Illness/Sickness: Gill-less petshop axie

I've just recently rescued a lovely little axie from a normally reputable aquarium store, and he's not in such incredibly good shape :/
(The guy who usually takes care of the axies was on break, and someone thought it would be a good idea to put the poor little juvies in a tank chock full of pingpong goldfish.)
Anywho, my brand new wildtype has just about no gills whatsoever, just three little branch nubs close to his head. Bowser's always having to swim to the surface to take a big gulp of air, which seems to be a bit arduous seeing as the tank is about 16 inches high, and he's maybe only two and a half himself. He also has one whole leg, two regrowing ones, and what looks to be a really awful near festering one. It has whispy fungus filaments, and what looks to be a dessicated bit of regrown front leg. (His body seems to be rejecting it, I anticipate it will fall off if things keep going as is.)
I only got him yesterday, so he lives with a few colourful and friendly guppies, for snacks when he gets a bit older. So they're basically the only ones in the tank. (My poor lovely peaches passed away more than a week after her nasty gravel vac incident, she just wasn't healing properly or even eating


Just wondering if I should try to give him salt baths? What concentration should the salt be? Uniodised is best, and for ten minutes or less at a time?
Bowser's otherwise healthy, he eats plenty of bloodworms, and the tank ranges from about 18*c at night to 21*c in the day (if it gets over 24, it's the fridge for him)
The tank is 120L cycled with A: 0, No2: 0.5, No3: 5.
I'm a little bit reluctant about fridging him, because I think our old fridge is a bit whimsical when it comes to steady temperatures, and occasionally dips below healthy axie range. (I also think this may have contributed to peaches' poor recovery and inappetance.). But if I have to, I guess I can keep him in the butter softener compartment, even though it's really small and confining for him.

I'll try and upload some photos soon, need to snaffle my boyfriend's camera.
<3 Stumpy~

I will go with trying to introduce nutritious food back to the axie's system before attempting to salt bath. Feed small frequent meals for the first week and then slower taper down the feeding frequency while increasing the food volume. Offer earthworms, blackworms, pellets and variety of treats. This would give the axie time to build up its constitution before the salt baths which by itself can be stressful. Try the salt baths on the second week. You may also like to 'fridge' during the quarantine period.

Hey Stumpy,

I agree with Ray on this one. Salt baths hurt, and I would avoid them if it is possible to cure the fungal infection with less drastic means: cool, clear water, calm surroundings, better diet. You can also keep the little fellow in a tea bath, which has an astringent effect and may help all of the injuries to heal.

I wish to express a concern about the guppies, though. Although guppies are IMO fine with healthy axolotls, they may begin to nip at a wound until they hit bone.Until the little fellow is healthy and strong, I would keep him quarantined away from any other animals.

-Eva

This is Bowser. This is also Bowser's dodgy arm.
I've been getting a little bit worried about him, seeing as since yesterday the few little white whispy strands on the dying limb have kind of formed a bit of a solid cyst around the arm. I'm feeding him on live bloodworms at the moment, and I ordered in some pellets which should get here tomorrow. It's raining down buckets here today, so later I'll go out and see if I can find him some earthworms.
He'd been getting increasingly restless so I've moved him to a smaller tub of tankwater chilled to about 14*c. He keeps swimming to the surface taking large gulps of air which has earnt him the unfortunate nickname of airhead for his newfound buoyancy :/
He's also kind of gone of his food...

As for the guppies, one of them is a bit more brazen than the others, but only so much as to eat bowser's worms. I'm confident that the others won't be a pain, but this blue one could be a problem so I'll keep them separated for now.

A tea bath sounds interesting, and not as rough on the poor guy as a salt one. Is the principal just a little green tea or something?

Its better to just isolate and fridge this axie during this period. That way you can also monitor the feeding and illness.

There is definitely signs of fungus and would require salt baths. However, again i suggest you keep it calm and quiet and up its nutrition before attempting the baths next week.

I would actually not use tea baths for this case. Tea baths are useful for cases of skin shedding and some mild forms of ectoparasite irritation but because we don't know if there are any concurrent bacterial infection, it is better not to use the tea baths yet. With some bacterial infections, the tea baths forces them into deeper tissues, because tea is not strong enough to fully eradicate them, yet unpleasant enough for them to 'evade', that it could actually result in a worse infection.

Thanks so much for the replies
I'll save the saltbaths for late this weekend then. I feel a bit anxious, looking at how nasty that leg is looking... but I'll try and hold back as long as he needs to get some strength up. I don't want to keep him in the fridge, it's really old and I think it's prone to dropping to below 4*c for extended periods, even when set warmer. I'd hazard at keeping him in the butter conditioner because it's a little warmer, but I still don't think it's quite safe (I do think that's what bumped my poor Peaches over the edge on her recovery). So for now he's in an insulated tub on the desk next to me, with a small floating ice pack (gladwrapped to the nth degree in case of leakage)

Bowser's completely off his food and is decidedly sluggish, I think the fungus may be starting to get the better of him. I'm starting to have second thoughts about waiting for him to build up strength, seeing as he won't eat at all. The little stress patches on his skin have gotten worse, and the fungus just keeps growing. I've tried to gently lift off some of the growth with a q-tip, but he's so light that it just snags on the filaments and drags him with it!

I think I'll start salt bath treatments tomorrow, because there's absolutley no sign that he'll make it to the end of the week without losing strength.

If you are starting the salt baths, its best to fridge concurrently to avoid any secondary bacterial infection.

Yessir. We are preparing his little lunchbox and the butter compartment right now.
Tomorrow it's off to the shops for uniodised salt.

Just like to say hope he gets better soon Really nice axie, lovely colour :happy:

Thanks for all the concern, guys <3
(Thanks for your Kind words, Niall~)
But Bowser really isn't doing too well

Just yesterday, those mucus-y white patches on his back became easily visible, as obviously white against his dark skin. It also now reaches from his tail, and there's a spot on his head. Now I think it may just be that he's shedding, seeing as it's kind of peeling of like sloughed skin.
The long filaments on his actual infection were getting to be humongous, so whilst I couldn't brush any of it off with a Qtip, I have trimmed the edges just a little -- Nowhere near the necrotic limb, but now they aren't clogging up his little gills.

Also, this morning we found him belly up in his little fridged lunchbox, but I actually just think it was because he probably wriggled over during the night and couldn't get back with only one functioning arm. Needless to say after a quarter box of tissues and rites of safe passage, he decided to grace us with a most unexpected yet welcome litle wiggle. I could also see the underside of his damaged arm, and it's now displaying a few bloodspots and a most unnerving angle. I am also beginning to think that it's only bone left under the fungus, too.

Bowser's still not eating, unfortunately... is there a temperature he should be at before he starts feeding? He's staying between 10 and 5 degrees in the butter conditioner, and I'd imagine he wouldn't get too hungry at that temperature... but I still worry.
Good news is he's stopped gulping for air, and hasn't been floating at all, which is a relief.
The only relief so far, but, it could be taken as a good sign?

I've been giving him salt baths for the last day and today, so that's three now, for 10minutes with one teaspoon of salt to litre. Could this be some of the reason he would be shedding? I'll upload some pictures, because, as I originally expected, it could just be a humongous quantity of stress spots

I can't believe he's deteriorated so badly, he's only been here for five days
I'll post pictures soon~

I tend to view red blood spots with suspicion of a systemic bacterial infection. Because the axie was already in such poor condition before, the salt baths and fridging can only help so much. Recovery depends largely on the axie fighting the infections with its own immunity, hence i initially suggested trying to increase its nutrition before the salt baths.

Frankly, i can see only two valid options at this point, both of which requires veterinary intervention. The first option is to have a vet administer antibiotics, supportive therapy (such as fluids and supplementary nutrition) and aggressively treat the infections. The other option is euthanasia. Either way, you have already done everything you could at this point.

UGH!
I just contacted the petstore where I bought him from, and to be honest, I am thoroughly disgusted by their response!
Basically a simple "you screwed it over, so we'll give you another."
His tankmates are still with those ping pongs, still missing limbs and with short to no gills! They ask me why I bought him, I ask why they're selling them!
Point is, I don't want another axie from there seeing as they're in much the same condition. And I don't want to return him to them because I know they're not going to do anything for him, let alone humanely euthanise him. I sure as hell hope it's just that particular staff member I spoke to who's such an (insert varied and scathing nouns here).
//endRant
I found a melbourne based herp vet, but the receptionist told me he'd moved. Maybe it needs updating, but Dr. Jim Greenwood is no longer at Canterbury Vetinary Clinic. I'll keep looking, just every other one is quite out of the way :/
Is a 'fish' vet acceptable? I'm looking for someone who deals with exotics, but most don't seem to have too much amphibian know-how. I'm guessing Ringer's solution is what you mean by supportive therapy?
For now, I'm monitoring bowser, and still trying to tempt him with some live food. He's a little bit more responsive today, and I'll continue with the salt baths hoping for the best. If I can't see any improvement by the third day, I agree that euthanasia would be the most responsable course of action.

Hoping for the best, but expecting the worst :/

Hello Stumpy!

I wish I know more about the subject so I could give you any advice, but I can't. Yet, I just wanted to say that I wish the best of luck to Bowser, and if he can't make it through, well, thank you for trying your best

Best wishes!

Hello Stumpy,

I'm sure Bowser is thoroughly grateful for all your hard work. I wish him all the health he needs for a recovery and if not a neverending peaceful sleep, hes fought hard.

Blaze

Thanks a lot guys, Maxorz and Blaze
It's really sweet to hear such kind words, really makes you notice what a wonderful place this forum is <3
I really hope Bowser lives through this, because then he'll get to enjoy my early christmas present... my boyfriend got me a chiller (just found out now, can't sit still and have no idea how to even go about opening it)

Also special thanks to Darkmaverick. Your replies are always incredibly useful and well educated,
I really appreciate your opinions.

Try some of the other herp vets on the list.
Herp Vets in Australia

Just the final update on this thread...
We were all set to have Bowser euthenased last night, but quite a big argument erupted in our house about it, which afforded the poor little guy one more night that he just couldn't get through. :'(
Yesterday, we bought two lovely little juvies in beautiful condition from Toptex. They are so lovely and healthy and well looked after, it really made clear just how badly our little guy had been treated. I'm confident that these two new additions will live a happy life, and are currently chilling in our quarantine tank
Still, I think a letter to the RSPCA may be in order, that aquarium needs to seriously rethink their attitude, especially if they want to continuously supply ill and poorly treated exotic pets. I felt a little twinge of happiness when I went to Pets at Home in chadstone (They're very new here in australia, or, atleast in melbourne. Maybe a few months or so since Chadstone's refurbishment.), and was told they no longer stock axolotls because they couldn't care for them properly.
R.I.P Bowser <3

Oh, I'm sorry about Bowser, but you did the best you could! More than a lot of people would've done

And I'm glad to hear that you got two new Axies! Seeing how you treated Bowser, I'd say the new ones are pretty lucky to have you as their owner.

About the pet store, I agree, something must be done! :angry:

Sorry the hear about Bowser, but at least you know you did all you could for him.