Bleeding Eye Socket, Swollen Back Legs & Bum, Red tail and toe

Hi,

My axolotl had a white furry thing growing on it's eye, has swollen back legs and stomach and swollen bum cheeks. So I changed his water, but when i slid him back into the tank, the force of hitting the water made the white thing on his eye break off and now he is bleeding from his eye socket. His tail is also shrivelled at the tip and red, as with one of his toes. Can some one help me with what is wrong? He has not eaten gravel, and his tank was pretty clean before I changed the water. I feed him pet store Bloodworm, and he lives alone.

Thnakyou.
BattleBean

Have you tested the water? The white stuff sounds like fungus. Maybe put in the fridge and do salt bath.

Ok, I will try that, thank you. Does anyone know if he will ever be able to see from his eye again?

Also, what is your tank temperature? The overall description doesn't sound too good (which is why Karrie suggested testing the water - for ammonia/nitrites and nitrates). If you do have gravel, you really won't know whether he's swallowed any of it or not.

The axolotl sounds like it is in really bad shape. The fridge and salt bath routine are probably your best bet.

Are you interested in diagnosing what caused it to get sick? The usual suspects are temperature and water quality issues. If he does recover, it would be good to get his tank in good shape before he goes back in it.

When you say that you changed his water, do you mean all the water at once? How large is the tank?

There is no gravel in the tank, just big, palm-sized rocks. I just found out that the same net I had been using to scoop out his uneaten food and poo, my mum had been using to scoop out fungus from the pond in the backyard. I bought a PH test kit, and I got an alkaline reading of 7.4 or over. Also, I bought some 'Multi-Cure' for treatment of white spot, velvet disease and fungal diseases, and I added that last night, but he doesn't look any better. The bleeding from his eye has stopped, and scabbed over, but his back legs and bum are still all swollen and he hasn't eaten in over a week.

With the salt bath, I have 'Salt bath Crystals' left over from my dead Hermit crab. How do I go about bathing him? and how much salt should I use?

Thankyou.

PS - The temperature is room temp, but that's around 25 deg cel.

You need to test the water for ammonia/nitrites and nitrates the water might be toxic with out the reading we have vary little way knowing how to help. How long have you had him was he on gravel before you got him. He can have gravel in his system 9-12 months. I'am not shure but most of the med can be toxic as well. We also need to know the water temp. if it's to warm it could be making it worse.

(She gives the temp in the PS at the end.) 25C is too hot for a sick axolotl, you have to get that temperature down. Is there any chance your family will let you put the axie in the refrigerator? If not, then use fans and ice packs and do what you can. For temperature reducing options, see:
http://www.caudata.org/cc/faq/FAQhou.shtml

Do the "salt bath crystals" list ingredients? This may be the perfect thing, but I'm not sure. You need 2-3 teaspoons salt per liter of water, bathe the axie for 10-15 minutes max, twice per day if possible. See:
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/salt.shtml

Your water pH is fine, but Karrie is right, we need to know ammonia and nitrite levels. Some pet shops will do these tests free if you take them a water sample.

The Hermit crab salts, do not have ingredients listed on them, but they just look like natural rock salt crystals, so I gave him a salt bath for 15 minutes in it. Is he supposed to dislike it? Because he is just laying there in it like it was normal water. I will now put him into the fridge, how long should I leave him there?

Also, the redness on tail has now turned to little pimple-like bumps which are bleeding.

The photo below was taken today, his back legs are still very fat in comparison to his front limbs.

You can leave him in the fridge tell he is better but you need to change the water every day. Is there any other critters in his tank besides him. Ammonia burns maybe?

You should get your tankwater tested for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Sounds like you only have a pH test kit. As you don't have the other test kits, take a sample of water to your petshop and ask them to test for the 3 mentioned and to write the results down for you. Post them on the forum and someone can help or let you know if there's a problem.

Have you put him back in the tank or in the fridge. Just that it may be better if you do place him in the fridge. You can use any food safe plastic container, ie: an empty icecream container but washed out using baking soda and water; try not to use detergents.

Test your fridge temp by placing a thermometer in a glass of water and placing in back of fridge. As long as the temperature is above 4 degrees C, then it will be okay to place in fridge.

Put dechlorinated water in a container, put your axie in, put lid on, wrap with a teatowel/cloth (to stop the temperature fluctuations and light flashing as the fridge door opens) and place in the fridge.

In another container, or if no room, in a plastic soft drink bottle (2 litre is best) pour dechlorinated water into the bottle and store in the fridge too with the axie "hospital" container.

You will need to change the water in the "hospital" container completely on a daily basis. This is what the soft drink bottle of dechlor. water is for as it has to be same fridged temperature or could stress your axie more.

Keep us posted on how you get on!

My mum took a sample of the tank water to the pet shop to be tested, and they said it was normal, but I don't know if what is normal for a fish is normal for an axolotl?
I left my axolotl in the fridge for about 8 hours, and when I checked on him, he was floating upside down not moving, I think it is too cold for him, even though I set the fridge to the lowest temp. I have taken him out now, and he is still upside down finding it hard to turn over, so I will give him another salt bath and return him to his tank and see what happens I guess, I think he is dying

have hope for the little guy bless him. keep giving him salt baths 2 times a day it may help.he is a poor little guy he looks very sore.have you tryed finding any new medicen for him any thing for sores or have you tryed to ring a round for a vet.how old is he and is he eating. how is he now. hope the little guy gets better soon tho.

If he was upside down you need to turn him over and lower the water so he can't flip himself, one of ours did this while in the fridge and it is very distressing too see. The cold would not have made him flip over, but the symptoms/illness which you've mentioned probably were the cause and he sounds really ill.

Did you test your fridge temperature with a thermometer. Remember anything above 4degrees. My fridge sits at 5 degrees C and my axies are fine in it.

Put him back in the fridge, lower the water to just above his body, honestly it will give him a chance to right himself. The colder temperature will slow his metabolism down and will give his body a chance to heal. With you adding the multicure to his tank, they may have done a bit more damage to him as most fish medicines are extremely toxic to axies.

Ask your Mum to take a sample of water in again, sorry but it has to be done, and that this time they have to write down the results for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

Print out this thread if necessary and show them it . An ideal cycled tank reading would be:

ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 5-40 (range may vary a bit but as long as nitrates are above 0 and well below 80-100ppm/mg)