Illness/Sickness: Floating axolotl

[Quentari]

So axolotls are jinxed in my family. The mother in laws is floating upside down in a bowl in the fridge and then he was in his tank he was completely vertical with his face in the sand and his tail in the air. There's also something weird going on with his cloaca. Ill post pictures when I get home and get to a PC but the owners feeling like she's cursed. I thought maybe the floating was a swim bladder or air thing but the cloaca... This has been a bad week.

 

[Quentari]

Ok i have some photos of little George. at this rate his brother (my axolotl) is going to live permanently in the fridge so I can't worry about him -.-

 

[Mortimer]

I'm so sorry. I don't know enough to give you much advice really, but I wanted to say I'm sorry you're going through this. One of mine is sick at the moment--and it's a horrible, helpless feeling.

Do you know your water parameters?

The one in the tank looks like it has a prolapse. Is he trying to not be vertical? Do you think it would be less stressful for him if you put him in a small tub of water so that he wouldn't be floating like that?

Is the upside down one responsive?

:/

 

[sabre]

Did you get these guys from the same store/shipment as the other axies?

 

[Quentari]

All those photo's are of the same axolotl. The bowl of water he's in is very shallow and I thought that might help but if I roll him the right way up he just rolls back over again. The water was all fresh and dechlorinated, he'd only been in there 12 hours or so (they were planning on cycling with the axolotl in there)

I got the axies from the market again but from a different stall, although I now suspect that they both got their axolotl's from the same supplier. How likely is it that two axolotl's from the same place would have a prolapse within a week of each other? I'm really hoping it's not a prolapse. My one from the same place is in the fridge with a curled tail I'm thinking they're both gonna have to go to the vet

 

[LJay]

How much have they been fed? And how long they been in fridge and at what temp? My axolotl goes vertical sometimes till she does a poop or just lets
Go of trapped air! Its shocking to see though as its not what you would expect to see!

 

[Quentari]

How much have they been fed? And how long they been in fridge and at what temp? My axolotl goes vertical sometimes till she does a poop or just lets
Go of trapped air! Its shocking to see though as its not what you would expect to see!

Well the one in the pics was eating like crazy when I took him home, and apparently ate at his new home too. Unfortunately though he passed away a few hours ago There is no way I'd ever recommend getting an axolotl from the laverton market. 3/4 of them have died so far

My one's still in the fridge, he's been there for almost 24 hours how (that reminds me, water change time!) and I don't know the exact temperature. All I know is that nothing in there has frozen and he's still alive lol. His tail's not even curled any more! I'm going to scrub his tank down and remove everything before I put him back in there. Sorry Bruce but you're going on a bare bottomed tank!

I've seen mine do weird little handstands before pooping! but never completely vertical like this one

 

[Quentari]

Quick update. Tried to change him into a new container full of water, but the container was slightly smaller and the water slightly warmer. He freaked out big time and was like trying to get out of the tub so I quickly put him back in the larger colder one (that has dirty water in it) and then blood came out of his mouth. I'm going to assume that he and his brother the some of the super sharp gravel that was in the tank with them where I got him, and he's probably bleeding internally. this whole thing is horrible I don't know what to do except leave him where he is. I have some water in the freezer cooling down asap so I can at least change the water but I may have to do 50% twice a day so I don't have to move him until he's either thrown up/pooped the rock or passed away

 

[Quentari]

Bruce has blood coming out of his mouth and i think he is also prolapsing. I don't think he'll be alive tomorrow morning.

 

[pondweed]

Quentari, I'm so sorry you're going through this right now. I do hope your little guy pulls through, after all the bad luck you've had.

I doubt you'll buy from those stalls again. Are there any independent breeders you could go to in the future, if/when you want more Axolotls? At least then you'd know they hadn't been on sharp gravel. The only other thing I can think is... if you can get a vet to do an autopsy of the 'Lotl that died, or an X-ray, and if it shows that the sharp gravel HAS caused problems, you might be able to take it to your animal protection corporation where you live, and they might be able to do something for the rest of the 'Lotls at the stalls —*or at least make sure any future ones aren't kept like that. 3/4 and one ill is a TERRIBLE record and surely something is up.

 

[LJay]

Well the one in the pics was eating like crazy when I took him home, and apparently ate at his new home too. Unfortunately though he passed away a few hours ago There is no way I'd ever recommend getting an axolotl from the laverton market. 3/4 of them have died so far

My one's still in the fridge, he's been there for almost 24 hours how (that reminds me, water change time!) and I don't know the exact temperature. All I know is that nothing in there has frozen and he's still alive lol. His tail's not even curled any more! I'm going to scrub his tank down and remove everything before I put him back in there. Sorry Bruce but you're going on a bare bottomed tank!

I've seen mine do weird little handstands before pooping! but never completely vertical like this one

Im so sorry to hear that i wish there was something we could of done to save the lil guy .

On the other hand tho its good to hear his tail has un curled but with the blood out of the mouth i have no idea I would advice not to buy from that stall again but im prob sure you have decided that anyways! Do you not have a local pet shop or garden center who deals with aquatic animals may be safer to buy from there? Here in the UK i just go to garden centers to buy my fish and i also obtained my axolotl from one

Give the guy another night in the fridge if possible and if still no better maybe try looking for a vet?

Sorry i can't really be must use to you.Good luck and il have my fingers crossed for you and your axolotl

 

[LJay]

Bruce has blood coming out of his mouth and i think he is also prolapsing. I don't think he'll be alive tomorrow morning.

Out of curiosity if you don't mind me asking, how long did you have them for before they started developing issues as Ive been reading more of your posts that 3/4 have passed i assume they are all from the same place? Also did you get one then another then another etc or a bundle buy?

Sorry for the questions.

 

[Quentari]

Out of curiosity if you don't mind me asking, how long did you have them for before they started developing issues as Ive been reading more of your posts that 3/4 have passed i assume they are all from the same place? Also did you get one then another then another etc or a bundle buy?

Sorry for the questions.

No that's okay I went last week (4th of may) to the market which is only open on weekends. There were two stalls there both selling juvie axies and I normally get mine from one of the 4 pet stores that sell them in my area (no health issues with those) but these were much smaller so I couldn't help myself. I brought two from one of the stalls and brought them home. On the 5th day one of them (who I had given to my mother in law as a gift) got a prolapse and his missing leg got infected. On the 6th day mine died for reasons I still can't work out. The following saturday I went back to the market and they gave me my money back. I (stupidly) went to the other stall and brought two more. One died after two days and one more is in the fridge spitting out blood but hasn't got curled gills or tail so not overly stressed/in pain? (i hope). Oh and the prolapsed one from the first batch died on the Saturday.

Funny thing is on the first week we went both stalls had their axies in a bare bottomed tank. It was the following week that they were on the gravel. Either way I'm guessing that they both got their axies supplied from the same person/company

 

[Quentari]

Im so sorry to hear that i wish there was something we could of done to save the lil guy .

On the other hand tho its good to hear his tail has un curled but with the blood out of the mouth i have no idea I would advice not to buy from that stall again but im prob sure you have decided that anyways! Do you not have a local pet shop or garden center who deals with aquatic animals may be safer to buy from there? Here in the UK i just go to garden centers to buy my fish and i also obtained my axolotl from one

Give the guy another night in the fridge if possible and if still no better maybe try looking for a vet?

Sorry i can't really be must use to you.Good luck and il have my fingers crossed for you and your axolotl

I found out last week that there's a vet near us that does axolotl's. I get paid tomorrow so if he hasn't improved I'll take him there, although I'm worried the trip will stress him. He did NOT appreciate the clean water last night.

 

[FX1C]

Keep the new dechlorinated water in a jug in the fridge next to the axolotls container & refill it everytime you do a water change - that way the temperatures will be identical & not cause stress at all..

Fridging the axolotl requires a little planning but once you get the routine it's easier.

I hope the sole survivor makes some recovery soon.. Have you tried getting live black worms as food? They're irresistible & very good for them.



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