Illness/Sickness: Axolotl Bleeding

[wolfsong442]

I just came home from class and there's blood in the water.

I've had to move my axolotl to a separate container, see my previous threads.

It looks like he's bleeding from one of his gills? I have never seen this before, and as I'm new to axolotls and salamanders in general, I'm at a complete loss at what to do.

Here's a picture.

http://i51.tinypic.com/30w60l0.png

Looks like he's bleeding out of his bottom most gill on the right side.

I think it's stopped now, but I don't know what could have caused this. He seems to be floating a lot and I don't know if this is connected to him not eating.

Please help.

 

[wolfsong442]

I have since replaced his water and ice bottles, so he's in cool, clean, fresh water at the moment.

 

[CJ1981]

It looks like an injury. Gills contain alot of blood vessels so do bleed alot if knocked/nibbled etc.

He doesn't appear to have any 'fluffy' bits on his gills, have they always looked like that?

 

[wolfsong442]

There's literally nothing he could have caught it on. He's in a tupperware shoebox container with a little butter dish that he's hiding in and two water bottles with frozen water in the corners to keep the water cold. I am at a loss.

No. He's stopped eating within the last few days. I'd say he hasn't eaten in a week or so. I thought at first it was because I've been having trouble keeping my water temperature down, but I've been using the frozen water bottles and the temperature's dropped somewhat. Then I thought it might have been the ammonia content in the tank, so I started doing like 25% water changes every other day and monitoring the ammonia every week or every few days and at last check, I'd gotten the ammonia down to .25 I think.

And he still wasn't eating, so I took him out of the tank and put him in a smaller tupperware container where I could be sure the ammonia is 0 or at least close to it. That's what he's in now, and he still hasn't eaten.

I don't know if it's an underlying condition, because this is the way my golden albino went before he died, and they'd been in the tank together before.

And I'm not sure if the two water bottles are keeping the water so cold that it's suppressing his appetite, but I've been offering him food every day.

 

[CJ1981]

If he is in a small container you need to do 100% water changes everyday with cool, clean, dechlorinated water.

How do you currently dechlorinate your water? Have you done a baseline test on your tap water? You'd be surprised how often tap water contains ammonia.

 

[wolfsong442]

I have been chancing the water every day. I only put him in there yesterday.

And I use amquel plus now. I put it in the water straight as it come out of the tap. I used to use reptisafe in the water, but I'd do the same thing, put it straight in the water from the tap.

 

[wolfsong442]

Does anyone think that if I go buy some frozen bloodworms tomorrow it might convince him to eat?

I can't find live blackworms or bloodworms anywhere.

 

[snuggly time]

Poor little thing, I hope he makes it.

 

[CJ1981]

How long do you leave your water to sit after you add the dechlorinator and before you add it to the tank? Most people try to leave it a good 24 hours.

Frozen blood worm may help wet his appetite just make sure you defrost them and rinse them off thoroughly in water from your aquarium. Be vigilant in removing uneaten bits as they foul up your water pretty quick.

 

[xxianxx]

How long do you leave your water to sit after you add the dechlorinator and before you add it to the tank? Most people try to leave it a good 24 hours.

Its good to use straight away, I leave it a minute or so. If you allow tap water to stand for 24 hours the chlorine (but not chloramines/heavy metals if you have them) evaporates.

 

[CJ1981]

Its good to use straight away, I leave it a minute or so. If you allow tap water to stand for 24 hours the chlorine (but not chloramines/heavy metals if you have them) evaporates.

I couldn't understand his description. It reads a bit like he runs the water from the tap into his tank and adds the dechlorinator as it is running, I was trying to clarify.

I have to leave my water to stand as it comes out of the tap so much colder than my tank's temperature the Axies freak if I pour it in straight away!

 

[wolfsong442]

I'm a girl. XD

When I add water to the tank, I pour water from the tap into the bucket I use and I pour the dechlorinator into the bucket as the water is going into it. Then I put it into the tank.

I only have a 2 gallon bucket, so I usually need to take a couple trips from the tank to the sink. I always make sure that I'm /not/ running the water straight cold. I try to add some hot water until the water feels closer to room temperature so I don't shock them.

Though, once I was realizing that the water in the tank was too hot, I started putting the water in colder. I never just pour the water in though. I try to siphon the water in slowly so I don't freak them out.

Could this be causing my problems, as to why my other axolotl died and why this one isn't eating now? I really do not want to lose him.

 

[FX1C]

Adding hot water is never recommended!!!
Hot water runs through copper pipes & often contains traces of copper - copper is very toxic to axolotls.

My advice would be go & buy a couple of buckets with lids so you can leave it sit to acclimatize before adding to your tank / container.

The container he's in need 100% water change urgently - NO HOT WATER ADDED!

Scrub out the small container every second day thoroughly with salt/Bicarb mix. Rinse well.





<3 >o_o< <3

 

[wolfsong442]

When I get more money, I'll go and buy more buckets.

Do I still need to use up my dechlorinator if I let the water sit?

 

[snuggly time]

Adding hot water is never recommended!!!
Hot water runs through copper pipes & often contains traces of copper - copper is very toxic to axolotls.

Glad you said that! I always leave my axolotl water to sit over night, but I've been adding warm water to my tropical fish tank if the axolotl uses both buckets (I always clean him first lol). We all make mistakes at first - Thankfully this forum (and Nikki) to the rescue.

Try this new method and I really hope there's some improvement!

 

[snuggly time]

When I get more money, I'll go and buy more buckets.

Do I still need to use up my dechlorinator if I let the water sit?

Yes, I would use it as well as letting it sit.

 

[CJ1981]

I'm a girl. XD

Sorry! I have an A-level in biology too, you'd think I'd know the difference

Yes you do still need to use dechlorinator if you leave the water to sit, chlorine evaporates with time but chloramines do not and are just as harmful.

For my water changes I use buckets and plastic bottles that once had mineral water in. I siphon off the dirty water into the buckets and put the clean water into the bottles and add the dechlorinator. I find this easier for the maths of working out how much dechlorinator to add!

I would try to avoid using a mix of hot and cold water, you will never get it to match the tank temperature, that's why I sort my clean water the day before the water change and leave it to stand by the tank, that way the new water is roughly the same as the existing tank water.

I don't know if using a mix of hot and cold water is what has been causing your problems. I would suggest you stop doing it and see what happens.

I'm sorry I'm not being much help, I'm just a bit stumped as your water parameters etc are all ok and your current husbandry regime seems ok so i just don't get it! Looking at your Axies gills I would say you've had ammonia spikes that have 'melted' the gill filaments. If this is the case and you have removed the problem (i.e. the ammonia) then they will start growing back, they may be wonky but that will just make your Axie extra special :happy:

 

[wolfsong442]

Thanks for all the help you guys. I'll get more buckets asap (i'm not even eating right now because i don't have money XD), but if the tank is the problem, why is he still not eating now that he's in the clean, cool water?

I guess it would help if I leave the water sitting. I'll try that next water change and see what happens. I'll go let water sit out now, but it won't be ready in time for the next water change.

 

[CJ1981]

Thanks for all the help you guys. I'll get more buckets asap (i'm not even eating right now because i don't have money XD), but if the tank is the problem, why is he still not eating now that he's in the clean, cool water?

I guess it would help if I leave the water sitting. I'll try that next water change and see what happens. I'll go let water sit out now, but it won't be ready in time for the next water change.

They are epic healers but are easily 'shaken' and it can take them time to bounce back. If there has been as issue with your water that will have disturbed him and being moved into a new container will also have freaked him out. Just give him time he, he's gathering his frayed nerves and will eat when he is ready, just keep up the good work with the water and keep offering food.

Do you have any of those plastic storage boxes? You could use them for water changes until you get more buckets. Or collect large soda bottles from friends and family, rinse thoroughly and use those.

 

[wolfsong442]

I can do that.

I'm just getting worried because he hasn't eaten in so long.

How long can a three inch axolotl go without eating?