Bad fungus on gills

[Quentari]

Well I just discovered something that's very relevant. I was examining Thor and Fury to make sure they were okay and my fiancé started complaining about our sick axolotl. He said "it didn't start till we put that stupid plant in the tank"

I sort of got confused and asked what he meant. He pointed out a plant hanging around the back. Apparently it came from my brothers guppy tank, they recently lost all their guppies (I have no idea why) and they decided to not waste a plant and stick it in my tank. I have no idea what his guppies died of but I'm thinking something may have "jumped over" into my tank. Such as an infestation of those small pond snails.

I'm really hoping my guys get through this, I've yelled at my brother but he honestly thought he was doing me a favour. Even if it wasn't from the plant he should have let me quarentine it first.

 

[auntiejude]

You can use sea salt, marine aquarium salt or pickling salt, but not low-sodium or table salt (the fine stuff you put on food).

And yeah - burn the plant! It's almost definately where the snails came from and possibly the fungus too.
And kick your brother too....

 

[Quentari]

Grr so angry at him right now! Plants gone. Gonna. Go get better salt tomorrow. Can't believe I didn't notice a new plant in the tank.

 

[SariYappa]

Oh no!
I'm glad you found the plant, and hopefully the problem.
I wonder if you could take the plant to a fish specialty store, and they could possibly identify what it has on it?? Then maybe you can treat/clean your tank for something specific.

Also, I inderstand getting rid of those pond snails is really hard... I don't know the solution to that one

I hope Pebble makes it!! :happy:

 

[snuggly time]

I'd get rid of the pellets, or remove them within 30 mins - 1 hour if they haven't been eaten. They really do foul up the water quickly. I've found some in my fish tank before covered in fungus if they've been trapped under a rock or ornament. Earthworms are great as they obviously don't foul the water if they're still alive.

Make sure you clean around any hides etc during your weekly clean. Perhaps increase the cleaning and get rid of visible poop. I give mine a quick clean everyday or every other day just to suck up all the poop. If I feed bloodworms I make sure I have a good clean once my axie has finished them. Keep on top of it and your water quality should improve drastically.

 

[Quentari]

I'd get rid of the pellets, or remove them within 30 mins - 1 hour if they haven't been eaten. They really do foul up the water quickly. I've found some in my fish tank before covered in fungus if they've been trapped under a rock or ornament. Earthworms are great as they obviously don't foul the water if they're still alive.

Make sure you clean around any hides etc during your weekly clean. Perhaps increase the cleaning and get rid of visible poop. I give mine a quick clean everyday or every other day just to suck up all the poop. If I feed bloodworms I make sure I have a good clean once my axie has finished them. Keep on top of it and your water quality should improve drastically.

I'm going to start checking in their hides daily. I moved one of them and I swear it's like they're using it as a toilet! and I'm also confiscating the pellet tub from dearest fiance. Going to look at Bunnings later for hopefully a worm farm.

Oh no!
I'm glad you found the plant, and hopefully the problem.
I wonder if you could take the plant to a fish specialty store, and they could possibly identify what it has on it?? Then maybe you can treat/clean your tank for something specific.

Also, I inderstand getting rid of those pond snails is really hard... I don't know the solution to that one

I hope Pebble makes it!! :happy:

I'll have to google and see if there's anything like that nearby, all the pet stores near me are pretty average. Nothing fancy like diagnosing a plant anyway.

As for the snails I'm hoping I can just pull them out once I've got out my ornaments and hides and stuff.

 

[HayleyK]

Bunnings have a three tiered worm farm for like 80 but its round, I think square ones are at mitre ten but more expensive ( I called before buying mine ). Worms in 500 pack cost me like 30 dollars and are absolutely thriving. Best investment so far for the little guys!


Hope pebbles pulls through

 

[Quentari]

Me too. I might call mitre ten then, see if they have a better deal might google making my own worm farm, mum's been wanting a compost heap for a while now anyway, might be able to sucker her into paying for it

 

[HayleyK]

I tried that too. Didn't work I paid for it hope you can suck your parents in!

 

[xxianxx]

Yes obviously they are, but no one has told me what exactly it is I'm doing wrong. Telling someone they are wrong without actually telling them WHAT they are doing wrong (specifics I mean, not just "everything") isn't "helping". It's actually UNhelpfull. I KNOW i'm doing wrong, so tell me what it is I'm doing wrong. And while you're at it, help me save my sick one.

You have been told what the problem is, it's your basic care standards ie water quality. Completely forget the bs about plants bringing fungus into your tank, a healthy undamaged axolotl will not be bothered about fungal spores in the tank, they come in on the breeze, they are always present and do no harm unless your axolotl is injured or sick. You have all ready been given a link by Julia for the treatment Axolotls - Health & Diseases and I have explained what the problem is caused by in my post

"You need to understand why your axolotl has fungus and also why you have suffered recent fatalities. Fungus is not a fatal condition and is picked up in three main ways
1) A bite/injury which has breached the protective slime coat allowing an infection to take hold.
2) Poor water quality/ too high a temp stripping the slime coat allowing an infection to take hold.
3) A sick axolotl with a lowered immune system being unable to fight the fungus off, it is a secondary infection in this case.

Axolotls are easy to take care of, if you follow basic care standards they generally only suffer from 1), even the best of keepers will see fungus in their tanks. I have between 200-800 axolotls at anyone time , from the sizes of 3"-8" they just dont fall over dead, if kept properly they are a very hardy species. If you check the sick axolotl section of this forum you would be led to believe that axolotls are a weak and sickly species, they are not, the vast majority of posts are due to people not following basic care requirements. The fact that you are suffering fatalities and severe fungal attacks would indicate reasons 2) or 3). I suggest you revaluate your care. "

"Revaluate your care"...... this means read all the care requirements and find out what you are doing wrong, concentrate on tank cycling, water quality, water testing. Once you have done all that ask specific questions and they will be answered but dont expect to be spoon fed, all the information you need is readily available on this site. Fungus is generally a symptom of other problems not the problem itself, you can treat the fungus but if you dont resolve the cause of it you are just going to get a regularly fungused axolotl till it dies. Also the snails are not a problem, they are a snack.

 

[Quentari]

You have been told what the problem is, it's your basic care standards ie water quality. Completely forget the bs about plants bringing fungus into your tank, a healthy undamaged axolotl will not be bothered about fungal spores in the tank, they come in on the breeze, they are always present and do no harm unless your axolotl is injured or sick. You have all ready been given a link by Julia for the treatment Axolotls - Health & Diseases and I have explained what the problem is caused by in my post

"You need to understand why your axolotl has fungus and also why you have suffered recent fatalities. Fungus is not a fatal condition and is picked up in three main ways
1) A bite/injury which has breached the protective slime coat allowing an infection to take hold.
2) Poor water quality/ too high a temp stripping the slime coat allowing an infection to take hold.
3) A sick axolotl with a lowered immune system being unable to fight the fungus off, it is a secondary infection in this case.

Axolotls are easy to take care of, if you follow basic care standards they generally only suffer from 1), even the best of keepers will see fungus in their tanks. I have between 200-800 axolotls at anyone time , from the sizes of 3"-8" they just dont fall over dead, if kept properly they are a very hardy species. If you check the sick axolotl section of this forum you would be led to believe that axolotls are a weak and sickly species, they are not, the vast majority of posts are due to people not following basic care requirements. The fact that you are suffering fatalities and severe fungal attacks would indicate reasons 2) or 3). I suggest you revaluate your care. "

"Revaluate your care"...... this means read all the care requirements and find out what you are doing wrong, concentrate on tank cycling, water quality, water testing. Once you have done all that ask specific questions and they will be answered but dont expect to be spoon fed, all the information you need is readily available on this site. Fungus is generally a symptom of other problems not the problem itself, you can treat the fungus but if you dont resolve the cause of it you are just going to get a regularly fungused axolotl till it dies. Also the snails are not a problem, they are a snack.

I HAVE re-checked my water quality. My temp never gets above 19C and, apart from the ONE time I let the nitrates get too high, the water is usually perfect. When it's not I do water changes to lower it. I HAVE re-read the care. I honestly can't find where I'm going wrong OTHER than this new plant not being quarantined and coming from a diseased tank (My brother is hopeless at fish care, honestly they could have died of starvation. I don't know.) So unless my highly recommended $80 API freshwater test kit is completely faulty, there shouldn't be a problem with my water. Especially since I test it around once a week since I had the nitrate spike.