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Illness/Sickness: Axolotl Larvae is Bloated with air or fluid

Bette

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I need advice! I noticed last night that my chimera axolotl larva(about 1.5 inches) is bloated with either fluid or air. It is right side up and sitting fine, but has trouble righting itself if the water & it is moved.
It only ate one white worm last night, and then I proceeded to fridge it overnight. There doesn't seem to be any change today so far. Is fridging something that will help or hurt it in this case?
It's last normal meal was a bunch of frozen blood worms the night before last (very late feeding about 12 midnight). It was perfectly fine at that point. I had to work all day yesterday, and when i went to feed everybody last night again, I noticed the problem.

Before it had that large meal of blood worms, it was mostly feeding on white worms with the occasional bloodworm. Could it be that the volume of the blood worms it ate was just too much, too soon?
Should I try to get it to eat something now?
 

Bette

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Anybody know if fridging will help or hurt? If it wanted to eat (which it doesn't right now), should I feed it while still bloated?
 

auntiejude

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Fridging is fine.

Can you post some pictures? There is more than one kind of 'bloating' that can affect little larvae.
 

Bette

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Ok, so here are some photos. Please let me know what you think.
The plastic kept fogging up constantly as I was trying to take the pics :mad:.
 

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Bette

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and the little one still won't eat...

I found this info taken from "pollywogs world of frogs" website, about treating bloat in amphibians(specifically frogs of course)... anyone have any experience or thoughts on treating per these instructions? I'm a bit uncomfortable treating with meds on axies.......

There are two forms of bloat. One cause is created by unicellular flagellates and lungworms. The second type is from improper body metabolism. It could even be the result of an inadequate diet or poor climatic maintenance.
Bloat Symptoms:
If aquatic, the frog's skin seems
to be full of liquid, separating it from muscle and causing the "bloated" appearance that gives this disease it's name. It can be in patchy areas, or in severe cases, all over the frog's body. The frog's abdomen seems to be particularly affected.

Bloat Treatment:

If frog is aquatic, make a Quarantine chamber Bath using 1/2 of a 250 mg. capsule tetracycline or tetramisol, add to 1 cup distilled water, and very small pinch salt. Have the frog soak in this type daily for 5 days, for a time period of 12 minutes. Time It ! Make a fresh bath each day, never use the old bath to re-treat. Dispose of old bath properly, making sure to decontaminate and dry the tupperware after the bath has been disposed of.
After the first five days, switch over to an ampicillin or ampicellix bath for next 5 days, following same mg. and bathing times, amounts, listed above. After 10 days allow the frog to remain in the Quarantine tank for another 2 weeks to make sure infection is gone.
 

auntiejude

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There are more than just those 2 reasons for an axie to appear bloated. TBH I had larvae like that, and they didn't make it.

It looks more like fluid retention than air bubbles, but the pics aren't too clear. Considering the problems that often occur in chimaeras I would say his internal organs are having issues, causing fluid retention.

As for treatment, I don't thik there is much you can do other than keep him cool and clean, keep offering food and see if it passes.
 

rachel1

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If it were my pet, I would give antibiotics a try. Worse case scenario he doesn't improve, and ends up dead anyway. Best case scenario he gets better. This is my personal opinion, as I would prefer to feel that I had tried to do something besides just hoping for improvement. When my 18 year old cat went into liver failure, the vet thought it was probably cancer, but we treated with an antibiotic in case the cause was bacterial. He ended up making a full recovery and lived another 3 years, to the age of 21. I agree that the possibility of idiopathic organ failure in a chimera is high, simply due to the deformity present. But I don't think trying a broad spectrum antibiotic treatment in the amphibian protocol described would harm the animal. It's your pet, treat it as you see fit.
 

Bette

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Thank you for the advice. There is still no change in Gem's condition, so I will try treating with antibiotics to see if he improves. Should I continue to fridge him during treatment, or move him to the basement where it's about 62 degrees? Perhaps the warmer temp in the basement will help bring back his appetite?
I've been getting so attached to him(or her!), I will be heartbroken to lose him. Hoping for a little miracle here...
 

Sweetie

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Can someone with more experience than I have explain how to tell this axie is a chimera? I know it is obvious with very different colour combinations, but when it is more subtle, or when two eggs from same-coloured parents merge, how do you know you have a chimera?
 

Bette

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I'm trying to not get too excited, but Gem ate two small blood worms tonight, pooped, and appears to have lost some of the swelling in the abdomen.
I also started treating with Furan-2 in the water this afternoon.
 

Bette

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Can someone with more experience than I have explain how to tell this axie is a chimera? I know it is obvious with very different colour combinations, but when it is more subtle, or when two eggs from same-coloured parents merge, how do you know you have a chimera?

Well, I thought that the only way to prove a chimera with little or no appearance as such, would be to do dna testing on both sides of the body. Not sure about the details... perhaps someone else knows more on this?
BTW, I may have another chimera from the same batch. It's more subtle with the coloring, and this baby is still very small, as it was one of the tiny runts. As it grows, I'll post some pics.
 

Bette

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Gem ate 4 white worms this morning, and looks almost back to normal. Just a bit of swelling...not too much.
I forgot to mention that I moved him to the basement, too.
Alright, I'm starting to get a little excited:happy:
 
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