My axololts is VERY weird

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jamals

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Hello everyone,

Thanks for letting me join your forum, I'm new here and I hope that I can be here long time and I hope you can patience with me please.

Here is my story:

While cleaning my aquarium last week it got broken, so I had to buy a new one, which I did from a person who had a used aquarium.

I have 4 axolotls, after 10 days all their hair around their head started to look weird.

The biggest axolotls have not been eating in more then 5 days now, she tries sometime to open her mouth when i gave her food but it looks like its tired and cannot.

So I tried to open her mouth and some yellow suddenly came out!!! but i couldn't find anything else in her mouth, like stone etc.

The other small axolotls is eating normally, but their hair is also like the big one!

The last few days I have changed their water, because it wasn't good water after a test.

So my question is, should I buy a new aquarium or is my big axolotls just sick from something else?

I cannot add images :S

 
Have you tested your water for PH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates? Can you tell us the readings? Is your tank cycled?

Gill / hair damage is usually from poor water quality or fast flow from your filter.

For now, I would take your axolotls out and put them into tubs with clean dechlorinated water until you can find out what is going on with the new tank. Perhaps it wasn't clean when you got it?
 
Did you treat the water for chlorine before adding them to the tank? Have you got a filter in the tank? All my tanks are used and I've never had any problems with them so I shouldn't think you need to waste money buying a brand new tank. If you had a filter in the old tank that was left to dry out while you were waiting for the new one, the established bacteria or 'cycle' within the filter will have died out meaning the new tank you have, will be cycling again. This is what would have caused the water quality to be bad and could be the reason why the axolotls gills have deteriorated and the loss of appetite. Regular water changes are one of the best ways to keep the ammonia levels at a minimum while the tank is cycling.

What is the size difference between the large axolotl and the smaller ones? Vast differences in size can be troublesome as axolotls are prone to biting each other. This could be dangerous for the smaller axolotls if they are a lot smaller than the larger one.
 
Jen10s said:
Have you tested your water for PH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates? Can you tell us the readings? Is your tank cycled?

Gill / hair damage is usually from poor water quality or fast flow from your filter.

For now, I would take your axolotls out and put them into tubs with clean dechlorinated water until you can find out what is going on with the new tank. Perhaps it wasn't clean when you got it?
Click to expand...

I dont have fast flow filter, but the water quality was not good when I test it.

The tank was NOT very clean when I got it also :(
 
NeekaLovesYou said:
Did you treat the water for chlorine before adding them to the tank? Have you got a filter in the tank? All my tanks are used and I've never had any problems with them so I shouldn't think you need to waste money buying a brand new tank. If you had a filter in the old tank that was left to dry out while you were waiting for the new one, the established bacteria or 'cycle' within the filter will have died out meaning the new tank you have, will be cycling again. This is what would have caused the water quality to be bad and could be the reason why the axolotls gills have deteriorated and the loss of appetite. Regular water changes are one of the best ways to keep the ammonia levels at a minimum while the tank is cycling.

What is the size difference between the large axolotl and the smaller ones? Vast differences in size can be troublesome as axolotls are prone to biting each other. This could be dangerous for the smaller axolotls if they are a lot smaller than the larger one.
Click to expand...

Yes I added some safe water stuff to the water, and I'm changing the water now every to days, but I dont see any improvement no the hair.

The size is not that much difference, and I keep my eye on them, they never bite each other, because they normally get food every single day at night. but the problem is with the biggest axolotls and not the small :(
 
Images from the big axolotls that is not eating in 5 days and are sick :S
 

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He doesn't look too bad. It's quite common for axolotls to stop eating when they change environment and he doesn't look underweight. I've known axolotls to go weeks without food before purely because they've moved from one tank to another. Just keep up with their feedings and he should eventually come round to eating again. I think you're doing all that can be done right now as regards trying to get the water quality under control. The levels will be erratic until your cycle has finished but they will settle eventually. In the mean time if you're worried about their gills it may be worth keeping them in tubs somewhere cool and calm until the tank cycle starts to settle. It won't do them any harm as long as their waters changed daily and containers are kept clean. This will also make it easier for you to keep an eye on the larger ones eating habits, weight loss, etc.
 
NeekaLovesYou said:
He doesn't look too bad. It's quite common for axolotls to stop eating when they change environment and he doesn't look underweight. I've known axolotls to go weeks without food before purely because they've moved from one tank to another. Just keep up with their feedings and he should eventually come round to eating again. I think you're doing all that can be done right now as regards trying to get the water quality under control. The levels will be erratic until your cycle has finished but they will settle eventually. In the mean time if you're worried about their gills it may be worth keeping them in tubs somewhere cool and calm until the tank cycle starts to settle. It won't do them any harm as long as their waters changed daily and containers are kept clean. This will also make it easier for you to keep an eye on the larger ones eating habits, weight loss, etc.
Click to expand...


Should I take them out and clean the aquarium ? I think my aquarium is dirty from the paste owner! do you think he ate any garvel?
should I put him in fridge for one night?
 
Welcome to the forum. You have pretty axolotls. I noticed from your picture that you have some white gravel in the tank. It would be a good idea to take it out as it can harm an axolotl if it gets swallowed. A lot of people use well rinsed play sand as it can pass through if swallowed. The axolotl's waste can also get trapped under gravel and this affects the water quality. It's nice to hear that you care so much for your axolotls. ☺
 
Kerry M said:
Welcome to the forum. You have pretty axolotls. I noticed from your picture that you have some white gravel in the tank. It would be a good idea to take it out as it can harm an axolotl if it gets swallowed. A lot of people use well rinsed play sand as it can pass through if swallowed. The axolotl's waste can also get trapped under gravel and this affects the water quality. It's nice to hear that you care so much for your axolotls. ☺
Click to expand...

Thank you Kerry, I will do that, I will remove all the gravel TODAY and buy sand instead,,, My axolotls grills looks exactly like your profile picture, but not before..all my 4 axolotls didn't have those kind of grills before i brought the new aquarium!

When do they get their normal grills again?

Thanks for any answer...
 
jamals said:
Thank you Kerry, I will do that, I will remove all the gravel TODAY and buy sand instead,,, My axolotls grills looks exactly like your profile picture, but not before..all my 4 axolotls didn't have those kind of grills before i brought the new aquarium!

When do they get their normal grills again?

Thanks for any answer...
Click to expand...

I agree that it is a good idea to put your axolotls in tubs of cool, clean dechlorinated water. You can change the water each day to make sure that the levels are OK.

I find that when I have the water quality balanced the gills look good. One of my axie's has gills that change throughout the day, he keeps me guessing. i think he plays games with me ?

As said above, you will be able to watch their appetites more closely if they are out of the tank. And you'll see if any are loosing weight. I had an axie not eating once and fortunately I was helped on these forums. I am sure you will have a similar experience.

Taking the axies out will give you time to make their tank comfortable for them. Make sure that you really rinse the sand, it took me 30 minutes to rinse 1/3 bucket. If you need information about decorating your tank this is a fantastic site:

http://www.caudata.org/axolotl-sanctuary/

There is information there about plants and different types of sand. It is a great resource.
 
Kerry M said:
I agree that it is a good idea to put your axolotls in tubs of cool, clean dechlorinated water. You can change the water each day to make sure that the levels are OK.

I find that when I have the water quality balanced the gills look good. One of my axie's has gills that change throughout the day, he keeps me guessing. i think he plays games with me ?

As said above, you will be able to watch their appetites more closely if they are out of the tank. And you'll see if any are loosing weight. I had an axie not eating once and fortunately I was helped on these forums. I am sure you will have a similar experience.

Taking the axies out will give you time to make their tank comfortable for them. Make sure that you really rinse the sand, it took me 30 minutes to rinse 1/3 bucket. If you need information about decorating your tank this is a fantastic site:

Axolotl Sanctuary

There is information there about plants and different types of sand. It is a great resource.
Click to expand...

Thank you very much,

I just went out and brought a tube so all 4 can live in.

I used 50% of the old water and 50% new water.

I will keep them in the tube for a couple of days and in mean time try to clean the aquarium and remove all gravel and buy sand instead.
 

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I put him in frigde in 3 days but it become worse..his stomach become big and he could not swim anymore on his legs!!

I buried him in the end :( because he suffered too much!
 
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