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Axolotl with pink "fuzzy" cloaca

Mouse Mason

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Recently (last week or so), I've been trying to reintroduce my two axoltls to each other (they are now both about a year and a half old, and have been separated for almost their entire lives by a see-through divider in the tank, as they used to attack each other, and injure each other quite badly).

When I take the divider away, it's always fine for half an hour or so, until they realy notice each other, and then one of my axolotls (Skipper) starts attacking the other one (Charlie). It's always this was around, and he always goes straight for Charlie's cloaca, not biting it, just sort of "nosing" it, but in a forceful way that makes Charlie try and get away from him.
What's really worrying though, is when he goes for Charlie his cloaca sort of "opens up" and is white and fuzzy, and gradually turns pink. Also, today, before I could separate them, some white fuzzy stuff came out of the cloaca (you can sort of see it in the third picture). However, when I have separated them, the cloaca closes up and looks perfectly normal! Both are eating fine, and passing stool normally.

Sorry the photos are so blurry, they where moving quickly at the time, and I was trying to keep them apart with one hand!
1st picture shows the normal cloaca after it has closed up
2nd shows pink fuzzy cloaca
3rd shows "white stuff" coming out of cloaca
 

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CrazyForLotls

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Recently (last week or so), I've been trying to reintroduce my two axoltls to each other (they are now both about a year and a half old, and have been separated for almost their entire lives by a see-through divider in the tank, as they used to attack each other, and injure each other quite badly).

When I take the divider away, it's always fine for half an hour or so, until they realy notice each other, and then one of my axolotls (Skipper) starts attacking the other one (Charlie). It's always this was around, and he always goes straight for Charlie's cloaca, not biting it, just sort of "nosing" it, but in a forceful way that makes Charlie try and get away from him.
What's really worrying though, is when he goes for Charlie his cloaca sort of "opens up" and is white and fuzzy, and gradually turns pink. Also, today, before I could separate them, some white fuzzy stuff came out of the cloaca (you can sort of see it in the third picture). However, when I have separated them, the cloaca closes up and looks perfectly normal! Both are eating fine, and passing stool normally.

Sorry the photos are so blurry, they where moving quickly at the time, and I was trying to keep them apart with one hand!
1st picture shows the normal cloaca after it has closed up
2nd shows pink fuzzy cloaca
3rd shows "white stuff" coming out of cloaca
What ever happened here? I'm having the same issue with my axolotl (except he lives alone and nothing is coming out). One of the two sides/cheeks of his cloaca is flared out and has a bunch of little white hair-like spikes on it. I'm not sure why. His temperature did get pretty high one day (71) but I took him out immediately and got him tubbed in cooler water. The day his tank got warm was the day I noticed the issue. Once he was tubbed, I gave him a few tea baths and that seemed to help, so I went back to regular dechlorinated water when I would change his tub every day. Then it seemed to get bad again, so I gave him one more tea bath. That helped a little bit but he's still not 100% back to normal. Sometimes it's very flared out and fuzzy and other time it's nearly all the way back inside of him and all you can see is a little white speck poking out of him.
 

AMurry24537

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What ever happened here? I'm having the same issue with my axolotl (except he lives alone and nothing is coming out). One of the two sides/cheeks of his cloaca is flared out and has a bunch of little white hair-like spikes on it. I'm not sure why. His temperature did get pretty high one day (71) but I took him out immediately and got him tubbed in cooler water. The day his tank got warm was the day I noticed the issue. Once he was tubbed, I gave him a few tea baths and that seemed to help, so I went back to regular dechlorinated water when I would change his tub every day. Then it seemed to get bad again, so I gave him one more tea bath. That helped a little bit but he's still not 100% back to normal. Sometimes it's very flared out and fuzzy and other time it's nearly all the way back inside of him and all you can see is a little white speck poking out of him.
Another person also just posted a thread about this. Any chance you figured it out?
 

CrazyForLotls

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Another person also just posted a thread about this. Any chance you figured it out?
Nope. It isn't getting any worse or any better but it doesn't look comfortable for my little guy. He seems fine though. I put him back into his tank and it's usually around 66 degrees in there. He's eating and pooping just fine still but his little bum is fuzzy

I think I'm going to try tea again soon, but keep him in his tank this time. It seemed to help before, but it never could fully knock out whatever the fuzz is, so whenever I would stop the tea it'd come right back. It isn't spreading, but that one half of his cloaca is flared and all covered in white fuzz instead of visible pink with white hairs. It has been that way for awhile and isn't getting worse though.
 

AMurry24537

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Nope. It isn't getting any worse or any better but it doesn't look comfortable for my little guy. He seems fine though. I put him back into his tank and it's usually around 66 degrees in there. He's eating and pooping just fine still but his little bum is fuzzy

I think I'm going to try tea again soon, but keep him in his tank this time. It seemed to help before, but it never could fully knock out whatever the fuzz is, so whenever I would stop the tea it'd come right back. It isn't spreading, but that one half of his cloaca is flared and all covered in white fuzz instead of visible pink with white hairs. It has been that way for awhile and isn't getting worse though.
Shoot, that's too bad. I was reading through some other, similar threads, and there were some suggestions that it might be some kind of parasite. Others suggested almond leaves to help treat it. Either way, it seems like a vetrinarian visit is probably a good idea, especially considering that it's gone on for a little while now. Regarding the tea baths, you could try adding some black tea directly to the aquarium at a lower concentration than an actual tea bath. I've done this before to help with the occasional fungus problem. What has worked well for me is to add about 8 oz. of (chilled, of course) black tea per 10 gallons of water. I also am usually doing frequent water changes to help with the fungus (this is also always a tactic for you that can only help) amounting to about 50% either every 12 or 24 hours depending on the severity of the situation. When the water starts looking clear again, I add more tea.
 

CrazyForLotls

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Shoot, that's too bad. I was reading through some other, similar threads, and there were some suggestions that it might be some kind of parasite. Others suggested almond leaves to help treat it. Either way, it seems like a vetrinarian visit is probably a good idea, especially considering that it's gone on for a little while now. Regarding the tea baths, you could try adding some black tea directly to the aquarium at a lower concentration than an actual tea bath. I've done this before to help with the occasional fungus problem. What has worked well for me is to add about 8 oz. of (chilled, of course) black tea per 10 gallons of water. I also am usually doing frequent water changes to help with the fungus (this is also always a tactic for you that can only help) amounting to about 50% either every 12 or 24 hours depending on the severity of the situation. When the water starts looking clear again, I add more tea.
I was going to do the same thing sometime this week in his tank. Should I take out his decorations so that they don't get stained? I might use almond leaves instead of tea if the tea doesn't work. I should remove the carbon bag from the filter, correct?

Unfortunately, I am unable to take him to a vet for further treatment. My parents do not find it practical.
 

AMurry24537

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I was going to do the same thing sometime this week in his tank. Should I take out his decorations so that they don't get stained? I might use almond leaves instead of tea if the tea doesn't work. I should remove the carbon bag from the filter, correct?

Unfortunately, I am unable to take him to a vet for further treatment. My parents do not find it practical.
I've never noticed any staining as a result of the black tea (again, it's not very concentrated), but if you have any decor that is made of something porous, you could definitely do that. As for the carbon, to be frank, I'm not sure; I use a sponge filter, so I've never had to deal with that, but I would assume that you'd probably want to remove it to prevent it from sucking up all the tea. I understand about your parents. Do what you can to persuade them, but it might be a battle you won't be able to win.
 

CrazyForLotls

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I've never noticed any staining as a result of the black tea (again, it's not very concentrated), but if you have any decor that is made of something porous, you could definitely do that. As for the carbon, to be frank, I'm not sure; I use a sponge filter, so I've never had to deal with that, but I would assume that you'd probably want to remove it to prevent it from sucking up all the tea. I understand about your parents. Do what you can to persuade them, but it might be a battle you won't be able to win.
Alrighty. I'll take out the carbon. His decorations are polyresin I think. They're from the pet store. He also has some fake green "seaweed" with ceramic bases, but I don't mind if the base gets stained. It's already an off-white color.

I've tried. They both tell me "we're not taking him to a vet." It would probably be hard to find one near where I live anyway. That, along with it probably going to be expensive, I highly doubt they would let me take my axolotl to a vet. I'll do the best I can to care for him with your help :)
 
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