A Troubled Hello

My axolotl is Eno. His skin has been shedding; looks like it's melting away. And he sometimes gets these red sores; the sores heal, then re-appear.. I've been keeping him in a plastic storage drawer, no lid. The drawer was purchased brand new just for him--never used for anything else. I rinsed it with mineral water only--no soaps, etc.--before putting him in it. It is 74cm long, 39cm wide, 30cm high. No filters, but I do partial water changes every 2 or 3 days. I bought him on October 9, 2014 and suspect he's had this problem even then, by the looks of the photos I took then. The only commonality I can discern is that he has always been in a plastic container of some kind. So, I'm on my way to get a glass aquarium for him.

I live in Japan. I use tap water that is in plastic bottles. I let the water sit for 24~48 hours before using it. I add no chemicals. I cycled his "aquarium" with Dr. Tim's One and Only, but since Eno had this problem before, I doubt this is a cycling issue, but I could be wrong. Water temp is always around 17~21 degrees celcius, and doesn't fluctuate quickly or often. His appetite is voracious. I give him Hikari axolotl food; he actually eats adult size pellets, even though he is 8 or 9cm long right now.

Thanks for any help/advice anyone can offer this little guy.[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE]

I'm going to move this to the axolotl help section, as you may get more response there.

There could certainly be some infectious agent involved, but you would probably need a vet to sort it out.

Aging tap water for 48 hours may not be enough to get rid of chlorine. To be on the safe side, I would recommend adding an aquarium dechlorinating product, unless you can actually test for the chlorine. (You can use a test kit made for swimming pools or hot tubs).

I am neither an axolotl expert nor an expert on Japan, but according to my husband, most tap water in Japan is very soft. Axolotl experts - could this be a contributing factor?

i am no expert on axolotls yet either but from what i have read soft water is okay, the only thing is they might become a bit anemic. this isnt lethal.

wht drew my attention is the "commonality of a plastic container" i dont know how true this is but i also have read that the chemicals in the plastic can leak into the water eventually, slowly poisoning your axolotl. i also read about people who had no problems with plastic tubs. but to be on the safe side i would switch to quality glass tubs or tank. u did mention that u are on ur way to getting an aquarium for the axie, i suggest doing that sooner than later.

You mentioned "quality glass" aquariums. I'm not sure how to tell one from another. Tetra, Nisso, Marina. And people's opinions vary, too.

I am also researching vets who see axolotls in my area.

The water in Japan is soft, as one comment said, but many people here own axolotls with no problems. Either the axies adjust or it is not that big of an issue.

I am looking into filters: box filters or hang-on-back filters seems to be the favs; sponge filters are said to be less effective/efficient. But I'll have to regulate the box & HOBs to reduce water flow for little Eno.

Have you tested the water parameters (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH)?

No, actually I just purchased a Marina aquarium, per many people's advice. It's a great aquarium, if you like adhesive all over the bottom of the tank and along the inner walls. This must be great for axolotls. I'm thinking of buying a bottle of the stuff and dumping it in his water daily, as it seems Gex/Marina thinks this is such a great idea. What are these idiot companies thinking?!?! Perhaps I'm overreacting? But I cannot get this stuff off the bottom of the tank, and since I'm not using substrate, I'm afraid this might be an issue. No wonder so many people are having problems with their pets: The manufacturers are going out of their way to poison them.

But to answer your question, no, I haven't tested the water. I'm going to add One And Only again, once I get this gluey aquarium settled. I don't trust the test kits when it comes to cycling tanks. I've heard horror stories of inaccurate readings leading to people killing their pets. My little guy here is in enough trouble already with whatever he has. I'm searching for a vet now, to make sure he doesn't have some kind of infection.

$40.00 for the crappy Marina aquarium, BTW, in case anyone else out there wants to poison their axolotls.

Testing the water regularly is one of the most important things to do especially at the beginning. For example Api freshwater test kit is very popular and reliable. The most common reason for sickness is bad water quality. Just adding bottled bacteria or other stuff that claims to remove ammonia instantly is not as good as a well cycled aquarium. Those things are developed for fish and the chemicals in them can be toxic to amphibians. And the fact that you don't have a filter just makes it harder to cycle the tank properly. The bacteria needs a lot of surface to live on which the filter provides.

What do you mean by adhesive inside the aquarium? Is it just silicone or something else?

Thanks for the advice, and I know that cycling is important--crucial. But cycling with animals in the tank is very dangerous, from what I've read, so I'm loathe to try it. However, I did order a filter, so as to give the good bacteria that surface area. Thanks for the advice. I'm going with a box filter and an air pump that lets you regulate the output. It's Lee's Triple box filter. Then adding the One-And-Only should have a better effect than without a filter, which was a mistake I made before. Also, I threw out everything in his former plastic case. I will buy him one hide for his new glass aquarium. He likes plastic plants but is afraid of tubes and houses. Don't know why. LOL

The aquarium is Marina 450. The bottom is plastic, not glass. The adhesive is glue, because they used tape with strong adhesive to glue their free samples, instructions, and glass lid to the plastic bottom of the tank. So tomorrow (1AM here now) I'm going to get a Nisson all-glass aquarium as I wait for my filter & pump. In the mean time, I have Eno in a big plastic bowl. (Yeah, plastic again.) I will do 100% water changes daily, as Susan T. Duhon did: "We change the water of axolotls housed in individual bowls by carefully pouring it, axolotl and all, into a plastic colander."

Eno was in a small plastic jar at an island store front. The animal laws are not as tough here as in the U.S.--not that they're all that strong there either. So as bad as he has it now, it was much worse. Then he had to endure the ride on the bullet train back here where I live. He's been through a lot, but he's still fighting. So I am going to do all I can to help him. I'm losing a lot of sleep. I really care about this little guy. I really do appreciate everyone's input. All of you are so kind. Thank you.

I know that cycling is important--crucial. But cycling with animals in the tank is very dangerous, from what I've read, so I'm loathe to try it.

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Yes it can be dangerous, but it still needs to be done. Ideally the tank should be cycled before buying an axie. It can be done with the axie already living in the tank, but then you need to do daily water changes and test the water regularly. That way it is still relatively safe, but requires a lot of work. Another option is to keep the axie in a separate container with 100% daily water changes while you cycle the main tank. But frankly just adding those chemicals and not even testing the water is not an option. A lot of the time those things don't work as well as they claim to on the bottle leading to ammonia poisoning to which axies are very sensitive. They can also contain chemicals that are toxic to the axie or may burn their sensitive skin. Those things are designed for fish and they are completely different from axolotls.

I'm glad you mentioned the chemicals' possibly being dangerous to axies' skin. The first red sores appeared the day after I added Dr. Tim's One and Only. But I thought that was just a coincidence. Since The Axolotl Whisperer (YouTube) recommended that exact product as an alternative to cycling, I didn't think the product caused the sores. I still don't know, but I will take your advice and just try to cycle the tank naturally. I'm cancelling my order of Dr. Tim's One and Only. Thank you again.

Yes, the water here is soft, but it doesn't seem to bother the axies. Lots of Japanese people own them and there is no problem with anemia, etc. Sorry for the late reply, BTW

Yeah, chems from plastic leech into liquids when heated to a certain amount. That's why bottled water, etc., is unsafe even for humans; because the trucks they're shipped in are not refrigerated. Anyway, I'm switching to glass because, according to expert Susan T. Duhon: "Plastic tends to support the growth of a bacterial scum along the bottom and sides of the container. We have found that if this scum is not cleaned off periodically, the axolotls will develop sores on their toes and feet that will not heal. Instead the skin retreats up the leg and the toes eventually die and are sloughed off."