Caudata.org: Newts and Salamanders Portal

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Did you know that registered users see fewer ads? Register today!

Axolotl emergency.....?

Kochebi

Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2014
Messages
84
Reaction score
1
Location
Ohio
I am looking for advice and if anyone could possibly help me identify what is wrong with my axolotls.

A little bit of back story... I was having trouble keeping my tanks cool during a recent heat wave and my two boys weren't eating as much from stress (I'm assuming.) I got desperate and tried to feed them feeders, which I hate to do.... but I made a desperate mistake. At this point I am sure that something transferred from the feeders to my lotls... I just have no idea what and it's scaring me.

I treated my tank with Prazipro first and that did nothing. I at first assumed it was a parasite because they were showing no outward symptoms except lethargy and uninterest in eating.

I was then fridging one of the boys who started showing symptoms of a sort of white fluffiness on his lip, and I gave him salt baths, twice daily for three days. The other, Nugget, started to show the symptoms of it as well and received one day of salt baths. However, Ogo in the fridge showed no signs of improving, and on his third day in the fridge I checked on him and veins were showing all over his body and his face looked terrible.

At this point I think it is not a fungus, either. Currently I have both of them back in their tank and I am currently dosing it with Furan-2 at half dose. Whatever initially showed up as small whitish spots on Ogo's lip and Nugget's foot has progressed to literally eating away at their flesh and bone. It's difficult to get pictures, as they are both hiding away in their tank, but at my next opportunity I will. Nugget is missing one toe and has an open wound on the one next to it. Ogo has a massive hole/open wound on the edge of his mouth/going up toward his nostril. His nostril may already be missing. His jaw bone may be showing. It his horrifying and I don't know what to do.

Besides these wounds neither of them have eaten in three weeks. Ogo has a weird kink at the end of his tail, And I am not sure if that is some sort of injury, tail curling, or something related to whatever is happening to them. They are showing no other symptoms. Ogo's skin is no longer veiny, and they both have normal looking skin other wise. Their gills look normal as well. I have had Ogo for almost 4 years and Nugget for roughly 3.5 and have never had any problems with fungus or disease before.

If anyone has any experience with anything like this or has any suspicion as to what it may be please help me. I am seeing a vet on Monday but I am so scared for them. Again, I will get pictures as soon as I can. I am letting them just hide and do their thing in their tanks as I want to stress them as little as possible.

My tank has been hovering around 60-65°F. Currently ammonia/nitrates/nitrites are at zero as I performed a 100% water change yesterday before beginning the Furan-2 treatment as I had to remove my filter media.
 

NidiaNz

New member
Joined
Sep 30, 2015
Messages
57
Reaction score
1
It's possibly columarius, have a read up about it and see if it fits.
 

Kochebi

Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2014
Messages
84
Reaction score
1
Location
Ohio
It's possibly columarius, have a read up about it and see if it fits.

Ugh... I've been reading about it and that's what I'm most afraid of.... I just really haven't read anything about columnaris like... aggressively eating away at parts of axolotls? Like, nugget's toe went from looking off to being completely gone in about 3 days.
 

Kochebi

Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2014
Messages
84
Reaction score
1
Location
Ohio
Here's a pic of the current state of Ogo's face. He was actually sort of active in his tank today. I was still unable to get a picture of Nugget's foot.
 

Attachments

  • 20180824_174541.jpg
    20180824_174541.jpg
    235.5 KB · Views: 284

Kochebi

Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2014
Messages
84
Reaction score
1
Location
Ohio
Hey I believe I commented on your post on Tumblr and with more pictures it does look like columnaris to me :(
Here's a link to a pretty good treatment guides for it on here
https://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=108353

So sorry to hear about the lil guys as I'm sure it's a very stressful situation for everyone I'm wishing you the best!


Thank you. I'll check out that guide. Right now I'm treating their tank with furan-2 and keeping it at a normal temp. I've got that vet appointment on Monday.... Maybe they'll have some sort of antibiotics. I'm also going to look into starting treatment following that guide... depending on what the vet says.
 
General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
    There are no messages in the chat. Be the first one to say Hi!
    Top