Help? Is my axie sick? Picture

[Reptile.Riley]

can someone tell me if my axie looks sick? He’s got this white build up around his gills, and I can’t find out what it is. My ammonia levels were at .5 ppm, so that might be the problem. But I’m worried it’s fungus.

 

[EasternRomioi3]

@Reptile.Riley

Do you have any other photos of your little buddy? I can't tell if it's fungus or not. Have any photos of the whole tank? Did that white bump thing fall off? What's up currently?

 

[Reptile.Riley]

@Reptile.Riley

Do you have any other photos of your little buddy? I can't tell if it's fungus or not. Have any photos of the whole tank? Did that white bump thing fall off? What's up currently?

Yes it fell off when he swam around. But it keeps coming back worse. They have a forty gallon, but at the moment they’re both in separate two gallon storage containers. I had them in the same one overnight and he bit both of my other axolotl’s front feet off. I’m not really sure what to do. I just did full water changes so neither of them have it on right now but here’s my tank.

 

[EasternRomioi3]

Ok, the fungus keeps coming back? I have experience with salt baths, but I only recommend them as a last resort because 1, it hurts your axolotl, 2, an owner should never intentionally harm their animal. With that said, from my experience, it's the only way to get rid of real bad fungus. There are OTHER ways, like doing tea baths. I have no experience with them. Have you tried that yet? It is a way softer way to treat them. Tea baths are also good for physical injuries, like the poor damaged feet. I'm sorry about that, I know this whole thing is stressful but those are my only two suggestions.

IF you want to do a salt bath, I can walk you through it and recommend the ingredients you'll need.

Can you post some photos of them, any close ups of the fungus. If it is indeed fungus, I mean, it looks like it from that first photo but looks are super deceiving with axolotls. Your tank set up looks fine, real nice actually. When I had the fungus issues with my axolotl, I did water changes every other day.

IF no one else tries to help, post a second post on the main axolotl forum. There are too many of us on this site to not be able to help you. I just am inexperienced and a novice.

 

[Reptile.Riley]

Ok, the fungus keeps coming back? I have experience with salt baths, but I only recommend them as a last resort because 1, it hurts your axolotl, 2, an owner should never intentionally harm their animal. With that said, from my experience, it's the only way to get rid of real bad fungus. There are OTHER ways, like doing tea baths. I have no experience with them. Have you tried that yet? It is a way softer way to treat them. Tea baths are also good for physical injuries, like the poor damaged feet. I'm sorry about that, I know this whole thing is stressful but those are my only two suggestions.

IF you want to do a salt bath, I can walk you through it and recommend the ingredients you'll need.

Can you post some photos of them, any close ups of the fungus. If it is indeed fungus, I mean, it looks like it from that first photo but looks are super deceiving with axolotls. Your tank set up looks fine, real nice actually. When I had the fungus issues with my axolotl, I did water changes every other day.

IF no one else tries to help, post a second post on the main axolotl forum. There are too many of us on this site to not be able to help you. I just am inexperienced and a novice.

I’m way to scared to risk a salt bath yet, just because I don’t have any experience and I would probably kill the poor things. If it doesn’t go away in a few weeks, then I’ll look into it, but I will try tea baths if it’ll help her feet and the fungus. This was the best photo I could get with my old camera and bad lighting, but here’s a close up of some of the stuff.

 

[EasternRomioi3]

Hm, I've never encountered fungus on the skin, just on the gills.

And I agree with you on the wait and see approach with the salt baths. I only recommend them when stuff gets really bad. Like, I only learned how to do them because my axolotl's curved gill stalk, she has one that never unraveled all the way, it's got like a hook at the end. Half of it fell off from fungus, and I was like "enough of this, time to fix this." I did 7 days of salt baths, it too only 2 days to figure out the PERFECT water to salt ratio that she can tolerate. She regrew her tendril in a month, and then when she got it again the other week, we did just 3 days of salt baths, all fixed. Regrew all the fluff she was missing. So it does work but is NOT PLEASANT.

Keep us posted though on this. Don't hesitate to reach out.

 

[Reptile.Riley]

Hm, I've never encountered fungus on the skin, just on the gills.

And I agree with you on the wait and see approach with the salt baths. I only recommend them when stuff gets really bad. Like, I only learned how to do them because my axolotl's curved gill stalk, she has one that never unraveled all the way, it's got like a hook at the end. Half of it fell off from fungus, and I was like "enough of this, time to fix this." I did 7 days of salt baths, it too only 2 days to figure out the PERFECT water to salt ratio that she can tolerate. She regrew her tendril in a month, and then when she got it again the other week, we did just 3 days of salt baths, all fixed. Regrew all the fluff she was missing. So it does work but is NOT PLEASANT.

Keep us posted though on this. Don't hesitate to reach out.

Thank you so much. I tried a tea bath, and it seems to be working. I only tried once though because I was terrified of hurting them. It’ll still be a while before they can go back in their forty gallon, because we can’t get the ammonia levels back down. If anything changes I’ll let you know right away.

 

[EasternRomioi3]

Aw, I am glad it worked out! Please, tell me how you did the tea bath. I'm curious.

As for the ammonia, what kind of filter do you have?

 

[Reptile.Riley]

Aw, I am glad it worked out! Please, tell me how you did the tea bath. I'm curious.

As for the ammonia, what kind of filter do you have?

I just measured out how much water I needed and poured about a half cup of tea into the water, then put them in the refrigerator for 10 minutes and put them back. I think it’s about a cup per 2 gallons. And I don’t know the brand of my filter but it’s for 175 gallon, and it has settings to change the flow of the water.

 

[EasternRomioi3]

Hm, it's not a sponge filter, those are what I use so I'm only familiar with them.

So t he tea bath, how did you axolotl react? They didn't freak out when they entered it did they?

 

[GulfCoastAxolotls]

Thank you so much. I tried a tea bath, and it seems to be working. I only tried once though because I was terrified of hurting them. It’ll still be a while before they can go back in their forty gallon, because we can’t get the ammonia levels back down. If anything changes I’ll let you know right away.

You cant really go wrong or hurt them with a tea bath. Black tea baths are my go to for just about anything since the tannins in black tea naturally have antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. It's also soothing to their skin. As long as the tea is diluted to a light amber brown color, you can leave them in it for hours. I've used tea baths over night on many occasions for treating wounds and fungal infections.

 

[Reptile.Riley]

Hm, it's not a sponge filter, those are what I use so I'm only familiar with them.

So t he tea bath, how did you axolotl react? They didn't freak out when they entered it did they?

Not any more than the do with a plain water change. One of them actually reacted better than normally. And it’s a gravel filter. I appologize, I misunderstood the question.

 

[Reptile.Riley]

You cant really go wrong or hurt them with a tea bath. Black tea baths are my go to for just about anything since the tannins in black tea naturally have antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. It's also soothing to their skin. As long as the tea is diluted to a light amber brown color, you can leave them in it for hours. I've used tea baths over night on many occasions for treating wounds and fungal infections.

Thank you so much! I set up a tea bath for overnight, hopefully that keeps the fungus from growing back again.

 

[EasternRomioi3]

I'm glad things are continuing to improve!

 

[Reptile.Riley]

I'm glad things are continuing to improve!

For two or three days they both seemed completely healed but I just went to do a water change and saw this. I’m starting to worry more and I don’t know what to do. I’m setting up another tea bath for her, the other one seems fine, but I’m not sure it’ll help anymore

 

[EasternRomioi3]

What is that stuff on your little guy's skin? I don't recognize it all. How is their appetite? Are they active?

 

[Reptile.Riley]

What is that stuff on your little guy's skin? I don't recognize it all. How is their appetite? Are they active?

Not moving much, but I’m guessing that’s from the tiny tank. She’s eating fine. And I think the white is fungus. We put her in the fridge and ordered some aquarium salt. I’m getting desperate at this point and I’m not really sure what else to do. Her feet are almost grown back from the tea, but I’m not sure it’s helping with the white stuff anymore.

 

[EasternRomioi3]

Oh no, I don't know what to tell you. I really, really hope a more experienced owner can help you. I'm she's healing but that fungus. You may want to start the salt bath routine. You ordered good aquarium salt? I use API's brand. If you want, I can help you with how to do the bath but I am dead serious, please seek another opinion beyond me. I am not that experienced. If you have to message someone, try. I'm just not sure at all if a salt bath regiment is wise at this point.

I am sorry, I wish I could help more. My heart weeps.

 

[Reptile.Riley]

Oh no, I don't know what to tell you. I really, really hope a more experienced owner can help you. I'm she's healing but that fungus. You may want to start the salt bath routine. You ordered good aquarium salt? I use API's brand. If you want, I can help you with how to do the bath but I am dead serious, please seek another opinion beyond me. I am not that experienced. If you have to message someone, try. I'm just not sure at all if a salt bath regiment is wise at this point.

I am sorry, I wish I could help more. My heart weeps.

Thank you. I don’t really know who else to contact, so hopefully someone else sees this thread. I’ll try to reach out to the person I bought it from, and I’ll get back to you as soon as she’s better. Thank you so much for your help! These are my first axolotls so I’m not really sure how to deal with it other than a salt bath.

 

[EasternRomioi3]

@GulfCoastAxolotls

Do you have any info that can help our friend? I'm at the limit of my experience...

@Reptile.Riley

Please keep us posted. If you need help, always try to make a new thread on the forums. I'm sorry. Stay strong.