Anorexic Axolotl

[Waterdragon Skittles]

Please help. I have a four and a half year old axolotl named Skittles. He has never had any health issues until recently. He stopped eating two weeks ago. Water tests great, temperature is good, and I've taken him to two exotic animal vets. First one injured him badly- tore off part of his tail and tail fin!- but that is healing. He showed signs of a fungal infection after that vet visit, so we are doing the salt baths every day. Went to another exotic vet an hour away last week, nothing but the fungal infetion was found. He is looking better (no signs of fungus, tail is healing) but he still will not eat. I've tried his usual earthworms, blood worms, and specialized pellets made from worms- he refuses. He is still a big boy (2.3 pounds at last vet visit) but I can't stand the thought of him starving to death. ANY advice would be gratefully received. Thank you.

 

[wolfen]

although you say that all parameters are good what are they ie.. temperature, ph, ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, kh, gh.
2.3 pound (1.04 kg) is very heavy, could you post picture.
how was the salt bath performed ie.. salt level.
whereabouts was the fungal infection ie.. gills or body/torso.
axolotl are carnivores and will eat other food sources as well as worms ie.. shrimp, fish etc.. (even each other)
how is your axolotl fed ie.. over a certain time period, left in tank over night etc..
what if any substrate are you using? how is tank cleaning performed?
apart from lack off appetite are there any other symptoms ie.. lethargy, retching, erratic behaviour etc..
what chemicals/salts/minerals are used ie.. type of dechlorinator/conditioner, kh/gh buffer, tannins etc..

 

[Waterdragon Skittles]

although you say that all parameters are good what are they ie.. temperature, ph, ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, kh, gh.
2.3 pound (1.04 kg) is very heavy, could you post picture.
how was the salt bath performed ie.. salt level.
whereabouts was the fungal infection ie.. gills or body/torso.
axolotl are carnivores and will eat other food sources as well as worms ie.. shrimp, fish etc.. (even each other)
how is your axolotl fed ie.. over a certain time period, left in tank over night etc..
what if any substrate are you using? how is tank cleaning performed?
apart from lack off appetite are there any other symptoms ie.. lethargy, retching, erratic behaviour etc..
what chemicals/salts/minerals are used ie.. type of dechlorinator/conditioner, kh/gh buffer, tannins etc..

Hi Wolfen,
Thank you for replying. I tested his water last weekend with the API kit and all the pH, ammonia and Nirite/Nitrate levels were in normal ranges. The exotics vet in Denver tested his water again last Tuesday and said all was great- I have changed 1/3 of his water twice since then. I have a 40 gallon tank with a 50 gallon Fluval filter, an extra airstone bubbler, and a large sponge filter with bubbler as well. His underwater plants have been growing for the last 4 years and he has a big hide as well as two small clay pot halves in his tank. I will do my water test kit again this evening and can give you the test results then, but I don't expect there to be any issues in that department. I have aquatic sand on the bottom of his tank.

He showed signs of a fungal infection a week ago, having never had one before. I don't know if it takes a long time for the infection to "bloom," or whether he could have possibly picked it up from the first exotic vet that I took him to last on May 7? (While there, they injured him, hurt his tail horribly...I don't know if they perhaps used their own water when weighing him/doing x-rays)? He had the watermold infection showing up as small tufts on his gills. They are no longer there, but we are on day 5 of the salt baths. The salt baths (as prescribed by the second exotics vet in Denver on May 13) are done every day for 15 minutes, with 20g/l of non-iodised salt.

I clean his tank every weekend. I use a gravel vac and vac out the bottom of the tank, inside the hides, and whatever I can get from shaking his plants. I usually end up taking out about 6-7 gallons and replacing with clean water. I use the axolotl conditioner by Seachem. In the past, I have used Prime with water changes. I also clean out his sponge filter and the Fluval. If I have to change anything in the Fluval (charcoal, substrate or sponge) I only do it one portion at a time and usually that seems to occur every few months.

I feed him earthworms (small or halves) from a bait store. I rinse them first and dangle them in front of him with tongs until he strikes. I do not leave food in his tank. I usually offer food every 2-3 days, when he lounges in the front of the tank and watches for me.

The other symptoms have been lethargy, floating near the top of the tank (unusual for him), and swimming up to the tank to take a gulp of air. (?) He has not shown the lethargy or the top floating since his return after the second vet visit on the 13th. He is putting up with the medicated baths for the tail injury and the salt baths for the fungal infection, but he is not a fan. I'm sure I wouldn't want to eat with all of this stress, either, but it has been two weeks. He just doesn't look right, isn't acting like himself, and I don't know if I can afford to keep taking time off and paying the exotic animal vet that is over an hour away. I appreciate your advice! Thank you!

 

[Waterdragon Skittles]

Hi Wolfen,
Thank you for replying. I tested his water last weekend with the API kit and all the pH, ammonia and Nirite/Nitrate levels were in normal ranges. The exotics vet in Denver tested his water again last Tuesday and said all was great- I have changed 1/3 of his water twice since then. I have a 40 gallon tank with a 50 gallon Fluval filter, an extra airstone bubbler, and a large sponge filter with bubbler as well. His underwater plants have been growing for the last 4 years and he has a big hide as well as two small clay pot halves in his tank. I will do my water test kit again this evening and can give you the test results then, but I don't expect there to be any issues in that department. I have aquatic sand on the bottom of his tank.

He showed signs of a fungal infection a week ago, having never had one before. I don't know if it takes a long time for the infection to "bloom," or whether he could have possibly picked it up from the first exotic vet that I took him to last on May 7? (While there, they injured him, hurt his tail horribly...I don't know if they perhaps used their own water when weighing him/doing x-rays)? He had the watermold infection showing up as small tufts on his gills. They are no longer there, but we are on day 5 of the salt baths. The salt baths (as prescribed by the second exotics vet in Denver on May 13) are done every day for 15 minutes, with 20g/l of non-iodised salt.

I clean his tank every weekend. I use a gravel vac and vac out the bottom of the tank, inside the hides, and whatever I can get from shaking his plants. I usually end up taking out about 6-7 gallons and replacing with clean water. I use the axolotl conditioner by Seachem. In the past, I have used Prime with water changes. I also clean out his sponge filter and the Fluval. If I have to change anything in the Fluval (charcoal, substrate or sponge) I only do it one portion at a time and usually that seems to occur every few months.

I feed him earthworms (small or halves) from a bait store. I rinse them first and dangle them in front of him with tongs until he strikes. I do not leave food in his tank. I usually offer food every 2-3 days, when he lounges in the front of the tank and watches for me.

The other symptoms have been lethargy, floating near the top of the tank (unusual for him), and swimming up to the tank to take a gulp of air. (?) He has not shown the lethargy or the top floating since his return after the second vet visit on the 13th. He is putting up with the medicated baths for the tail injury and the salt baths for the fungal infection, but he is not a fan. I'm sure I wouldn't want to eat with all of this stress, either, but it has been two weeks. He just doesn't look right, isn't acting like himself, and I don't know if I can afford to keep taking time off and paying the exotic animal vet that is over an hour away. I appreciate your advice! Thank you!

I forgot to tell you- tank temp sits between 63-68, usually about 65 degrees. I have fans on top of the tank to help.

 

[wolfen]

if possible reduce water temp to 59-64 if possible (closer to 59 the better).
3.5g/l non-iodised salt can be used in the tank to remove fungal infection (can be reduced to 2g/l to prevent re-occurances) although your plants may find it difficult to tolerate.
the fungus that effects axolotls tends to thrive under the same conditions that axolotls do (cold moderate/hard water) and doesn't normally affect axolotls until they become stressed or under the weather (a bit like a human catching a cold or flu), the fungus is susceptible to salinity and acidity (hence why salt and tea baths work) the fungus can also be treated with methylene blue and acriflavine, it isn't known how the fungus gets into the aquarium just that it does.
make sure that the sand is turned over regularly to prevent gas/debris build up (a face full of gas whilst they are digging around will cause illness ie.. lethargy, lack of appetite, air gulping etc.. due to toxicity).
the main part of his tail will heal fine after a few months but his dorsal fin may remain tattered (will partially grow back but not completely the same as before).
feed last thing at night clean up in morning (monitor ammonia for spikes), there are numerous food sources ie.. live food.. worms (earth, blood, black etc..), shrimp (river, glass, cherry etc..), fish (platty, molly, guppy), maggots etc.., frozen food.. worms, krill, mysis, mussel, cockle, prawn, crab, fish etc.., pellets.. high oil content is more attractive but shouldn't be fed to frequently as they aren't healthy, read ingredients before using some pellets as some contain iodine and copper sulphate.
when any media is changed in the filter monitor levels for spikes, change charcoal monthly.