Illness/Sickness: Axolotl with a severely bent tail, help!

Hi everyone!

I got my axolotls last year, I saved them from this awful pet shop which had not been looking after them right (I couldn't bare to leave them!). They had no feet or gills and were very skinny (see picture).


After a few months they plumped up a treat!


However over the last couple of months my largest axolotl has a bend in his tail. It started off very slight and I thought it was just growing a bit odd, but now its completely bent in on itself! :S

They're in a large tank (70cm x 35cm), I use a basic filter (see pic) and aim the flow of water at the glass at the back of the tank (still a slight bit of water movement though). I change 25% of the water every week and do a 75% water change at least once a month (usually every other week). I feed them pellets and earthworms. I also have a small air stone in the corner (they always swim over to it and sit on it, so i assume they like it?).

Im desperate for some guidance! I've ordered an ammonia testing kit, but i change the water so frequently I didn't think it would be that?

What could have caused this? Can I do anything to save it? Or will he forever have this bend in his tail??

Since the photos show no signs are injury my guess is it may be some neurological thing and I doubt there is anything you have done to cause this or fix this.

Was it ever red, inflamed or irritated? Is the axolotl still functioning relatively normal?

There was never any redness or anything it has just bent very slightly! He still had a massive appetite and is very active! So is there nothing I can do?

Thank you for your response ^_^

I have heard that a bent tail indicates stress. Is there too much ripple? Is the water clean enough? These are all stress factors that could cause your axolotl to have a bent tail.

Bent tail as a stress indicator is generally for juveniles.

So is my axolotl too old to have the bent tail stress indicator? My other axolotl is absolutely fine in the same tank. Ill try put a barrier around the water flow of my filter and ill change the water every few days and see if that helps!

Is there anything else I can do?

Thanks for your help guys

I have had baby lotls with kinked tails, mainly due to poor water conditions. I was able to get their tails to relax with clean water and time. I have yet to see an axolotl with a tail like this one has, though! It doesn't appear to have the arched back and bent tail that some lotls succumb to, so it may not be something to worry alot about. Just keep it in the best environment as you can and maybe it'll relax itself out too!

When a tiny axie is stressed the tail is usually bent at 90 degrees in the last 1/2 inch - nothing like the pics you have here. Adults rarely have the bent tail stress thing, excess flow tends to affect the gills.

I would have to say it's likely an injury or a developmental issue. If your axie doesn't seem bothered neither should you be, but if it's causing a problem I'd suggest seeing a vet.

Is the white bulge underneath the cloacal region in the fifth photo (middle photo of the bottom set) the axie's right rear leg? I'm assuming it is, and not something to be concerned about, such as a prolapse?