Question: Sick axi

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Walkerbait0524

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Hello, my axi ,peaches is so sick , he looks like all his slime coat is gone and he is raw from head to tail. He was fine 4 days ago eating, swimming and interactive. He is 3 years old . He hasnt grown much since i got him, he is only about 7 inches long and has reached maturity. I had him in a 40 gallon for 2 years thinking he would grow into it but he just stopped growing so i transferred him to a 20 last year but was healthy and happy no issues till this. I have pics but do not know how to share them on this site. Any advise
 
pics you can set up a gallery if you look up at the bar at the top you should see where it says "albums and galleries", you can link from that. I feel like I saw an even easier way talked about somewhere but I don't remember what it was.



What has changed in the past few days? is the temperature up? Has something happened to the water quality? What are your water parameters looking like?
 
It has been in the 80s and 90s this week outside kind of concerned that possibly my son's cat pee in the tank. Cuz it looks like he lost all his skin ,,I have him fridged, I'm afraid to do a salt bath there was white stuff but I think it was his skin is there something else I can do to help him
 
I emptied the tank thinking at first it was a fungus so I don't know what the temperature was I feel so stupid I've had him for 3 years and this never happened I never had a problem
 
If his tank got that hot it could certainly cause some problems. I can't say for sure what problems a cat peeing in the tank might have done, that's a new one on me, but if it were the case I imagine it would cause an ammonia spike, which combined with high temperatures would absolutely be bad for his health. I don't suppose you were able to test the water before you emptied the tank?

First thing's first, if the tank is still empty I would refill it with dechlorinated water and test the parameters. It may need to cycle again. For his skin, i think maybe tea baths would be the way to go rather than salt baths unless it's fungus. If you're able to post pictures I'm sure somebody here will be able to give you a better idea.



Don't be too hard on yourself. Taking proper care of him is your responsibility, but you do not control the weather or feline incontinence, it's gotten really hot in the last few days here as well, and on friday my tanks got hotter than I would like while I was at work.



I do feel, however, that I have to ask. Why do you think your son's cat peed in the tank?
 
When you type a reply there is a paperclip, click that and it opens another window where you can attach a picture from your computer.
 
She pees on random things and amonia burns
 

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When I start the recycle of the tank should I clean it out first with vinegar
 
This is him last week
 

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Holy Hannah that's rough. He looks pretty skinny in the first ones you posted too...had his appetite waned before you started fridging him?



That doesn't look like fungus. Getting him out of the tank and in to a bin is absolutely the right call, I think. Hayley, you tend to know these things. Do you think tea bath? That skin looks pretty uncomfortable.
 
He has only wanted redworms for about a week , usually he eats 1/2 a night crawler 2 times a week every other day and bloodworm cube
 
He is like a pigmy he stopped growing after about 8 months, no explanation for how that happened anywhere. Just that if hes eating and acting normal its fine and that could have genetic issues like inbreading. He has a foam filter i do 25% water change a week
 
Hes my baby , he keeps looking at me for help, its horrible
 
I have started with tea baths hoping to soothe the pain and promote slimecoat regeneration
 
He's doing better than yesterday and is responding when i talk to him still not eating but could be the tea or the fridging, and i changed the screen cover , to a plastic hood type just incase it was the cat. I dont have any experienced vets who will see him near me. my regular vet for my waterdragon and monitor will see him but she isnt familiar with axolotles so I dont think she can help more than this forum of experienced owners. Any advise on how to precede would be appreciated.
 
I also moved his tank next to an air conditioner since i refilled the water it started at 65° and rose to 74° overnight , now its around 68° ph is 7.2
 
Oh gosh the poor little thing. I think it does look like ammonia burn, possibly from the cat. Good move to change the lid. Are you able to test the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate of the tank?
Have the axie tubbed and yes use tea baths. This should help the skin heal. When tubbing you want to change the water 100% (have 2 tubs so you can easily change the water). Do you have a tea bath guide? There is one on the sick axolotl tab on this site. Keep the water cool, you could position a small fan over the tub to keep it cool overnight. Worst case if you can't keep it consistantly under 68 degrees you can fridge.
I'd say any food is good right now, but if you end up fridging the axolotl probably wont want to eat.
 
Re the vet; that is the downside. we have a great vet who used to treat our dog, but I don't think she has experience outside of dogs and cats...though she is, in all fairness, once again, really great at dogs and cats. So I'm just praying that anything that goes wrong with my axies is something I can take care of.
 
He's not so raw but small patches and his glow area's are showing. He's much more active, not eating
 

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