Illness/Sickness: Tea bath caused upset/Stress/lethargy??

Hello,
I'm getting a bit confused in how to post around on my mobile! And I was informed that I posted to the general forum, but the links read that I have posted to Sick Axolotl

My original question was about treating for an eye infection/injury.


I have a new development on things that I'm concerned about - I set up a 24l quarantine tank with 2 tea bags worth added (ie 1bag/10litres). Left her less than 24hrs and she's made ALOT of mess and now seems sad and lethargic now (after racing round the tank apparently for a min). It looked like there was skin sheddings, but it might just be faecal stuff. She looks in Ok condition.

I thought tea baths weren't meant to have any Ill effects?? She wasn't like this before even with the salt baths.

Should I have waited longer than 24hrs after the salt bath? It was at least 24hrs.

I tested the tea bath water and it seemed fine?

I've now put her in another tub of fresh clean water. And is still flicking her gills, looks in Ok condition but she is relatively still and backs away from a finger wiggle, usually she's always tempted - hoping it's food.
I'm now cleaning the home tank, and will run the filter for a few days, monitor her and place her back in the home tank. Hope for the best?

Any other advice??

wow. My axolotl currently has the same exact thing going on. I've done a few salt bath and he seems fine and healthy. I was going to try a tea bath...
I read up on it and I heard that it wasn't supposed to have much effect either?

Was the tea just black? Any flavoring?? :smile:

Hi, yea just 2x PG tips. Maybe it was too strong? It was very very dark water. Her eye has continued to recover some more though
I think 1 tea bag for a 24l tank is fine next time.

And of course I began with dechlorinated water I even let it settle at least an hour or two (if I can't age it a day). Then wait 5-10 min after mixing in conditioner well.

She's behaving much more normally now, after a few hours in a cool (10c) dark tub of fresh water. She ate 2 sinking pellets & tiny pieces of Prawn. Then I decided it best to put her back in the tank, but remove some of the tank decoration as she's injured herself before and i think she's suffers from a sense of crowding (I can tell by the awkward movement around - she's quite active and likes turning around alot!)

Great to hear that she's doing better! :wacko:
Has her eye cleared up yet?

She's eating like she's a hungry beast again lol
And her eye looks stable i.e. not worse.

Now I'm wondering if shes got belly slime coat issue or scarring? I don't think it's fungus? and there's also a tip of something on her left 'index' finger.

I'm keeping a regular daily physical conditon look over and water quality check, and so far - over two days everything has been stable and good. If the eye, belly surface lumps and finger thing don't reduce then I'll add 1 tea to her 40l (As a light touch) - or I set up a seperate tea tank again.

Also, her gills are slightly forward - but always have been (sometimes less so with fresh water - but the tank is cyceled now and stable it seems). I can't think what else it could be...apart from, maybe it's her natural stance? I also wondered if she felt crowded in her tank and have removed objects now, but shes the same. Also, following the tea bath confussion her tail tip has started to curl? Again, her tank set up hasn't really changed at all - the chemical and temp parameters seem stable. ????

The above photos are of her eye recovering (first pic is original condition).

These are her index finger and belly bumps, and current tank set up - maybe this 45l is still too small? ...I also tried to get one of her tail too....

Thanks for looking!

I doubt the tea baths were the cause of the negative effects you experienced. The White 'bumps' appear to be normal colouration. Or at least I cannot see anything abnormal. The tank is too small and it would be best to upgrade. Make sure you get the new tank fully cycled before you transfer over.

The ears curled forward seem fine. It's only a real problem when they're curled to the point of touching her head. My axolotls gills look the same as yours!

Thanks for the input - I read that 40l was an ok minimum, but she looks like she's outgrowing it already! :S
And yep, I always set up a transfer cycle of water and media to a new tank prior to commiting her to it.