Cotton wool growth on my boy...... help!!

shellphant · Jul 31, 2013

I have just recently bought a golden albino male and he was fine until a couple of days ago when he refused food from me and now this morning when i check on the pair he has a small cotton looking growth on one of his frills

how do i get rid of this and why would it have happened? I have a female in the same tank and she is perfect. Im just very worried about 'bam bam' as all of you probly would be uf it was your own. Please help!!

snuggly time · Jul 31, 2013

It sounds like fungus. You will need to do some salt baths to get rid of it.

http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-be...axolotl/72698-salt-bath-picture-tutorial.html

shellphant · Jul 31, 2013

Will he need to go into the fridge or do i just salt bath him and put him back into the tank? Im worried to put him into my fridge as i have young kids. Or is there another way of treating him as its a very small spot

ciele02 · Aug 3, 2013

Hi, since your here in oz you'll be able to get hold of mecurachrome from the chemist..you know that awful red stuff you used to get painted on your knee scrapes when little. I have used this on my Axie when she had a fugus toe and it literally healed over night she didn't need to go into the fridge of was bothered at all. just get a clean cotton tip and soak in the mecurachrome, gently lift Axie to the surface or water, mine is pretty calm so it was easy and just very very gently wiped away fungus with clean end of cotton tip, if it doesn't come don't pull it, then wipe over with the mecurachrome, keep the Axie near the surface for a few seconds so it can soak in then let back into the tank. it has worked a treat for me I've had 2 Axies with fungus at seperate times and only had to use the mecurachrome once each time. I read about it somewhere here on the forum when someone was lamenting they couldn't get it in the U.K....best $3.5 i ever spent. hope this helps

pookiewn · Aug 3, 2013

ciele02 said:
Hi, since your here in oz you'll be able to get hold of mecurachrome from the chemist..you know that awful red stuff you used to get painted on your knee scrapes when little. I have used this on my Axie when she had a fugus toe and it literally healed over night she didn't need to go into the fridge of was bothered at all. just get a clean cotton tip and soak in the mecurachrome, gently lift Axie to the surface or water, mine is pretty calm so it was easy and just very very gently wiped away fungus with clean end of cotton tip, if it doesn't come don't pull it, then wipe over with the mecurachrome, keep the Axie near the surface for a few seconds so it can soak in then let back into the tank. it has worked a treat for me I've had 2 Axies with fungus at seperate times and only had to use the mecurachrome once each time. I read about it somewhere here on the forum when someone was lamenting they couldn't get it in the U.K....best $3.5 i ever spent. hope this helps

Salt baths are more than adequate for treating fungus! A lot of medications are not safe for an axolotl and salt costs next to nothing. Fungus is contagious too, so it's best to keep the infected axie out of the tank while they are recovering.

ciele02 · Aug 4, 2013

I only recommended mecurachrome because other people in the forum have mentioned using it and complained when they have been unable to find it. My vet who specialized in reptiles and exotic pets also recommended it. My Axies who had fungus had been housed differently , and no other Axie they were housed with ended up with fungus. I am aware that most aquarium medications are not safe for reptiles and only mentioned this one because I have read it mentioned here and by the vet and I know it works and has eliminated the need for salt baths. I would not have recommended something that I have not researched or haven't used with success myself, please do not copy my quotes in insinuate that I dont know what I'm talking about simply because I offered another method for treating fungus.

Kerry M · Aug 4, 2013

I'm keen to buy myself a bottle of mercurochrome tomorrow morning. I'm sure that the literature says that it is safe, if anyone disagrees please let me know why this may be the case. It's good to hear a good report. I'm currently doing salt baths and they do really help as long as I keep to a good routine and don't miss any.

ciele02 · Aug 6, 2013

When I first read about mecurachrome on here I remember being really shocked because they are so delicate with fish medications, but it worked a treat on my Yaargy and Fromage and doesn't contain iodine. I dont know about repeated applications but when i used it on them they only needed one tiny wipe with it and problem solved.

Kerry M · Aug 6, 2013

Thanks for the response. I am trying it and it seems to be working. I put a bit in the water too and have been lifting them out of the water to dab a little on. I am noticing a lot less fungus growth than remaining in the tank with no other treatment. I went to work today and there was a baby with open sores all over her, I wanted to put some in her bath water, I bet it would have been very beneficial to her skin. The little bottle only cost $2.70, very economical too, it'll probably last a while.

ciele02 · Aug 14, 2013

The only thing I'm not sure of is dosing the water. I don't know if because its antiseptic, I would worry it may possible kill off some of your beneficial bacteria and crash your cycle. But I'm glad your noticing it clearing and its not as stressful as a salt bath. Post an update when you can I'd love to know how your Axie is going

as far as human kids go I still think old school is the best school! I've never seen anything mecurachrome couldn't fix...we had a kid who had bad acne at school and used to get teased until his mum covered his face in it....Red faced literally for 2 weeks...acne disappeared though and never came back

Kerry M · Aug 16, 2013

I have given up on the mercurochrome, it wasn't dealing with fungus as well as the salt baths did. So the axies are all in the fridge and getting daily salt baths now. I think the fungus is gone but will wait a few more days. It will be a relief to not have fungus anymore. Hopefully my cycle hasn't crashed due to no ammonia in the tank. I'll need to keep my eye on those levels daily when the lotls return home.

Kerry M · Aug 16, 2013

I've put a couple of the lotls back in their tank tonight and they have eaten worms, they stopped eating them when they weren't well so I am very pleased.

auntiejude · Aug 16, 2013

Please stop using, and promoting the use of Mecurachrome. There's a reason it's not available in many places around the world, and thats because it's now considered to be toxic.

It's an organic mercury compound, and mercury is incredibly toxic to aquatic critters. The alcohol-based solution will also kill fish etc. In addition to this the red colour can hide discolouration of a wound, and make it hrder to monitor progress.

Mercury poisoning - a famous case: Minamata disease - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not the same chemical, but since axolotls live up to 15 years they will be affected far worse than short-lived fish.

As Kerry has discovered, salt is just as effective if nor more so, cheaper, easier and althoug still slightly toxic to axies will not have a long-term effect on them.

ciele02 · Aug 20, 2013

Apologies, as I said earlier I checked with my vet who specializes in reptiles/Amphibians and I checked with him and he said it was safe. He said he has used it on his Axies for over 15 years. I will inform him he obviously is recommending the wrong thing to people.

Search

Search

Cotton wool growth on my boy...... help!!

shellphant

New member

snuggly time

New member

shellphant

New member

ciele02

New member

pookiewn

New member

ciele02

New member

Kerry M

New member

ciele02

New member

Kerry M

New member

ciele02

New member

Kerry M

New member

Kerry M

New member

auntiejude

New member

ciele02

New member

Settings Notifications

Options