Axolotl not looking well

[Quentari]

So this is captain. He's spent the last week and a half in a tub getting daily water changes. I use the same dechlorinator I've always used, aged at least 12 hours (usually 24) before he's changed. He's gradually been getting redder and redder, thermometer put the water at about 18, sometimes a bit lower.

I don't understand why he's getting like this, I didn't even notice at first until my fiancé mentioned that he looked "like he was going to eat our souls".

His tail looks terrible, and he's gulping lots of air, not unusual in of itself but possibly related seeing how he looks now.

 

[elim]

My Pip is the spitting image of Captain and has had exactly the same problem for a week or so and is slowly going downhill. All water tests are 0 and the water is below 16 degrees. The filter is clean and I've been doing 90% water changes daily (water is dechlorinated and aged over 24 hours). Do you think something has been added to our water supply? I've read somewhere that lighter axies are sometimes a lot more sensitive than other colours. My other two are fine.

 

[Quentari]

My Pip is the spitting image of Captain and has had exactly the same problem for a week or so and is slowly going downhill. All water tests are 0 and the water is below 16 degrees. The filter is clean and I've been doing 90% water changes daily (water is dechlorinated and aged over 24 hours). Do you think something has been added to our water supply? I've read somewhere that lighter axies are sometimes a lot more sensitive than other colours. My other two are fine.

I've actually noticed it's my white axies that have all the problems. I have NO idea what could be causing this his tail's getting quite thin and he's having trouble walking around, although I would attribute that to his stumpy limb plus new bare bottomed tank...

 

[Petersgirl]

Can I ask that you check Captain's tummy for red spots? He may have picked up bacteria from the tank bottom that may be making him poorly - I'm not saying it's solely because the tank is bare bottom, but I think it might be worth checking.
Failing that it might be worth contacting the company that supplies your water and ask them if they've changed or added anything to your water.

Poor babies. I hope they get better soon!

 

[Quentari]

He's only gone on the bare bottomed tank yesterday, but i'll check his belly next time he comes up for air. I'll also do a search and find the water company's website/phone number!

It's just strange that he's the only one affected. He was in a large tub with my golden, and the same water was being used with all 5 of my axies

 

[Alkylhalide]

Now that you mentioned this echos tail has been red for about a week or two, i thought it was due to him injuring his tail but his tail is healing up fine but his tail is still red.
Though i also had a nitrate problem but ive gotten that in check for over a week now and it isnt making it better either.

And i did just notice tonight that when he eats he just spits the worm out immediately. Im wondering if my poor guy is ill too it is only him and i have three light colored axies in the same tank.

 

[Petersgirl]

How weird...the redness would imply to me some kind of chemical imbalance or some new additive to the water, or possibly a new PH.
The other odd thing is it appears to be isolated cases, rather than the whole tank, and that you're having the same kind of symptoms even though one of you is in Canada and the other two are in Australia.

The only thing I could think that may make it better for the moment is a tea bath...hopefully that will soothe their skins. In the meantime, I think calls to the water company are a must and if there have been no changes on their front, a vet visit may be the only way we can make progress on this one.

 

[Alkylhalide]

See I want to add black tea so bad but I know i have a borderline low ph to begin with and i realised after somebody told me that black tea can lower the ph, though I guess it is worth trying. I do 30% water changes daily so the tea would not be in long.
Like the pH of my tap wAter is so low I have to keep crushed coral in my filter to keep my pH above 7. Though this started at the end of may I am guessing they did something to the water then.
Other then that my ammonia and nitrite are 0 but if I do not do large water changes due to the overcrowded tank my nitrAtes do spike, but ive had it under control for over a week now. I realised my 10-15% daily was not cutting it. But 30-40% does the trick.

The ONLY thing i can think of is I switched dechlorinators, and tonight I am going back to my old dechlorinator. I started using prime hoping it would help with my nitrAtes, but I an going to go back. Its all I havechanged, since the redness started.

 

[Quentari]

Well a little update: the water hasn't been changed at the company BUT Captain is looking a little better. His tail is still red and ratty looking but his body is calming down, maybe the tub was stressing him? maybe the temp got higher than I thought while I wasn't at home? I have no idea at the moment but he is looking a little better. No idea what caused it in the first place!