Illness/Sickness: Axolotl bleeding when feeding

selfster88 · Jan 29, 2014

My axie, Wesley, is bleeding from his gills on the left side when he eats. It's not a shocking amount of blood and he does not seem at all to be in any distress but obviously it's a bit worrying that it's happening at all. He's not off his food - in fact he's as greedy as ever but I would like to get this sorted out for him so that he's as happy as he can be.

He's in a tank with sand substrate - nothing sharp, and the last tank change but one I changed the chemicals I use in his tank water and I was really worried that was what was causing the problems - I've stopped using the new stuff altogether but I'm not even sure that was causing the problem in the first place.

I would really appreciate any help you can offer - he's my first axie and I've only had him about 4 months so I'm a bit of a newbie!

Alkylhalide · Jan 29, 2014

Question. What are you feeding him?

Kaini · Jan 29, 2014

What are you feeding him ^ and what chemicals are you talking about? Some chemicals used with fish can be toxic to Axolotls.

EmbryH · Jan 29, 2014

What do you feed him, but also how do you feed him? If he's on sand, you either need to be hand feeding him, feeding him in a separate container with no substrate, or using a feeding jar.

Is it possible that he consumes sand with his meal, and it causes him to bleed?

selfster88 · Jan 30, 2014

Thanks for your replies -

I'm hand feeding him on frozen bloodworms - which is what he's always been fed (give or take the odd worm or chicken liver). He swims right up to the top to take his food so I don't think he is taking in sand with it.

The chemicals in the tank water are now just Tetra Aquasafe (to bind the chlorine) but I tried a different brand (love fish) Tapsafe, Ammonia Remover and Filter Boost. None of the ingredients were listed online as toxic to axolotls but I guess axies are quite niche so there's a chance that these products could have been missed off. I've gone back to just using the Tetra Aquasafe as I know he is OK with that.

Alkylhalide · Jan 30, 2014

I am just taking a guess and looking at all options first but does it look like this?

Sorry its the best picture i have that shows bloodworms coming out from behind their gills. Just because you mentioned how its only when he eats.

If this is not the case then a picture if possible would be helpful and maybe some more information about your tank. Ammonia nitrite nitrate and ph of the tank as well as any potential tank mates. Anything sharp in the tank. Etc as much information as possible about the living conditions

snuggly time · Jan 30, 2014

What are your tank parameters?

Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate
Ph
Temperature

If the tank is cycling the ammonia remover probably won't be helping.

ladygodiva35 · Jan 30, 2014

Alkylhalide said:
I am just taking a guess and looking at all options first but does it look like this?

That's what happened to Saskia the other day! She had like two blood worms hanging from the gills on one side and another blood worm hanging from the other side. I told her "Saskia! Suck that up...it's disgusting!"

I'm assuming they do this when they take too much food into their mouths. She decided it would be fun to eat a huge chunk of blood worms in one bite.

jason3xs · Jan 30, 2014

If they're bloodworms i think it's from it. I feed mine bloodworms often and it seems like he's bleeding from his gills but it's the worms

Angi · Jan 31, 2014

ladygodiva35 said:
I am just taking a guess and looking at all options first but does it look like this?

Alkylhalide said:
That's what happened to Saskia the other day! She had like two blood worms hanging from the gills on one side and another blood worm hanging from the other side. I told her "Saskia! Suck that up...it's disgusting!"

I'm assuming they do this when they take too much food into their mouths. She decided it would be fun to eat a huge chunk of blood worms in one bite.

You think that's disgusting, I watched a whole canadian nightcrawler come out of the side of my guy's face... CREEPY

Petersgirl · Feb 1, 2014

Fret not

That part of their anatomy (beneath the gills and under the jaw) is actually open. Sometimes food items fall out of there, particularly if the axolotl is eating a lot. Although I do admit it's freaky and did scare the pants off me at first >.< Just keep an eye on the area, it's probably fine though.

selfster88 · Feb 7, 2014

Thanks for all the advice, guys. I couldn't get a video of him feeding as it is too dim to get a decent vid and I don't like to light up his tank too much.

It was definitely blood, rather than just bloodworms - but whatever the problem was it seems to have sorted itself out thank God!

However he does seem to have gone off his food in the last few days - I've posted a new topic here if anyone could give me some advice or reassurance that this is not unusual behaviour I would really appreciate it: Complete disinterest in food.

Thanks again for all your help and advice - I am a real worry wart!

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