Illness/Sickness: Fridged axolotl getting bath salts is shedding and fungus is growing. Please help.

I adopted 3 axolotls from a research lab more than a year ago. They were all healthy until recently when I noticed small white balls on the gills of two axolotls (one axolotl had one bigger ball, and the other one a couple of smaller ones). I fridged them immediately and started, for our first time, salt baths. For the baths I have been following a wonderful tutorial which I found on this website. In summary, I use dechlorinated water and add 2 teaspoons of salt per liter, leave the axolotls in this solution for 10 to 12 minutes and return to the fridge. I do two salt baths (with aquarium salt) and 100% water change daily. I've also tried removing the fungus with a q-tip without success.

After almost 3 days of this routine I see no improvement. In fact, the fungus in one of the axolotls seems to be growing, and both of them are shedding and have a mucus-type thing covering them. I am inexperienced and uncertain if I should push through this until the fungus goes away, or if them not improving means I am dealing with something else? Also, is skin shedding normal during this treatment? Please note that the shedding occurs in the non-salt water container. I've read that shedding is due to bad quality water, but I'm doing daily water changes with dechlorinated water and they are inside the fridge.

Please help, I don't know what to do

The salt is probably causing irritaion to your axie and it's the slime coat you can see being shed. It's an unfortunate side effect of the salt, but your axie should recover.

If the fungus is not responding to salt baths you may want to consider a stronger salt solution with non-dechlorinated water, melafix may help, or medication - you may need to see a vet for something stronger.

Hi auntiejude, thanks for your response. Hope you don't mind me asking a few more questions, but I was wondering how long should it take to see an improvement? Also, what concentration of salt should I increase to and should I do this increase immediately for tonight's baths?

Thank you kindly.

I would increase the salt to 3 teaspoons per L, starting with the next bath. It could take a week to see improvements.

You could also try to remove the fungus with tweezers if you're careful.