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Illness/Sickness: Axolotl skin & leg problems

Anna Banana

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Hello all,

My eight year old female wild-type axolotl - Axelita - has recently been showing big signs of stress.

First she developed a white mark on her head (her brown patch is normal). The white is also on her back now, quite large but not fluffy at all, just whiter skin. She has also not been swimming at all for about two weeks we think and she used to be very agile, not at all shy. Her hind legs are at times very floppy and she has to drag herself along the bottom. Please see this video link: https://youtu.be/GFaIrP4_214

We moved house and had to change her tank from a long, stable, dark and cool tank to a shorter 50l plastic tub for a while. She's now in a 47x47x47cm glass tank with plants and a hide. Then I realised her filter had broken, so we bought a Fluval 206 which it turns out is a bit big for a 100l tank. Adjusted the flow to reduce stress. I put in LED lights to help the plants, timed at a few hours a day.

The main problem is we went away for 13 days and my neighbours fed her but the house got hot. The water was 24 degrees C (75 F) and now it's 21 C (70 F) but she was used to 16 C before.

Have been using Seachem Stability and Prime as usual but bought a plant food "Tropica Premium Nutrition" recently which may not be suitable. The label says "Declaration W/W%: N 0.0%, P 0.0%, K 0.8%, Mg 0.4%, S 0.9%, B 0.004%, Cu 0.006%, Fe 0.07%, Mn 0.04%, Mo 0.002%, Zn 0.002%". What do you think?

The only good news is she is eating her normal earthworms fine. I will test the water in the morning - it's 11pm here!

I'd really appreciate any thoughts on if it is a fungus, if fridging, salt or black tea would really help, and if her hind leg problem means going to a vet as soon as possible. I have an appointment tomorrow but I may cancel as they almost definitely don't know as much as you!

Thanks,
Anna
 

Hayleyy

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Interesting with the colouring. I've read recently of axolotl's losing colour, and it seems to not be anything to worry about.
The back legs could be a result of the hot water, which can take some days to recover from. The vet might be able to give you some good advice, if they have experience with axolotls specifically. If they don't it's possibly not worth it.
From what I remember plant additives aren't popular to use with axolotls, although some people use them without issue. I don't know about the chemicals specifically so hopefully someone (or even your vet!) might be able to give you advice with that.
Salt baths aren't needed unless you see any fungus (white fluffy stuff), I couldn't see any in the video. If it's just a loss of colouration tea baths probably won't do anything, if the skin is damaged it can help.
Has she been pooping?
Are the back legs not moving at all, or just sluggish?
 

Anna Banana

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Hi Hayleyy,

She's never been a great pooper, I'm afraid. We rarely see them and I've had her for a year! I do regular water changes and filter the water to prevent ammonia build up and her numbers are usually fine on test strips. Someone said sometimes they eat them? We feed her a big worm every 3-4 days so it is a bit of a mystery.

Her legs at one point on Saturday were just like jelly, which prompted me to call the vet. I wonder if it's to do with muscle wastage, as in her old tank, pre-April time, she used to swim around a lot and now nothing? I would say they are just sluggish and weak - she can move them at will.

We bought two little fans to reduce the temperature but it isn't really working. Do you think it's possible the large external filter is keeping the water warm? We've only had it for 2.5 weeks. It's now 22 C.

Perhaps it's all too noisy - filter, fans, etc. and I'll defintely stop the plant food in case it's that.

She's moving around the tank floor more though, which is a relief. She was reluctant to come out of her hide when we got back for three whole days.

I know there are plenty of axolotls in far-worse condition out there but I am a bit of a worrier. I bought a full test-tube testing kit which I now need to tackle and science isn't my best subject at all. Steep learning curve owning such a pet, no?
 

Hayleyy

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There is so much to learn about aquatic pets, even more so axolotls! I'm still learning and I've had them for years!
Follow the instructions on the kit and you'll get the hang of them :)
I don't think external filters create a lot of heat in the tank, I could be wrong though. When you changed the filter over did you use the old filter media or just set up the new one? If you did the latter you may have lost a lot of beneficial bacteria and the cycle crashed. Test the levels and post them here so we can see.
 

Anna Banana

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Hi Hayleyy,

Late again here but did the liquid test, finally!

pH: 7.5
(Phew. Advice from axolotl.org "For axolotls, a pH of 6.5 to around 8.0 is acceptable, but 7.4 to 7.6 is probably ideal")

Ammonia NH3: 0
(Hooray)

Alkalinity KH: 10 degrees dH or CaCO3 at 178ppm I think
(Not sure if this is okay)

Nitrite NO2: 0
(All good)

Nitrate NO3: 5
(Think that's acceptable)

General Hardness GH: 15 degrees dH or CacO3 at 267ppm
(Again, not sure but too scienced-out to read any more on it)

Chlorine I couldn't test because the shop had run out but we've never had an issue with it on test strips before.

I looked up the plant food "Tropica Premium Nutrition" declaration meanings just for reference:
W/W% (weight per weight):
N (Nitrogen) 0.0%
P (Phosphorus) 0.0%
K (Potassium) 0.8%
Mg (Magnesium) 0.4%
S (Sulphur) 0.9%
B (Boron) 0.004%
Cu (Copper) 0.006%
Fe (Iron) 0.07%
Mn (Manganese) 0.04%
Mo (Molybdenum) 0.002%
Zn (Zinc) 0.002%

So I'm wondering if it is toxic, as it has a little copper and sulphur and copper sulphate is listed as a toxic compound on axolotl.org

Anyhoo, the heatwave in England is driving us crazy. I may keep her in the fridge for a week or three because two mini fans and two ice bottles aren't getting the temp down consistently. It's 21-20 C. As for the white markings, axolotl.org also reckons it is heat-related and treat as fungus. Will look into the natural aloe vera remedies and perhaps a salt bath treatment once we've got the temperature sorted.

She ate a big worm heartily too!

Thanks again,
Anna
 

Hayleyy

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If you can post a close pic of the white I'd love to see. If it's external and fluffy then yeah it's fungus and a salt bath will do the trick. I believe there is another kind of fungus that shows differently and needs different treatment but I'm not familiar with that one.
Great that she ate! While in the fridge she will eat less so keep that in mind :)
 

Anna Banana

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tammyaxie

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Looks like vitiligo

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Hayleyy

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Really beautiful axolotl you have there! I agree I think it's vitiligo rather than fungus. The gills are lovely and fluffy!! Let us know if there is change with her legs.
 

Anna Banana

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Hi folks,

Thank you for your responses. She is beautiful and I love her very much!

Her legs are stronger now and she is a little bit more responsive. Would be fantastic to have her swimming again (and pooping more!) but I'll be patient and wait.

I'm hoping to visit Lake Patzcuaro in November to see where her ancestors came from. My family are Mexican, so it's nice to have this connection! They still find them in the wild there and several nuns hold the best genetic pool collection in the world I believe: https://overcast.fm/+IPM8nNEnU

Thank you again for your help. It's been invaluable in this scary time.

Anna X
 

Anna Banana

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Hi Hayleyy & Tammy & all,

Just an update on little Axelita. She's becoming a bit bolder but still unable to swim around, wiggle fast & float like she used to. Instead, she lumbers around on the floor, like she has lost her dexterity. More importantly, we've noticed today her tail now appears to be turning deep pink from the inside. I'll post a photo when I can in better light. Her outer skin is the same as before.

She's eating well - a worm every other day. Someone mentioned that perhaps the live earthworms I'm feeding her might be unwell themselves, as they might get warm in the shed in the day. However, the wormery is partially-insulated, the moss provides a nice bed for them and they're well fed, so I don't think it's that. Annoyingly, the large external Fluval filter I bought is noisy when on reduced flow. I hope it's not stressing her.

Any thoughts on the reddening tail please - is it time to book in to the vet's or something natural with middle-aged females? Hope the latter!

Temperature is varying between 19 C and 22 C
1 or 2 x 15% water changes since I last wrote
Water test tomorrow...

Thanks,
Anna
 

Anna Banana

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Axelita photos in different lights. Her tail is often curled which is not a good sign but she seems chilled this morning. No sign of poo for a week!
 

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tundrabadger

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Is it possible the poop is breaking down before you notice it? I sometimes have that problem in my big tank, which has darker sand like you're using, coupled with the fact that one of them only likes to poop in really inconvenient places. So by the time I get home from work or look in the specific really inconvenient place it's kind of this slightly different shade of brown rather than a cohesive lump. Sometimes. depends on the inconvenient place they poop.
 

tammyaxie

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Axelita photos in different lights. Her tail is often curled which is not a good sign but she seems chilled this morning. No sign of poo for a week!
She's beautiful. I wish someone here whose axie has vitiligo could explain if this is indeed what is happening to her or or if it may be something else.


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Hayleyy

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The tail may be going red because of the temperature, keep trying to get it under 19 degrees if you can.
 

Anna Banana

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Hi Tundra, Tammy and Hayleyy,

The good news is... we have poop!

The bad news is the heatwave continues. I left it at 19 C this morning but it might creep up to 21 C by tonight. I wish my partner still worked from home. He could keep an eye on it then!

I also found the worms unhappy with the shed temp, so I've changed their bedding and food and brought them inside.

This is my hobby now, tending little creatures!

Thanks,
Anna
 

Anna Banana

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Hi all,

A question: can axolotls live underwater without coming up for air?

Axelita cannot currently swim to the surface of her 50cm deep tank at all, because of the above reasons, but for weeks now she seems to be surviving at the bottom.

Do all the plants in there give her enough oxygen or should I be helping her somehow? I know I can buy an air egg but I read that they don't like any extra flow if possible and she already has noisy gadgets (fans, filter).

Her water readings were fine and my neighbour has suggested getting her a tank mate to help cheer her up. He has a 15cm or so juvenile on offer, while Axelita is fully grown 25cm or so. I am in two minds if it is a good idea or not.

What do you think?

She's now climbing on the plants which makes me half happy half worried. I don't want her to suffer with lack of oxygen. Nor annoying teenage axies, if they are annoying!

Thanks,
Anna
 

Hayleyy

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I don't know how necessary it is for them to swim to the surface for air but I would lower the water level if you're able to. Or, have decorations so she can work her way to the top. You said she is climbing plants which is great. You could have a shower shelf suctioned half way up so she can swim/climb to that, take a break, then swim up for air. A makeshift ramp, as it were :D
If you get a partner for her you want them the same size, otherwise she'll nibble at him haha.
 

Anna Banana

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Hi Hayleyy,

Thank you. I took out 20 or so litres and made a ramp out of her driftwood, hide pot and plants. It doesn't quite reach the surface so I'll work on it more later.

I'm coaxing her to climb and swim a bit with a worm as bait. She isn't there yet - if she misses her footing she falls back down - but I think she'll get stronger if I keep it up.

The good news is the temperature is steady, at 19 C or lower.

I'll enquire about the other two axolotls my neighbour has. Don't really want babies if I can help it!

Thanks,
Anna
 
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