Illness/Sickness: White spots - fungus?

Hi,

I was hoping for a bit of advice on a possible fungus infection in one of my axies. I've looked through a fair few of the related posts on here but still not certain.

Our melanoid axie Augusta was having some floating problems so I have fridged her for a few days, which looks to have done the trick. This also gave me the chance to have a closer look at some white spots which she has. I noticed them several months ago and I don't think they have changed much, although of course it is difficult to be sure. They may have got slightly larger, but if so, only very slightly and very slowly. On the other hand, they don't look to my untrained eye like pigmentation either and if they are something untoward would be good to catch them while they are small.

I have taken some photos (attached) to show the three spots - one spot on the head and the two spots on the side of the lower body. The light I used for these has shown them up well and in fact exaggerated them...they don't look quite as bad in reality. been checking the two tank mates and pretty sure they don't have anything similar but they are wild type and golden so difficult to be completely certain.

Background info: three axies in 15 gall tank with bio filter (continuous) plus air stone and light (~3 hours per day) plus fair few plants, water tests show levels of nitrate/nitrite are low, temp ~15 degC.

I have had a look at sticky salt bath guide and happy to do this but don't want to unnecessarily of course.

Any advice very welcome! let me know if any more info would be helpful.





Cheers,
Rob

The one on the head looks like an iridophore. If you shine a light on it and it's reflective it's a harmless and simply his coloring. The ones of the tail however don't look like iridophores and I don't think it's fungus if he's had it for several months unchanged.

Are you upgrading your tank soon? 15 gallon for 3 axolotls is very small. 15 gallon suits 1 adult.

Those photos are too blurry to tell, but I agree with Hayley that if it is unchanged for weeks it's not fungus. Some axies get little warty lumps, thats normal and nothing to worry about. Have you tries gently rubbing the spots? If they don't come off I'd guess it's normal growths.

And yes, 15 gal is too small for 3 fully grown axies (even if it's imperial), they need at least 10gal or 30L each.

Thanks for the advice - will keep continue to keep an eye on these and will update any developments.

Yes I am intending to get a bigger capacity tank v soon...two of the three are/were juveniles but now they are approaching fully grown this definitely next on my list of axie upgrades.

Cheers,
Rob