Question: Can Axolotls Get White Spot From Fish?

[Sky Diamond]

I just bought some Tetras for my Axolotl to eat and for the fish to eat his leftovers - he's very picky on pellets - and I think there are some tiny white spots on the Tetra's tails that were not there when I first seen them and I was wondering if my Axolotl can get white spot?

I have not put them in a tank on their own and can't as I do not have the extra equipment, nor money to buy it, to do so. If my Axololt can get it, will Melafix help stop him from getting it? I've put it in with him before at half strength to heal a cut he had and it was fine with him.

Any help would be great.
Thanks.

 

[Chirple]

Never introduce fish that you can't quarantine for 30 days.

Yes, axolotls can get ich. I have never had this happen, but I know there will be people with advice. You could try searching the forums, too, I've heard it talked about before.

From what I remember, Melafix can damage their livers. I wouldn't use it until someone with experience with ich can comment.

If your axolotl doesn't have ich already, I would just take the fish out and watch and see if the axolotl develops it. If it doesn't, you got lucky.

If you wanted to set up a quarantine tank (I know you don't, but I'm just offering the information), you would want a fish more like white clouds or guppies. Tetra are very much tropical schooling fish and can't and don't live at temperatures suitable for an axolotl (if your temps are that high, your axolotl is suffering). None of these fish are "good" for an axolotl to eat. I have guppies that I breed myself, but they're "treats" and are eaten less than one a month.

No suitable fish will help clean up waste. They contribute to it more than getting rid of it. I've heard people suggest goldfish since they are cold water fish, but they create a HUGE amount of waste and grow very, very large so as to be a danger to the axolotl and need a tank much larger than the axolotl likely has.


If you don't already, a turkey baster is a great tool. You can suck out and "leftovers" and waste on a daily basis and keep everything clean.

Nightcrawlers are a GREAT food for axolotl and there is virtually no waste ! For smaller axolotls, you may have to cut the worms into pieces.

 

[Sky Diamond]

Never introduce fish that you can't quarantine for 30 days.

Yes, axolotls can get ich. I have never had this happen, but I know there will be people with advice. You could try searching the forums, too, I've heard it talked about before.

From what I remember, Melafix can damage their livers. I wouldn't use it until someone with experience with ich can comment.

If your axolotl doesn't have ich already, I would just take the fish out and watch and see if the axolotl develops it. If it doesn't, you got lucky.

If you wanted to set up a quarantine tank (I know you don't, but I'm just offering the information), you would want a fish more like white clouds or guppies. Tetra are very much tropical schooling fish and can't and don't live at temperatures suitable for an axolotl (if your temps are that high, your axolotl is suffering). None of these fish are "good" for an axolotl to eat. I have guppies that I breed myself, but they're "treats" and are eaten less than one a month.

No suitable fish will help clean up waste. They contribute to it more than getting rid of it. I've heard people suggest goldfish since they are cold water fish, but they create a HUGE amount of waste and grow very, very large so as to be a danger to the axolotl and need a tank much larger than the axolotl likely has.


If you don't already, a turkey baster is a great tool. You can suck out and "leftovers" and waste on a daily basis and keep everything clean.

Nightcrawlers are a GREAT food for axolotl and there is virtually no waste ! For smaller axolotls, you may have to cut the worms into pieces.

I tried finding other threads and forms and all I found was "I don't knows," etc.

I read that Melafix was safe on the Axolotls website, though I didn't see if it was to be put in on half or full dose, I only gave my guy half dose as I did read that it was thought to damage the river. It seems to get him active when I put it in. I first put it in for a cut he had when I first got him - that and they also dropped him twice trying to put him in the bag - and now that is healed. I know off by heart most of the poisons in the common medicines for cuts, etc.

What does the ich look like or what should I look out for? How long will it take to show up? He's had big white dots on his sides since I got him just over a week ago, is that normal? He's not the slow and sluggish kind.

He ate all nine Tetras in 48 hours.He ate the one I thought could have white spot first. I'll do a bit of a water change for him tomorrow. His water ranges daily from 14 to 19 Celsius with a heater in there to try and keep it constant. It's currently so cold here it cannot reach 20. I never bought Guppies as I used to also breed and own them myself and in Australia, ours get pretty big and want water around 23 to 30.

He doesn't seem to like pellets and bloodworms are okay, but he seems to love kidney our butcher gave us. Funny you say that, I've been looking for a baster to feed him bloodworms in a dish he has, but haven't been able to find one.

 

[Jennewt]

I've seen a couple of photos that did look like ich on an axolotl, but in general I would say that it's rare. Especially considering how often people put fish in with axolotls. But fish can carry other things and quarantine is important. If your axie likes whole fish, it might be a good idea to breed guppies for him. Breed them in a different tank where you can keep them warmer until they are needed as food.

Note that foods like kidney don't contain vitamins or minerals, so your axie needs other foods too. Whole fish are better.

 

[michael]

I tried finding other threads and forms and all I found was "I don't knows," etc.

I read that Melafix was safe on the Axolotls website,.

I don't think melafix is safe for axolotls. What axolotl website did you read about it on? Their is a lot of misinformation on the internet. Feeding fish to axolotls is pretty risky.

 

[Sky Diamond]

This one. There's a list at the bottom of the page. Axolotls - Health & Diseases