing.. Anyway I will fix this today.. From what I remember, not sure if it came from the "Sancturary Page' or a forum thread about Tea Baths, but I am sure it said; 1 Tea Bag for 40L of water..

Yes they do seem to be shedding.. Is this normal?
As you can see from the pictures, my Black Wild Type female usually does not have these white markings on her. Yes I have noticed bits of her skin coming off, but it is not raw underneath. Also as I mentioned before, I don't think its fungus, as the markings on her are not raised or fluffy, & her gills seem fine.

The reason I put her in a quarantined tank is because they usually live in a 200L tank, yet now there is no partition, as you can see in the picture of their tank, because they would dig to get to each other.. So I set up 2 filters, one at each end to stop them from breeding so often. I usually turn the nozzel's towards & within the water for a couple of hours each day; in order to remove the spermaphores, so she cant fertalise her eggs. With another axie in the fridge at present, as well as, having just got the water quality perfect, its easier for me to treat them like this.

Once she is better I intend to put my Golden Albino male in the quarantined tank & treat him too, As I have noticed his skin is a bit scaly I put a bit of 'Prime' to give him a bit of added slime coat, until I can treat him. Hope I on the right track?

Anyway back to the subject at hand;
So for each 10L of water one tea bag, repeat this process every second day, with no carbon in the filter, then after a week do a water change?

One last question; by adding more tea every second day, can anyone give me an idea as to how long it might take for her to get better?

Regards, Francesca.. :tongue: