Illness/Sickness: I can't tell what my axolotl is sick with or how to fix the issues.

Hi all,
I have currently been away from my axolotl for almost two weeks and have only been able to check on him twice (once a week) for water changes. The person I have left him with is inexperienced in their care so I left detailed instructions.

After a couple days of being away from my axie, I went back for the water changed and poop and uneaten food had been left in the tank despite being written very clearly not to. I tested the water and as I had suspected ammonia was a little high (though I don't remember the numbers). I picked up all the waste and did a 50% water change using Prime (which detoxify ammonia).

The person caring for her rang me today and told me she had not eaten since the last time I was there (a week later). I went back and she is just in terrible condition. The waste had been picked up and such. I tested the water and ammonia was a tiny bit high but very close to zero - everything else was zero. My biggest concern was the Ph - it was 6.0 way too acidic! I have no idea on how to fix it.. please help!!

My axolotl (Lottie) has on very curved gill and all of them are abnormally pale (and I know they can be pale when axies are inactive but she was swimming around the tank and moving a fair bit and they did not return to the normal bright pink colour). I suspect a fungus or maybe even columnaris. I have pictures attached (one from when she was a baby which probably isn't very clear but I wanted something to compare the other pictures to).


I feel like this is a repeat of what happened to my other boy and I can't go through this again.

Please help and feel free to ask more questions!
- Chloe

sorry I forgot to attach the pictures..

and I forgot to mention that her gills are way less 'fuzzy'. You can't really tell in the 'before' picture but she had very long and fluffy gills. Now they seem shorter not fluffy at all. Sorry about my terrible description..

UPDATE: She still hasn't eaten. I'm back home now so I can keep a close eye on her. Her gill situation is a lot better - one isn't curved over and they are more fuzzy and have colour, though the tip of the top two gills are white. I don't think it's fungus because it isn't like the cotton-y stuff. I have been able to get a grip on the pH.. I'm not really sure what made it drop though, could it be the uneaten waste that was left in the tank by the person I left her with??
Also I finally installed a chiller - it was extremely difficult for me to reach 16 degrees C using water bottles and I couldn't afford to run the ac all day (and it didn't even make the water 16 degrees.). I'm starting to think that the temperature as well as the ammonia build up could have upset her, so hopefully with both under control she will be healthy again.

Any one with suggestion on what is wrong with her gills, or if there is something wrong with her gills??

Please, please, please help!!

How is she doing now? The change in the gills is most likely from the water conditions. since you have removed the waste and lowered the temp I would assume she would be on the mend. Has she eaten at all yet?

I use water bottles from time to time too, I would say you should use the prime on the water in the bottle as well in case it leaks.

Hi, thank you for replying!
She's doing much better now. She hasn't entirely gotten her apatite back but is starting to eat more and more. Can't for sure say what happened there but it was a bit of a scare.

- Chloe