Totally new/owning for a year and need advice!!

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Syrth

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Hey guys,

I've bought my axo about a year ago and really didnt know anything about them. Recently I decided to better his diet and the petshop knew as little as I did. After researching to be a better owner and after reading threads for over three hours, soaking in as much knowledge I'm glad you all helped me and i'm learning alot.

Here are my few questions which even if I read im sure i'll still ask them!

Fridging is still foreign to me and not quite sure what its for but I do know how to do it now. Help?

I've read about salt baths for if they have fungus but the exchange between fridge and bath is a bit fuzzy for me.

I had no idea they shed or never noticed and right now i'm not sure if Mosaic is shedding or if it might be fungus along his/her body.

Mosaic's gills arent looking too nice either, rather small and i'm unsure how to help restore them.

On one of his feet, it looks like his toes split and he has like 6 toes....is that normal?

Thanks alot!!
 
First of all welcome to the forum!

Fridging is used for an axolotl that is unwell. If it is not eating, has a suspected blockage, severe fungus, injury, many things.

When doing salt baths while the axie is fridged the salt bath needs to be the same temperature as the fridge water. (I'm not sure what you meant about the 'exchange between fridge and bath)

Axies do shed, it's not always visible. Sometimes they may shed a lot, which can because of the conditions in the water. Also it is easier to see a darker coloured axie shed than a lighter one.

With regard to Mosaic's health, first of all to determine if it is fungus or shedding it would be best to try to get a photo up for a second opinion. Fungus looks cotton-wool-like, sort of 'hairy'.

A photo would help with the gill problem too, we can have a look and give opinions.

Is the splitting toe a new thing? Is Mosaic kept with any other tank mates? Axies can regenerate their bodies in slightly quirky ways sometimes. I wouldn't worry too much if it's not a new injury and hasn't got any fungus.

The next and most important answers you can give are the water parameters of your tank.

Ammonia, pH, Nitrate, Nitrite, temperature.

Also what are you feeding your axie?

And if you get some 'side on' shots of Mosaic we might be able to determine if he is a he or a she!
 
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Earthworms are one of the best foods if you can get them. I also feed beef heart when I cant find worms though only one of my axies actually likes it. I know everyone probably now going to bag me if I use beef heart or liver even though I reared and bred axolotls on liver and beef heart and worms.
 
My axie had split toes as well.

I could also be a genetic thing. When i after i had him for a while i when back to the same shop and noticed that a number of their axies had the same thing. I found out that they all came from the same breeder.

I would do a full water parameter check, either using a liquid test kit (The strip ones are highly inaccurate), or most pet/fish shops will test your water for a fee.
 
Thanks for the info guys, I went to the petshop and got aquarium salt in case, a proper thermometer and I bought the kit to check all the levels (not the strip one).

About the fridging and salt treatment I meant wouldnt the change of water temperature shock his system? Or is the salt added to the ax while preparing a new tub?

Mosaic is pink variety so obviously i wouldnt notice the shedding -.-

Mosaic lives alone with nothing in his tank at all. The splitting of toes happened a few months ago and i have no idea what could of caused it.

I now know that he's too thin so i'm working on bulking him up.

I'll check the water tonight and adjust it accordingly after a water change.

Mosaic is on a diet of bloodworms beforehand with occasionall guppies but that stopped when i noticed some were attacking him and now the pet food told me to buy this and he's been eating it - newt & salamander bites (natural soft, sinking amphibian food)

Here are the best pictures I could take of him with my camera.


23j6a7q.jpg


k9wh2d.jpg
 
When i was doing salt baths + fridging, I had a jug of de-chlorinated water in the fridge. I'd use this water for salt baths and daily water changes. That way the water should be pretty much the same temp, and minimize temperature shock.

Also i noticed that you have "nothing at all" in your tank. An axie should have at least 2 places to hide in the tank. Have a look on axolotl.org under housing, it will give you all the info needed. I have a terracotta pot and a fake half barrel from a pet shop for hiding, as well as a piece of drift wood. You can see some pics in my album, just click on my name.
 
Highly suggest you get him a place to hide and start feed him earth worms. He looks almost way to skinny. Hopefully in a week or two have him in tip top shape.
 
How often should I feed him the earth worms? How often do you guys feed your axy's?

Are his weird 6 toes bad?

Is he shedding or you cant tell due to the pictures?


At the pet shop they were showing me a lower type of tank that was also wider suggesting its better. How big of a tank should I have for Mosaic? Right now I have a 10 gallon tank.

Still wondering if its a male or female o_O!
 
I would feed him every other day until he gets his weight back up, then you could back the frequency of feedings down to 2 times a week.

Six toes aren't bad neccesarily, they are probably just extra because they were bitten off earlier and then regenerated that way.

As for tank size, bigger is always better. Not only for the axie but bigger tanks are easier to maintain and keep cool. The most important factor to keep in mind when deciding on a tank for axolotls is floor space and not height.
 
I'll go back to the shop and get a closer look at the tank he had presented to me. It was low but very wide and long.

When I stare at him closely, its like along his stomach, ears and head where its like...a mix of very slight fuzz or maybe shedding....I'm not even sure and thats whats bothering me the most before I start setting up a proper habitat for him.

How can I know the difference? I totally wish I had a better zoom @_@
 
I can't see any obvious sign of shedding or fungus. The best thing you can do for your axie is feed him up with lots of juicy worms!

By the way looks like a male to me.
 
I usually feed my axie 2-4 times a week. Not always full meals but enough to see he doesnt look like he is starving. Rule of thumb is the widest part of the body should be as wide as the head.

Axies dont really need much vertical space in a tank, but the longer the better. The reason people say the a bigger tank is better is because water conditions are easier to maintain when you have more water.

Update the thread with pics of your axie as he progresses. People on this site love to help!
 
Ok so I cleaned his tank and checked the water temperature, still a bit high but im working on getting it naturally lowered with the help of a fan nearby. I did a 20% change tonight and I'm still noticing fuzz or shed on his elbow and head and he was trying to scratch at his elbow while he was swimming and he's really trying to scratch at it. Is that normal!?

Here are what pics I was able to grab of his elbow since his head is hopeless with the fuzz/shedding.

Not even sure how worried I should be right now -.- i'll get worms at the shop tomorow


2lnen4h.jpg
 
I can't really tell if it's shedding or fungus from the picture. If it's gone tomorrow then I would assume it has just shedding.

As of now he looks like a male but that might change once it gets fattened up.
 
I checked this morning and the thingy on his elbow is still there and he's still scratching at it. It seems to bother him when he walks cause thats when he tries to scratch at it the most. The slight fuzz that I noticed on his head is semi-gone after I did a water change but i noticed some of it was floating in his tank as I was walking out the door to go to work.

Any ideas?

Thanks
 
I would try a single session of salt bath for 10min and use a Q-tip cotton bud to try tease off the mass if possible. Thereafter, i would fridge the axie and monitor its progress.

A single salt bath will not be overly detrimental but can resolve fungal or parasite problem quite effectively.
 
I've read about baths in the last two days but I still have questions to ensure the complete safety of my axy.

Should the water of the bath be the same temperature as the tank?
Should it be new water?
Do I dechlorine it before adding the salt?
Do I mix the salt in the water before putting the axy in it?
How much salt per litre of water?
Do I let him soak 10 minutes then try the t-tip?
After the bath is done and the Q-tipping, do I transfer him into new water then fridge him? What is the ideal fridge temperature for a fridging Axy?
How long should I fridge him for?
Should I feed him before all this or try later on?

Thanks alot for all the help, it really means a lot to me everyone!
 
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Here is a link on fridging.

http://www.caudata.org/axolotl-sanctuary/Fridging.shtml

Instructions for salt bath.

Basically just prepare a tub of fresh dechlorinated water and dissolve 2 to 3 flat teaspoonfuls of non-iodized salt per litre of water. You can use salt such as kosher salt, freshwater aquarium salt or sea salt. Do not use table salt. You can then place your axie in the salt solution for about 10 minutes but no longer than 15 minutes per session. Excessive salt solution soaking can cause damage to the axie's gills and skin. Have a look through this article as well.

http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/salt.shtml


Should the water of the bath be the same temperature as the tank?
Ideally. Avoid temperature shocks.

Should it be new water?
Yes

Do I dechlorine it before adding the salt?
Yes. Some people actually treat fungal infections with chlorinated water, however due to variability of tap concentration of chlorine/chloramine and possible presence of other heavy metals etc worldwide, i don't advocate this method.

Do I mix the salt in the water before putting the axy in it?
Yes

How much salt per litre of water?
2-3 flat teaspoonsful of salt per litre

Do I let him soak 10 minutes then try the t-tip?
Anytime during the bath session.

After the bath is done and the Q-tipping, do I transfer him into new water then fridge him?
Yes.

What is the ideal fridge temperature for a fridging Axy?
5-8 degree celsius

How long should I fridge him for?
For therapy or illness, i recommend 3 weeks. However, your axie's condition don't seem too bad and if its just for monitoring, between 3-7 days will be fine.

Should I feed him before all this or try later on?
You can feed him before, during and after fridging. Fridging will make it lose appetite a bit but axies can still feed on small amounts of food.
 
Thanks alot Rayson for all the help, you are a god to me!

I prepared the two containers at the same temperature level and added salt to one, making sure I had the litres and the right amount of salt in it. When I put him in, he squirmed and swam around like crazy and alot of the fuz/shed came off. I used a q-tip and gently brushed him everywhere I can think of and alot of it came right off and Mosaic calmed down and let me have my way with him. I cleaned toes, belly, head, near his gills, tail and back and he just seemed to enjoy it.

I scooped him up with my hand and placed him into the second container when the 10 minutes were up and he seemed relaxed. The container is shaded with a lid half on and I slipped him into the fridge with a glass of water so I can use a thermometer and make sure the temperature of my fridge with the water is correct.

Sunday, I will be getting a 30gallon tank to replace my 10 gallon tank, its shorter but wider and longer and i'll be getting some rocks, plantlife, hiding spot and a new filter and setting everything up. How long should I keep the fridge state since i'm making him a completely new habitat? Should I give him a second salt bath just in case or was one enough?

Thanks for everything and i'll post pictures of Mosaic after his spa treatment.
 
OMG can axolotl's regurgitate their food?!

I fed him two tiny bits of worm last night and I watched him chew and swallow and this morning i found the two piece that looked like the worm i gave him. At first I though maybe he pooped twice....but later today he pooped again. Can an Axo poop three times?

I tried to feed him today and he wont touch anything.....Help please?? I'm in the middle of finalizing his new tank so I cant transfer him into his new habitat yet....
 
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