Illness/Sickness: Axie gills drooping

[Hynesy]

Hi,
I have two axies, one with drooping gills, the other I can't tell. The water parameters are pretty good I think, PH is 7.5, ammonia is < 0.25ppm, Nitrite is <0.25ppm and Nitrate is about 30ppm (this last one a little high?).

It's just come into spring here and it's hot already, tank was getting up to 24C with constant water bottle changes, so two days ago I installed a Hailea 130A to keep my girls around 19C. The axie with the drooping gills seems to have gone off her appetite was well, she'll eat an earthworm then spit it back out.

Does anyone have any ideas? Could they just be stressed because of the heat and are now trying to adapt to the chiller? I brought the temp down by 2 degrees every 12 hours to try avoid stressing them. I've noticed they've been heading to the surface more often for air when the water was warmer.

In terms of filter, I have a spreader bar points against the glass, very little water flow doesn't even move the sand so I don't think it's that.

Any suggestions welcome.

Cheers,
Hynesy

 

[auntiejude]

Heat stress causes loss of appetite, and they need more oxygen at higher temperatures, so gulping air is not uncommon.

Your ammonia should be 0, have you had a hitch in your cycle? It may also be caused by the heat.

It can take a while for them to get back to normal after you get the temp back down, just keep offering their usual food until they decide to eat again. Or you could try something to tempt them. One of mine got heat stressed this summer, he wouldn't take worms at first, just pellets, I managed to tempt him with waxworms, and then he took blanched worms before finally decided to eat live worms again. Total 6 weeks of coaxing, tempting and coddling.

Good job on the chiller - best thing for them in hot places.

 

[Hynesy]

Heat stress causes loss of appetite, and they need more oxygen at higher temperatures, so gulping air is not uncommon.

Your ammonia should be 0, have you had a hitch in your cycle? It may also be caused by the heat.

It can take a while for them to get back to normal after you get the temp back down, just keep offering their usual food until they decide to eat again. Or you could try something to tempt them. One of mine got heat stressed this summer, he wouldn't take worms at first, just pellets, I managed to tempt him with waxworms, and then he took blanched worms before finally decided to eat live worms again. Total 6 weeks of coaxing, tempting and coddling.

Good job on the chiller - best thing for them in hot places.

Thanks for the reply auntiejude!!

The ammonia is low, less than .25 but no absolute zero, I've never been able to get it down that little bit further. The housemate actually turned my tank off in the morning after i went to work yesterday and turned it back on later... so the girls go stressed because the water temp went from 19 up to 23 because going back to 19 again in less than 8 hours. Was not impressed with him.

If I get the ammonia done, and she ate this morning, will the gills get back to their brilliant best?

Cheers,
Hynesy

 

[auntiejude]

Well I suggest you slap your housemate, and then put a really big note on the chiller switch saying 'do not turn off until April'!

A water change and some tempting worms will help, but time is really the only healer for heat stress - as I said it can take a while. Their gills will perk up when they are feeling better.

 

[Hynesy]

Well I suggest you slap your housemate, and then put a really big note on the chiller switch saying 'do not turn off until April'!

A water change and some tempting worms will help, but time is really the only healer for heat stress - as I said it can take a while. Their gills will perk up when they are feeling better.

Thanks auntiejude, I've don't a partial water change as part of the weekly clean. Water looks great, will do another test tonight.

Susie and Sam my two girls have been visiting the surface for gulps of air much less frequently since I've gotten the water down to 17C which I guess is a good sign. They've been on liver pieces for a week because there were not live earthworms (there usual diet) in any pet stores near me and I'd already over farmed the garden. Getting fresh worms this arvo tho, what's a good/easy to find food I can give a axie in a pinch if I can't get any earthworms, wax worms or blood worms?

Cheers,
Hynesy

 

[auntiejude]

If you can't get worms you can feed them:

• Pellets - slamon or trout pellets if you can't get axie pellets.
• waxworms, maggots, butter worms - fatty and you shouldn't use them for too long or your axies will get fat.
• River/glass/ghost shrimp - live freshwater shrimp and great fun for axies to chase. Also cherry shrimp, but they are pricey unless you breed them yourself.
• mealworms - you might want to crack their jaws first, and be prepared for messy poop with undigested chitin
• bloodworms, blackworms, white worms etc - some are readily available in pet and fish shops.
• insects such as small crickets - some people say pull the legs off first.
• Fish such as guppies - not the best form of food but will do.
• If your axies are still small you could try adult brineshrimp.
• If you're really desperate you could try fresh prawns, but you'd need to cut them into small slivers and soak them for a while to reduce salt.
• Don't be tempted by the old 'beef heart' recommendations - not good nutrition and they often pass chunks of meat undigested.

You'd do well to set up a wormery or worm farm in your garden - just a big bucket with a lid will do - and they breed well in the right conditions (shade) and feed them cooked potatoes. I have more worms than I know what to do with in my little bucket!

 

[Hynesy]

If you can't get worms you can feed them:

• Pellets - slamon or trout pellets if you can't get axie pellets.
• waxworms, maggots, butter worms - fatty and you shouldn't use them for too long or your axies will get fat.
• River/glass/ghost shrimp - live freshwater shrimp and great fun for axies to chase. Also cherry shrimp, but they are pricey unless you breed them yourself.
• mealworms - you might want to crack their jaws first, and be prepared for messy poop with undigested chitin
• bloodworms, blackworms, white worms etc - some are readily available in pet and fish shops.
• insects such as small crickets - some people say pull the legs off first.
• Fish such as guppies - not the best form of food but will do.
• If your axies are still small you could try adult brineshrimp.
• If you're really desperate you could try fresh prawns, but you'd need to cut them into small slivers and soak them for a while to reduce salt.
• Don't be tempted by the old 'beef heart' recommendations - not good nutrition and they often pass chunks of meat undigested.

You'd do well to set up a wormery or worm farm in your garden - just a big bucket with a lid will do - and they breed well in the right conditions (shade) and feed them cooked potatoes. I have more worms than I know what to do with in my little bucket!

Thanks Autiejude, I bought some blood worms and axie pellets the tricky part is actually feeding them haha. I also bought some dechlorinator to remove chlorine and chloramine from the water when I do water changes. I guess if this doesn't help then it could be a pathogen. The only new thing introduce to the tank is some Eleocharis Belem short hairgrass which I gave a good wash to before putting in the tank.

Cheers
Hynesy

 

[PatchworkClocks]

Thanks Autiejude, I bought some blood worms and axie pellets the tricky part is actually feeding them haha. I also bought some dechlorinator to remove chlorine and chloramine from the water when I do water changes. I guess if this doesn't help then it could be a pathogen. The only new thing introduce to the tank is some Eleocharis Belem short hairgrass which I gave a good wash to before putting in the tank.

Cheers
Hynesy

So I take it you didn't quarantine the plant before you put it in? It's always best to quarantine a live plant before it's put into the tank, as it can carry snails and other little invaders.

 

[Hynesy]

So I take it you didn't quarantine the plant before you put it in? It's always best to quarantine a live plant before it's put into the tank, as it can carry snails and other little invaders.

No I didn't, and I should have but aquariums are still new to me so I try to learn as much as possible from reading but mistakes are bound to happen. Anyway I have removed the plant just in case but I think their gills are starting to perk up a little but its hard to tell.

Cheers
Hynesy

 

[auntiejude]

The drooping gills are almost certainly a result of the heat - any invaders (snails!) will come from the plant.

Even with a month's quarantine you can still get snails, so I wouldn't worry about it now. But next time give it a good 3 weeks minimum.

 

[Hynesy]

The drooping gills are almost certainly a result of the heat - any invaders (snails!) will come from the plant.

Even with a month's quarantine you can still get snails, so I wouldn't worry about it now. But next time give it a good 3 weeks minimum.

Thanks again

Just an update, our leucistic is recovering nicely, her gills have perked back up and she's eating again. Our golden albino who was fine initially has deteriorated a little bit, she hasn't eaten in a few days and her gills have now started dropping. I'll keep with it and continue to offer her food.

Cheers
Hynesy

 

[Hynesy]

Hi All,

Sorry to drag this back up but my two girls still aren't eating much, the leucistic eats then spits it up later, the golden albino isn't eating at all. :/

PH is stil 7.6, ammonia is 0ppm, Nitrite is 0ppm, Nitrate 40ppm, water gets treated for chlorine and chloramine during 25% weekly water changes. Temp is always 17-18 with the chiller going, and I've tried blood worms, pellets and earthworths with no luck.

The leucistic injured her tail too (not sure how) but it's a tiny cut, less than 2mm but its got the tiniest bit of fungus on it so I'm giving her tea baths.

I for the life of me can't understand which they aren't improving. Could the vibration for the chiller (Hailea 130A) be worrying them?

Cheers,
Hynesy

 

[HayleyK]

Sometimes my ones don't like worms because of the fight or the excretions the worms let off. Try dashing it in hot water and then run it under cold water, see how that goes?

 

[Hynesy]

Sometimes my ones don't like worms because of the fight or the excretions the worms let off. Try dashing it in hot water and then run it under cold water, see how that goes?

Thanks Hayley, I will try that but I don't think that's it, they use to eat 2 worms a day each, sometimes 3 the more they were moving the fast they were eaten.

Cheers,
Hynesy

 

[HayleyK]

Ahhh you can get off days, like stated above heat stress can make them go off food and can for a while. Some days my axolotls went crazy about feisty worms other days they wouldn't even bother with them/ spit them out if the fight was too much for their liking on that day. Or can't put up with the excretions on a particular day. So i have to run the worm under hot water then cold and then they'll take it... even then sometimes they won't take it and only want pellets. Cheekys they are!

 

[Hynesy]

Ahhh you can get off days, like stated above heat stress can make them go off food and can for a while. Some days my axolotls went crazy about feisty worms other days they wouldn't even bother with them/ spit them out if the fight was too much for their liking on that day. Or can't put up with the excretions on a particular day. So i have to run the worm under hot water then cold and then they'll take it... even then sometimes they won't take it and only want pellets. Cheekys they are!

Hopefully that's just it, they are interesting little creatures.

I've uploaded some pictures, they look healthy.

Cheers,
Hynesy

 

[Hynesy]

Over the last two days my leucistic has started at random times trying to climb onto the rock I have in the tank that breaches the surface, as if she's trying to escape the water. Odd considering the water parameters are almost perfect.

Cheers,
Hynes

 

[Hynesy]

Anyone have any suggestions? The girls haven't eaten in a week now.

 

[ChristianV]

You said that it's not the filter, but I would turn it off for a day and see if they eat and thrive with it off.

 

[ChristianV]

Over the last two days my leucistic has started at random times trying to climb onto the rock I have in the tank that breaches the surface, as if she's trying to escape the water. Odd considering the water parameters are almost perfect.

Cheers,
Hynes

Wow really strange! It might be trying to go threw metamorphosis hopefully, VERY RARE