Illness/Sickness: Bad fungus and increasing...help!

My axie Axelina has had fungus many times recently,but this time it is very bad,am so worried.

It started from her toes (as usual), and spreading to other toes and fin.She has been having twice daily saltbaths for the last 12 days. As it wasn#t improving, I put her in the fridge 2 days ago, while continuing the saltbaths. But the fungus is spreading more, and she is lying on her back. Am sooo worried. What can I do? Please help. I love her.

Here is some background info: She had severe bacterial infection in her nervous system about 2 years ago, and since then doesn't always walk straight, or swim straight. She still has balance issues. Last time she was in the fridge, she was also lying on her back, so am not sure what to make out of it. Anyway, since her serious illness, she has been prone to fungus quite easily. Her 2 tankmates =2 other axies, don't get it. I have separated them by a tank divider.

Tank water is fine. Ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 35, temperature 17C.

In the fridge the temperature is 8-9C.

What can I do? Should I take her to see a vet? Should I continue saltbaths? Should I start mild methylene blue baths (which has helped her in the past in emergencies)? Any other suggestions?

Thank you so much in advance.

Hi Sherri,

I would go back to square one and start salt baths again and fridging. As you say it is a recurring thing and you water parameters are good I would may be look towards stripping out your tank and thouroughly cleaning everything. This will likely upset your cycle but I can't help thinking that there may be some lingering spores in your tank that maybe causing the re infections.

I say this because salt baths, fridging and trips to the vet will likely cure the fungus on the axie but if it keeps coming back then there must be a cause.

Good Luck

Out of curiosity, what water are you using for the water changes?
I was using rain water for a while. One of my axolotl lost the tip of his tail a while back, after a while he started to also loose his toes. I was starting to worry that this water may possibly have something in it that was making the problem worse, so I returned to using dechlorinated tap water. And the problems cleared very quickly. I think my problem was the rainwater was far too soft.b

Hi Sherrisi,

Would you be able to post some photos? There are some types of bacterial infections and even external parasite problems that can resemble fungal infections. Fungus is normally an opportunistic secondary infection that occurs when there is some degree of prior immuno suppression.

If tank parameters, temperature and conditions are all optimal and the other two axies are fine, i suspect this particular axie might be a subclinical carrier of an infection (ie. bacterial, viral). Sometimes, some animals don't recover fully. They may not completely eradicate an infection from their systems and hence lead an asymptomatic 'normal' life until they flare up again due to environmental triggers.

I got alerted to this possibility when you mentioned this axie had a infection of its nervous system in the past. There are not as many infectious agents capable of causing infections to the nervous system. Those that do, have evolved mechanisms to bypass the body immune systems and can remain latent in some of the nervous system cells (ie. ganglion)

I highly recommend you house this particular axie by itself, away from the other two axies in the meantime.

Continue with the fridging and salt baths. Hold off methylene blue.

Cheers.

Millions of thanks for your replies! I think its not necessarily the water, cos my other 2 axies don't have it. (They are in teh same tank, separated by a tank divider).

Axelina's fungus is not getting any better with saltbaths. She now also has lots of little dots of white fungus on her legs, belly, back, sides. Am so worried. Am starting to think it may be bacterial infection like Rayson said. Should I start some sort of antibiotic baths while she is in the fridge? (She has been in the fridge just under 4 days now)

I don't have a digital camera, but will try to get some pics with my phone camera.

Her eyes also have not been clear for a few months. It's like they have a slight grey/white covering, one eye totally, and another about half.

She needs urgent help. Antibiotics? Which one? How much? How often? Please help, I want her to live. I love her so much.

Here is some pics. Hope you can identify the problem...thanks in advance

I think its a bacterial infection and you should go to a vet to get some antibiotics. The vet can take a smear to find out which kind of bacteria effected the infection for that you can get the best antibiotics to help your axie.

Saltbaths are only helpful against fungus, but not against bacteria.

Hi Sherri,

Callina said:

I think its a bacterial infection and you should go to a vet to get some antibiotics. The vet can take a smear to find out which kind of bacteria effected the infection for that you can get the best antibiotics to help your axie.

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I agree with Callina. I think a trip to the vet is in order.

The axolotl also looks overweight to me (the body appears to be wider than the head). This may be bloat, which will need to be treated and drained by a vet. It's hard to tell though due to the split pictures. Would you be able to take a full body shot of the axolotl from above, and from the side?

Could you advise on what the axolotl's main diet consists of?

Also, when did she last eat?

Hi Sherrisixxx,

Your axie has a mixed infection of both fungus and bacteria. The fuzzy coating on the forelimb is quite characteristically fungus. However, as i mentioned in my previous post, fungus is normally a secondary opportunistic infection. There is an underlying condition that needs to be treated.

The white caseous coating on the tail and dorsum is suggestive of a bacterial infection. Bacterial infections also take on the clinical appearance of "little white dots" rather than cottony clusters (fungus). Veterinary intervention is necessary. Like all my posts here, i would also advise you to avoid touching your axie with your bare hands. Try transporting your axie via scooping it up in a container. Wash your hands with soap after handling the tank etc. Do not rub your eyes or mouth etc. after handling the axie. This is to avoid any zoonotic transmission of disease.

Meanwhile continue to isolate your axie and keep it fridged while arranging for a vet appointment. Do not use methylene blue. It is necessary to first identify the type of bacterial infection. Wrong use of antibiotics can encourage resistant bacteria to grow even faster by killing off harmless or beneficial commensals. Furthermore, microbial resistance can build up if dosage is inappropriate. The treatment itself can also further stress the axie.

What is the concentration of your salt baths and for how long did you leave your axie in the bath? I want to rule out excessive / prolonged soaking in high concentration salt baths that might result in skin trauma. If performed correctly, the saltbaths are still beneficial in controlling superficial skin fungal infections. If the bacterial infection is superficial, salt baths can still help as saline solutions have antibacterial properties as well (hence saline mouth gargles etc). However, it seems to me the bacterial infection might be in deeper tissues that the salt solution (or any medicated baths for the matter) cannot penetrate and effectively target the microbes. A systemic administration of antibiotics will be necessary.

Regards

Thank you soooo much for telling me totake her to a vet,which I did this morning. Her fungus is getting worse&worse. He said its definately fungus (checked by microscope),and some underlying cause,like Rayson said. Rayson,I think you are a real star! Always so helpful and giving fantastic,correct information! Anyway, Axelina's full results won't be back before Monday, when I will learn more.(Cul Sens Grange)

She was given anti-fungal by mouth (Nebcin) which I will repeat in 2 days.Also I have to put her into antibiotic bath for an hour a day (Sporanox) for 5 days. And give her eye-drops once a day (Tiacil). Also I should try to force-feed her by syringe with Critical Care Formula,but if she gets too stressed about it,then stop doing it. And continue with salt baths. She hasn't eaten for a week.

I so hope she starts to improve soon.... I will keep you posted.

And once again,I don't know how to thank you enough.

Rayson,I put her into saltbath twice a day for 10-15mins each time.Its 2 litres of water,and just under 1 teaspoonfull of tonic salt,as per the instructions in the pack.
Havelock,she is slightly fat,but not as much as it looks in the photnly tiny bit wider than her head.But thanks for you concern,much appreciated.

sherrisixxx said:

Havelock,she is slightly fat,but not as much as it looks in the photnly tiny bit wider than her head.But thanks for you concern,much appreciated.

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That is a relief. Thank you for the follow up comment, I was a bit worried.

Please keep us posted!

Uh, I need more help. I can't get Axelina to open her mouth! How do I do it? I need to give her a second dose of anti-fungal treatment tomorrow, but don't know how. How do I 'force' her to open her mouth? Somebody help, please. Thanks in advance!

Apart from that, there is no change in her condition. Will keep you posted. Thanks again, from me & Axelina!

Hi Sherri,

Would it be possible for you to check with your vet if an injectable route of medication can be performed? Oral medication is alright but can present with some potential problems. If mishandled, you can quite easily damage the axie's jaws and soft body. In addition, some oral medication can cause intestinal, renal or liver problems especially if the axie is emaciated.

If that option is not available, could you try asking for 1 ml syringes? The 1ml syringe has a rather fine tip that you can use to gently administer oral medications. However, i must stress that oral route of medication is not my preferred choice and if avoidable, best to do so.

Regards.

Axelina died yesterday morning.

I have been crying nearly non stop since. She wasn't even 4 years old, and I miss her so terribly. She was my baby.

The vet called today with results from the scraping, and said Axelina had 2 bacterias, but none of them dangerous (enterobacter and streptocochus). I told him Axelina had died, and he said she died because of the fungus.

I just don't believe it. The fungus was getting a bit better. Does anybody have any idea what might have caused her death otherwise? Is it possible that Sporanox 0,1ml (anti-fungal) by mouth was too much for a weak axie like her? I'm totally heart-broken. I loved her enormously.

Thank so much for trying to help my Princess Axelina. I'm so grateful for your kindness and help.

I still have my other 2 axies, Blackie and Orangina. They are nice axies, but unfortunately I don't love them as I loved Axelina. It's just too sad.

Sheri I'm really sorry for your loss. I was following the posts hoping she would get better.

I'm sorry for your loss. Poor Axelina, and poor you. I hope you feel better soon, the loss of a pet is always so hard.

Dear Sherri,

I am so sorry. I know you did all you could.

Sometimes even with the best treatment and effort, the axie could have already been weakened considerably. I believe it is the accumulative toll of chronic illness, both bacterial and fungal infection and low energy reserves (emaciation) that contributed to her death.

You gave her the best 4 years you could. Axelina is grateful i am sure.

Condolences

Thank you so much for your kind replies. Means so much to me.

Yes, Axelina was definately loved, and I tried my very best to care for her the best possible way. On the day she died, I was crying by her tank where her dead body was. Suddenly there appeared a very bright rainbow on top of it, shining so brightly for many minutes. I believe Axelina sent it to cheer me up.( Am sorry if that upsets some people, and I don't mean to start a religious discussion, am just saying how it meant so much to me.)So much.

Thank you again for your kindness.