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I just don't understand...please help..

cherryglue

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I'm really getting discouraged..I can't see what we're doing wrong anymore, the parameters in his tank are still at base for cycling so I don't know if theres something I'm missing..

Please...PLEASE...someone tell me this is just a scratch, because if its not, I'm ready to give up. I don't want to keep hurting him and making him sick even though I'm trying my hardest to keep him alive. I feel like crying right now...

If it's ick, I have no idea how it got so bad because it's a brand new tank with 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 0 nitrate, 7 ph, everything is base...

He has this little filmy stuff on his gills that we were told is bacteria, we have been treating it for 24 hrs, obviously it takes up to week as stated on the medicine. (please don't ask about that because we have had no problems with the medicine and have used it a few times before).

This wasn't there yesterday when I made a post about him..I'm out of my comfort zone here and have no idea what to do..
 

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Elise

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It looks like an abrasion to me. If you just started treating for a bacterial infection, the wound could continue to be at a higher risk for opportunistic infection, due to the compromised immune system. If you notice an infection developing around the area, call your vet and discuss whether a modified treatment is needed. I'm hesitant about offering any preventive measures as the medication is unknown.
 

sphynx

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I don't think that you have to worry about ick if its brand new everything.. maybe his skin is just peeling, or maybe he did just get a scratch some how. Maybe it's the same thing that you posted about yesterday, just on a different spot.

Other than these things, is he healthy?

What kind of meds are you giving him? Maybe the chemicals are getting to him. I know you've used it before, but the chemicals just build up, and could be making things worse the more he absorbs.

As for the bacteria thing, is there another way that you can treat it without chemicals?

Where are you keeping him? was it a used tank before? used filter?
 

cherryglue

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I've been hesitant to mention that I use Melafix because half the people I tell say "STOP!" and the other half says "Has worked fine for me, just dont overdose." I've had no problems but didnt mention it because I don't want people to just post "Stop using melafix" and then not help otherwise...we really have had zero issues with it..and its been helping his gill infection greatly.
 

cherryglue

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He seems healthy to us, eats like normal, moves like normal, we've been looking into treating his gill bacterial infection with a tea bath but keep forgetting it at the store :/

as for his tank, it was used, but we cleaned it very well and made sure to rinse it excessively in case of any residue, 2 small brand new filters.
 

HayleyK

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It looks like a scratch to me. Anything slightly sharp on your decorations?

Do you have a photo of this "bacteria" on the gills?
 
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Elise

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Melafix is listed (Axolotls - Health & Diseases) as safe and effective against external sores.

However, if you've had to treat melafix on multiple occasions, that would suggest an underlying problem with husbandry (water quality, temperature, diet, etc) which would need to be addressed before your axolotl can fully regain his health.
I will add that infections are possible in the best of conditions and if that is the case here, a vet could run some tests to provide a better treatment.
 

sphynx

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If you're really worried about ick, what you could possibly do is (since it's a new tank)
re-wash it, with REALLY HOT WATER. Ick apparently can't live in temperatures above 30C. Since it's a new tank you woudn't be killing any beneficial bacteria....cause. it's brand new.

So, you could boil water, wash out the tank again making sure to pour the boiling hot water in the corners and hard to reach places, then finally set up your tank again.

That should get rid of any bacteria for that matter. Not just ick. haha.

Just make sure your axie doesnt go near the hot water :dizzy:


Now, as for the medication, I'm glad to hear it's helping the bacterial infection, but just a word of caution that chemicals are more harmful to axies than other aquatic animals becuase they absorb through their skin as well. I'm not sure that the companies take that much into consideration when theyre making medication for all kinds of aquatic animals.
If i were you, now that the bacterial infection has gone down quite a bit, I would try a different alternative and see if that helps. If it gets worse, then stick to what you know works. If the alternative works, then you've got a healthier way of treating for bacterial infections now! :)

I'm not exactly sure if i'm giving the proper advice in telling you to stick to your ways of treating that bacterial infection even though so many others are super against it, but until yo come up with a better one, you gotta do what you gotta do :confused:

Let me know your thoughts!
 

EmbryH

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It looks like a scratch in the slime coat. That might not even have broken the skin, and if that's the case, then great! The slime coat did what it is supposed to, which is protect the skin in various ways.

Unless it looks worse than I can tell in the pictures, I wouldn't be overly concerned about this. Keep an eye on it to make sure no infections sneak in, but from the images it doesn't look bad.
 

Velice

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It looks like a scratch in the slime coat. That might not even have broken the skin, and if that's the case, then great! The slime coat did what it is supposed to, which is protect the skin in various ways.

Unless it looks worse than I can tell in the pictures, I wouldn't be overly concerned about this. Keep an eye on it to make sure no infections sneak in, but from the images it doesn't look bad.

Um I thought this was the slime coat...
29767d1365405096-axolotl-shedding-skin-slime-coat-20130408_170608_zpsf6f5ec1b.jpg
 

HayleyK

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That is the slime coat ... Which is peeling. The slime coat is the axolotls first line of defense, like our skin, and in the first photo it looks like a scratch in the slime coat.

If that's the current state of your axolotl it needs some help fixing it - otherwise infections and other nasties can get in just like if we cut or breach out skin, other stuff can get in and cause problems.
 

Velice

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Not mine, just searched for a picture to show how thin the slime coat is. I'm saying if it cut through the pigmented skin it wouldn't be the slime coat, would it?
 

cherryglue

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Wow!!! I didnt expect this many responses during my drive home, I really appreciate all the comments and advice and especially the confirmation, we have been trying so hard and are very attached to our little buddy..I just dont want to be hurting him when I want to help him.

I dont see anything overly scratchy or pokey in his tank, we think maybe he scratched something when he was frantically avoiding our little fish net while trying to catch him, hes so quick.. as for a picture of his gills and what we think is a bacterial infection of sorts, unfortunately I have been unable to get one and cant seem to find anything similar via google yet..

EDIT: this is the closest ive found to what our lil buddy's looks like, but his isnt nearly as bad, his is almost invisible and barely any compared to this image, Melafix helped the last time we had this problem
 

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Elise

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EDIT: this is the closest ive found to what our lil buddy's looks like, but his isnt nearly as bad, his is almost invisible and barely any compared to this image, Melafix helped the last time we had this problem

The picture you included almost looks like a microbial growth was in the tank, not necessarily harmful, and the axolotl got it attached to his gills by brushing against it. Using a turkey baster or your fingers might be enough to detach it.
 

cherryglue

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Idk though, its a very fresh tank, 3 or 4 days I think now and its 55gal, I dont think thered be that kinda stuff yet, but im inexperienced here. We noticed it after day 2 of the fresh tank though, he had it on the last night of his old tank and I removed it was a baster, but it came back so soon..after only 2 days in a freshly started tank..

and his gills that the stuff appears on look weaker and almost slightly shriveled compared to his other side...
 

EmbryH

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Not mine, just searched for a picture to show how thin the slime coat is. I'm saying if it cut through the pigmented skin it wouldn't be the slime coat, would it?

Have you actually seen an axolotl with a scratch in the slime coat before? Because that's what it looks like. The white stuff is the slime itself, disturbed from the scratch. So unless OP can see any pink or red flesh through the scratch, it probably hasn't broken the surface of the skin.

OP, I'd isolate your axolotl with the gill issue in a separate tub of cold, clean water. See if you can gently suck the stuff away with a turkey baster, because it still might just be what Elise mentioned. If it comes off easily, then I wouldn't worry. From the image you shared, it doesn't seem to be fungus...
 

Velice

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Have you actually seen an axolotl with a scratch in the slime coat before? Because that's what it looks like. The white stuff is the slime itself, disturbed from the scratch. So unless OP can see any pink or red flesh through the scratch, it probably hasn't broken the surface of the skin.

I assumed the slime coat was nothing more than a mucous secretion. Wouldn't blood be a deeper cut to the dermis layer?
FrogSkinLabel.jpg
 
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