Illness/Sickness: Young Axolotl

Ok, I'm worried about my axolotl. I've only had her/him for a few days and I haven't been able to get any clear answers on his/her care. The pet store I got my little Jamie from doesn't seem to know their rear from their elbow, telling me things like this was a SIMPLE pet to care for, that 75 degrees (F) was good and suggested DISTILLED water at first before I pressed them, thinking that sounded fatal, and they corrected themselves to Spring water. She's very lethargic comparatively to when I first got her, she is eating much less and has developed a cloudy film on her (that I recognize as a fungal infection) but I'm unsure of what to do for him/her because he/she's only about as long as my thumb.

Someone please help, I can't even find a VET that knows anything about them and I really don't want her to suffer any more than she already has because I'm inexperienced. I need suggestions on how to treat this and how to prevent it in the future asap.

Everything you need to know can be found here: Axolotls: The Fascinating Mexican Axolotl and the Tiger Salamander

You need cool, clean, dechlorinated tap water at less than 22C, no gravel - just a bare bottom while she is small. Feed her blood worms, brinshrimp or chopped up earthworms, and get her something to hide under.

And next time you decide to get a pet please do some research BEFORE you buy one!

I was told at the pet store that it didn't need much of anything special that literally it was quote 'a goldfish with legs' and was told when I voiced my concerns that I was 'Worrying too much'. Thus the whole rear from their elbow comment.

I have been on that website but it doesn't say anything about juveniles. I know what it eats, the substrate restrictions and that it can't be in chlorinated water. Those are basics, someone would have to be an idiot to buy a pet with no idea how to house or feed it and I don't appreciate the condescension. I DID research and ask BEFORE I purchased, the problem is that all the information I have so far has all been contradictory. I took information from several sites but couldn't find a solid answer for water temp/ safe ways of cooling the tank or how often the water should be changed for one so small, etc. and the information I received from the pet store on the subject was incorrect. I said my INEXPERIENCE, not negligence.

I'm mainly trying to figure out how to treat a fungal infection on one so small. I'm afraid to try salt baths and/or putting her in the fridge being that he/she is so small (Jamie is only 2 or 3 inches long) and is the main reason why I posted.

There's more to having an axolotl than understanding how to house and feed. They aren't simple pets like a cat or dog, and there's no need to be nippy (seems that way), auntiejude is just giving her advice, like you had asked in this post...

I am aware that there's more to it that's why I said they were basics and called myself inexperienced. When I purchased her I was under the impression that I had researched enough because the pet store assured me I was worrying too much, I understand that they are more complex than a cat or dog but that's not how it was explained to me upon purchasing them. I am dealing with being told that I was OVER equipped and finding out that I was actually under equipped.

And that was intended to be a bit snippy. I take offense to the implication that my misinformation was grounds for being subject to an, albeit mild, scolding one would give an impetuous child. The last line was completely unnecessary and condescending.

And there's a simple reason I feel that way.

What was presented was something anyone could easily find in a google search, implying a lack of effort and made no reference to the fact that I was asking for help with a Fungal infection AT ALL. I didn't say she was suffering from malnutrition or anything that information would change (Save for MAYBE the water temperature). And if she doesn't have that information to give that's fine, I don't expect any one person to know everything but it was only vaguely relevant AND contained vaguely veiled disdain.

But I'm not here to defend or justify myself, I just need help. If you can help and you feel charitable enough to do so then please do, I desperately need it. If it is more quantifying and qualifying of my indignation or assigning blame or calculating my fault in the axolotl being sick, I am not interested. I care about getting her better and making sure it doesn't happen later. That's all.

A salt bath is really the only option for treating the fungus. I would suggest looking up the amount of salt that would be needed for an adult, and then dividing that in half or maybe more, and also keeping the axolotl in the bath for a shorter amount of time. I also wouldn't suggest fridging it for longer than a few hours. It would be a better idea to keep it in a container of clean, dechlorinated water near a fan or AC, or in a cool room with an ice bottle in the container.

And to correct the information you were given by those idiots at the pet store, axolotls do best in water temperatures around 18-20C (around 68F). Spring water is good to use if you don't trust your own tap water supply. Axolotls also fair pretty well in a range of pH levels, so as long as it doesn't go above 8.4 you're in the clear.

Once the fungus has cleared, you should start it on a diet of bloodworms (frozen or fresh, never freeze-dried; any dried foods will expand in their stomachs and cause them to spit it back up).

SatireCat said:

I DID research and ask BEFORE I purchased, the problem is that all the information I have so far has all been contradictory. I took information from several sites but couldn't find a solid answer for water temp/ safe ways of cooling the tank or how often the water should be changed for one so small, etc. and the information I received from the pet store on the subject was incorrect. I said my INEXPERIENCE, not negligence.

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So why did you not come here and ask a straight question before you bought your axie? You obviously had not asked the right questions of the right people.

Being rude will not get you any sympathy here, my comment was meant to scold you for buying a pet wothout the correct information.

Clearly you were defending yourself as you just wrote a whole essay about how you are "inexperienced". Still, I myself would buy something that lived in water without knowing exactly how to keep it healthy I.e TEMP, nitrites, nitrates, ammonia. If the "research" you did was contradictory I would keep looking until I found a reputable site, like caudata BEFORE purchasing. And everybody knows pet shop advice is ridiculous, not just regarding axolotls but all creatures, as most are probably just casual workers.

Looks like patch covered most of what you asked but are you even sure it's a fungus? Fungus is "cottony". Slime coat problems are "cloudy". In that case salt would irritate her and not be beneficial and tea would be better. I'm only doing answering you because I feel for the axolotl you have. If you're asking for advice or help you have no right no be rude.

Could you post a pic of your axolotl please? It will help to determine if it is indeed fungus or other issues.

What size tank is your axie in, how often are you doing water changes, how much and what filter do you have? What are you feeding it? I'm guessing you haven't cycled your tank yet, water quality Is very important in an axolotl tank.

If you could answer these questions please it will go a long way to helping you out, thank you.

Hayleykanita got there first, and pookiewn has hit the nail on the head; ideally we need a photo. Sometimes slime can be an excess of slime coat (and it often moults as a white film), or it could be skin shedding, or possibly it may be fungus. The best way to tell is to give us a photo, and then we can tell you what we think it is and possible treatment.

We don't want to give you the wrong diagnosis in case it makes your baby worse.

Ignoring all the irrelevant text,

Jamie is in a 10 gallon tank that is half full, I've been doing somewhere around a 30% water change every three days, I'm still trying to find a filter that doesn't stir the water as badly as spoon would, I've been feeding her bloodworms and using spring water.

There was some of that stuff on her back and head too but it came off when I changed her back into her temporary home.

Thank you, those of you who helped/ are helping.

That is most defiantly fungus. Follow the salt bath sticky here, but use half the amount of salt and for ten minutes as jamie is so young, but still do it twice a day. While she is in the salt bath try and gently stroke the fungus with a cotton bud and see if it will come off.

At the moment you need to be doing at least a 50% water change every day in the tank and I would fill it to about 2 inches off the top. To be honest with the fungus I would be keeping her in a tub and putting her in clean fresh water once a day, make sure you scrub out the tub every time you change the water. Don't put her in the fridge, but do make sure she is kept as cool as possible. You want to make sure that she eats still.

Thank you.

But I still have a few questions, is spring water the only solution to safe water, I know it has to be dechlorinated but I'm not sure how to go about that without buying spring water. And after I get a filter how many times should I be changing it and how much? and lastly when you say tub, do you mean bigger or smaller than her tank?

No problems.

Do you drink your tap water? If so, then you can use that with some dechlorinator. I use seachem prime, it's a little bit expensive but a little goes a long way The back of the bottle says the instructions and how much to use.
Use a smaller tub, or the one that she is in at the moment will be fine. Use a smaller one for the salt baths though.

A filter has interchangeable sponges that need squeezing out in tank water perhaps every other week and when they start to fall apart you can buy new ones. They usually have two or more sponges in, and should only be done one per week. They help keep the tank clean and some of the friendly bacteria.

You will need to buy a liquid test kit, I have the nutrafin mini master kit and got it at a great saving from eBay. Have a google of cycling a tank, it will explain the chemistry behind the bacteria of the cycle. But the short version is you will start off with ammonia (very toxic, needs to be zero) this will then turn to nitrites (also toxic, again wants to be zero) which then creates nitrates (safe as long as they are under 40ppm). Sorry I'm on my iPad and adding links is a pain in the...

You will also need to get a digital thermometer, a cheap one from china will work fine, just don't drop it in the water they don't work quite as well after, lol! The temp of the tank needs to be under 20 degrees, 18 is better lower is great.

Think I've covered everything with another essay, any more questions just ask

A tupperware container would suffice, as long as it's a little longer than the body and deep enough to keep submerged and then some.

Filters with pads are ok, the pads only do enough to filter out carbon substances such as medications so they're not important, once you've gone through one you don't necessarily need to replace it, so long as there's an aeration cycle and bio media to keep bacteria alive.

Water, check with your local water treatment place to see how much of what is in the water. I don't know specifics, but heavy metals and such would be bad. Some places will have good well water you just need to age/dechlorinate so you can use that tap water instead.

You asked earlier about keeping cool, there are several ways. I use a fan next to the tank that just blows over the top. It helps evaporate the water which is good for cooling. Others use computer fans placed on a wire cover over the tank, or the more intensive frozen water bottles you have to replace every few hours constantly.

Seeing as you're in Florida, you will need to keep your axie cool all year round. If you can, keep the air conditioner on at all times and place the tank on or as close to the ground as you can. My tank sits on planks supported on cinder blocks so it's barely 5 inches from the ground.

I hope this helps, I got my 2 monsters 3ish months ago, it takes a while to get used to and know exactly what they need and what will effect them how. They can be picky creatures, but you have to remain attentive and willing to explore different treatments.

One last question, how will I know when to stop the salt baths?

SatireCat said:

One last question, how will I know when to stop the salt baths?

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When the fungus disappears. It will slough off quite fast after a few salt baths, a little bit may hang about so keep treating till it goes. You will probably find that the axy will lose some toes if not all of its feet as the fungus is quite advanced but they generally regenerate well. If you have only had the axy a couple of days the chances are that the damage was done before you got it, insanitary conditions can cause the protective slime coat to become damaged and the fungus is a result of this, foot fungus is often caused in bare bottomed tanks where the floor is not wiped resulting in a bacterial build up causing foot infections, so make sure you wipe its tub down whilst it is being treated. Keep it below 20c 68f, daily water changes with de chlorinated water, add some floating plants to provide cover (plastic ones are fine) and keep salt bathing.
It's a good idea to respond to threads like this with accurate info rather than judgmental and irrelevant comments guys.

I have an internal filter and I covered the outlet with a shower puff to reduce the flow as I broke the flow level, oops! I also have a sponge filter which is at the opposite side of the tank just to boost the bio-load. They hardly make any water disturbance and add oxygen to the water too. :happy:

I was given bad advise by a pet shop too and trusted them. I soon discovered what they had told me was wrong and all my knowledge on axolotls is from this forum. At least you found better sources of information now and it's good you asked for help.

Update:

I'm getting more worried, she is really pale she's barely eating and I think maybe she's having trouble going to the bathroom? (Really THICK waste)

I started the salt baths and I THINK the fungus is gone but I'm also having a problem keeping her chilled at the moment (Our air conditioner is not working right all of the sudden) I don't know whether it's better to have her constantly at a bit too warm of a temperature or cool her down for as long as I can even if it's in spurts.... I know fluctuating is bad AND warm is bad but which is worse?

Keep in mind that he's a melaniod...

As mentioned above you can have a fan pointed at or on the water to help keep it cooler. The water you have it in could possibly be too shallow and allowing the water to heat up faster thus causing fluctuations and stress. When I'm concerned about mine in small containers getting too warm [I use critter keepers in these instances] I just place one of the small round fans you can get at walmart for like 7 dollars, and open the plastic part of the lid and have the fan pointed at the water without the risk of it falling it. It keeps the water pretty consistently cold though I turn them off in the evening when the temperature drops quite a bit. This is from my experience and may not work for you but it doesnt hurt to try.