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!

Leroy is sick & i am at a loss!!!

natalie14

New member
Joined
Sep 27, 2007
Messages
65
Reaction score
0
Location
Cannock
Hi

I have had Leroy a year now & have had no real problams with him but recently i have had a film come on top of his water, no matter how many times i change the water, test the water or spot clean it just keeps comin back!!! Grrrrr

As for Leroy he is a wild type & this is slowly turning white, I thought maybe he was shedding as i have read on here that this sometimes happens but this is not coming off & i have done many water test & keep getting the correct readings?????? I am at a total loss, Help needed

What i do not get is, it does not look like fungie or anything its as if his colour pigments have gone, He is eating fine but not very active.

Is he going to die? help :(

I have attached some pic's :(



IMG_0024.jpg

This is his full body

IMG_0025.jpg

His face

IMG_0023.jpg
Stuff on the top of water ( oiling looking)

IMG_0026.jpg

View from the top of the tank
 

Clairey Beary

New member
Joined
Aug 29, 2008
Messages
112
Reaction score
9
Location
Jarrow, North East England
Hi there Natalie, do you have any pics of Leroy before his colour started going? He looks to me like he could possibly be a piebald/harlequin axie rather than a wildtype? I could be wrong though. I think he looks pretty healthy. It doesn't look to me to be aneamia as his gills would be pale also. Is he showing any other signs of illness or any signs of stress?

The oily film on the surface of the water can be caused by many things... such as dust and dirt settling on the surface and oils from your hands when you put them into the water. try cleaning your hands thoroughly and rinsing all soap off them before placing them into the tank and see if this helps.

Claire.

PS I believe Leroy is female.
 

natalie14

New member
Joined
Sep 27, 2007
Messages
65
Reaction score
0
Location
Cannock
This is Leroy he decided to have identity crisis

DSC00275.jpg

DSC00283.jpg

DSC00299.jpg

DSC00301.jpg

I always wondered what he/she was lol Thank you, I am now naming her MJ for more reasons then one lol


Nah not showing anything els just this, Her eyes just look so sad now & it makes me think there must be something more,

Thanks for your help
:)
 

Vidofner

New member
Joined
Apr 27, 2009
Messages
59
Reaction score
1
Im pretty sure that's a female Axolotl since she looks old enough to have reached sexual maturity and still don't have a bump between her legs, and the fact that she's pretty fat. Could the problem with the oily surface be due to overfeeding?
I used to get that in my fishtank until i slowed down with feeding.

What are you feeding him btw? Stuff like minced meat contains lots of fat in it and usually floats around on the surface abit before it sinks. This could case an oily surface most probobly
 

Ed

New member
Joined
Nov 6, 2001
Messages
3,578
Reaction score
24
Location
Bridgeton, NJ
Dust, protein, excess oils in the food (some dry foods are really prone to causing this), and possibly some algaes can cause a film to form on the surface. If your water quality is otherwise fine, then the film can be removed by either increasing the agitation of the surface (airstone for example) or by laying a paper towel flat on the surface and lifting it back up the same way it was laid down on the surface of the water. It may take several treatments with the papertowel but you can remove all of the film.

Ed
 

AshleeRW

New member
Joined
Dec 21, 2008
Messages
12
Reaction score
0
I have a male wild type named Abe. He is 5 years old and since about January of this year he has started loosing his color too. He eats well, acts normal and his water parameters are good ... very similar to your case!
 

Clairey Beary

New member
Joined
Aug 29, 2008
Messages
112
Reaction score
9
Location
Jarrow, North East England
Well she is definately a wildtype. Unfortunately I haven't got any idea why she is losing her colour. I wonder if the more experienced owners have any idea what it could be..? Has there been much change in colour since you posted?

I would definately agree with ed and vidofner that the oily residue on the surface of the water could also be excess food in the water. What do you feed her and how much and how often?

Claire.
 

Darkmaverick

Site Contributor
Joined
Mar 11, 2008
Messages
2,032
Reaction score
82
Location
Sydney
Hi Natalie,

This is an interesting case. More often we hear of young axies getting darker (more pigmented) as they age but seldom the other way round. I cannot really find any supportive literature that directly explains this phenomenon but i have two hypotheses.

1 - The colour expressed on the axie is determinant of colour genes (melanophores, iridosphores, xanthophores) as well as developmental gene (to allow migration and hence expression of the pigments). Genes can sometimes be triggered by external environmental factors to switch on or off. Furthermore, spontaneous mutations can sometimes occur that will direct the expression of cetain genes. Assuming there are no apparent signs of stress or ill health, the colour change could be attributed to genes at work!

2 - Another less likely situation but i guess theoretically possible is that certain illness (infections) can either disrupt the colour or development genetic sequence or destroy existing pigmentation in the skin. I extrapolate this from vet and human medical cases whereby some microbes (notably viruses and some types of bacteria) have specific 'tropism" to pigment cells and destroy them causing paler patches.

Regards.
 

natalie14

New member
Joined
Sep 27, 2007
Messages
65
Reaction score
0
Location
Cannock
Re: Leroy is sick & i am at a loss!!! Colour loss!!!

Hi

Thank you all so much for all your advice, Sorry that it’s took me ages to email back.
I am at work at the min so will have to be only a short email, I feed him Just worms that i get from are local fishing shop, to me he seems down & slugish but my partner says he is normal & very active at a night ( i am dead to the world then so i miss that bit)

I feed him 2 or 3 worms every few days

Thanks again for all your help I will do i bigger email later

:)
 
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