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Axolotl still sick

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So some months after I got my axolotl, (got them in July) I noticed some fungal growth, treated it and it went away the just before the end of last year around October I noticed the fungal growth came back but this time would not go away, they would drop off but grow on an other spot then their tail started shrinking.

I took them to the vet was told it was parasites, treated that and the water.

Started getting better the fluff on their gills were growing back, tail started looking better but then got a bit constipated, pooped. Now they look bad again and their tail has started shrinking again.

I'm really at a lose, was thinking of just taking them back to the vets, also just got a new axolotl so was thinking the new take mate could be stressing them out?

Their normally personality is swimming around a bit then swimming up to me for food. Now they just swim to get some air (I do have an air pump they just like doing this) walk a bit and not move.

Temperature: 17-18
Ph: 7.6
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Gh: 150 ppm

Sorry if this is the wrong place to post this I'm new.
 

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EasternRomioi3

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Aw man, I am not sure at all what could be causing that. Do you have any other pics? They're super lethargic?

I hope someone more experienced can help you out. When did all this start?
 
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Aw man, I am not sure at all what could be causing that. Do you have any other pics? They're super lethargic?

I hope someone more experienced can help you out. When did all this start?
I do have other pictures, talk with a different group it looks like she is starting to show signs of morphing.

She isn't super lethargic she still swims but it is only to stay at the top of the water with her head out of the water.

Think this all started about October last year.
 

EasternRomioi3

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Oh yeah, with them sticking their heads out, I hear that's a sign of morphing. Have you rearranged things to provide them with a safe climbable surface?

I am sorry you're going through this stressful period. I have no experience with morphing or what it even entails. I don't know how long it takes for them to morph or even why they would.
 
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Oh yeah, with them sticking their heads out, I hear that's a sign of morphing. Have you rearranged things to provide them with a safe climbable surface?

I am sorry you're going through this stressful period. I have no experience with morphing or what it even entails. I don't know how long it takes for them to morph or even why they would.got a turtle platform for herlollooll
Yeah I got her a turtle platform.
 

Saturn

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Do you have any other photos? Can't see much due to the condensation on the glass
 
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Do you have any other photos? Can't see much due to the condensation on the glass
Do have other pictures, ended up taking her to the vets and the vets says she still has parasites..... not as much as before, but still there so it's somewhere still in my tank/filter.

Vet says the parasites caused the fins/tail to recede.
 

EasternRomioi3

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Oh my, poor girl! What kind of parasites? Are they certain, how is she being treated? Like, what is being done to help. If we can figure out how to get rid of them, your axolotl should regenerate their fin.
 
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Oh my, poor girl! What kind of parasites? Are they certain, how is she being treated? Like, what is being done to help. If we can figure out how to get rid of them, your axolotl should regenerate their
Protozoa, so he said to give her a med bath and that has really helped her fin has started coming back she is eating her food (as Well as my fingers lol) swimming around just got to kill them in the tank

Should probably add he's a specialised vet that specialises in exotic pets like axolotls
 

Saturn

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That's interesting. I work with cats and protozoa is common. They can get quite ill from it but response to medication is usually fast and effective. It does need to be treated in the environment as well though. Didn't even know it could infect amphibians but one of the main sources for cats is dirty water bowls so obviously it can live it water.

Glad to hear your axie has greatly improved :) I'm in Aus too. Hard to say how to go about getting rid of them in the tank since you can't use chemicals. For cats we use F10 and wash all bowls, bedding, etc. For a tank I'd be inclined to take everything out and use boiling water for both the tank and ornaments but you don't want to kill your cycle or crack the glass. Bit of a pickle.

The medication was administered topically via a bath? Could it be used in the tank also?
 
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That's interesting. I work with cats and protozoa is common. They can get quite ill from it but response to medication is usually fast and effective. It does need to be treated in the environment as well though. Didn't even know it could infect amphibians but one of the main sources for cats is dirty water bowls so obviously it can live it water.

Glad to hear your axie has greatly improved :) I'm in Aus too. Hard to say how to go about getting rid of them in the tank since you can't use chemicals. For cats we use F10 and wash all bowls, bedding, etc. For a tank I'd be inclined to take everything out and use boiling water for both the tank and ornaments but you don't want to kill your cycle or crack the glass. Bit of a pickle.

The medication was administered topically via a bath? Could it be used in the tank also?
Vet said to take everything out and let it dry for 48 to 72 and do that for everything even for the filter which would kill the beneficial bacteria, I don't really know when or where she got it I'm thinking from the pet store I got her from or some frozen food I gave her.

You can and i did try that with the help of someone who knows parasites and it didnt work but also would kill off the beneficial bacteria (didnt in my case was there wasnt enough meds in the water) and also from what the vet said the amount I would need would be several bottles of the meds
 

Saturn

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Letting it all dry is a good idea, the longer the better. Unfortunately, yes, I don't see any way of solving it without killing your good bacteria. You might need to tub them while you re-cycle your tank. Feel for you, it's an annoying problem made harder by it being invisible to the eye. Well done for getting them treatment (y)

That makes sense. The dose to do the tank would be way too much for the axolotls. On the meds they should be immune as well as killing off any that do try to infest so there is the chance that if you don't clean the tank but remedicate each time they get ill, the infestation could eventually be eliminated, but obviously you don't want them getting sick or building a tolerance. Plus, that could take longer than doing a new cycle. Btw I do have my cert 2 & 3 in animal studies but we never covered amphibians or aquatic life so my advice shouldn't be taken in place of a qualified vet

Edit: Forgot to add that it's not your fault, just one of those things that can come from random places, likely could've came to you with it already
 
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Letting it all dry is a good idea, the longer the better. Unfortunately, yes, I don't see any way of solving it without killing your good bacteria. You might need to tub them while you re-cycle your tank. Feel for you, it's an annoying problem made harder by it being invisible to the eye. Well done for getting them treatment (y)

That makes sense. The dose to do the tank would be way too much for the axolotls. On the meds they should be immune as well as killing off any that do try to infest so there is the chance that if you don't clean the tank but remedicate each time they get ill, the infestation could eventually be eliminated, but obviously you don't want them getting sick or building a tolerance. Plus, that could take longer than doing a new cycle. Btw I do have my cert 2 & 3 in animal studies but we never covered amphibians or aquatic life so my advice shouldn't be taken in place of a qualified vet
Yeah might have to do that, sucks too because its really humid here too so would be hard to keep the temp down without the chiller, got a yabbie so he can jump start the filter I guess lol.

All good, always good to get different opinions, just a quick question would you happen to know anything about axolotls eyes bulging out? Vet says there is no bacteria infection and he doesnt think she is morphing but I have noticed her back legs have gotten a bit bigger but I don't know if thats because she had stoped eating and just started eatting again
 

Saturn

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Summer has been crazy here. Could you maybe put it off a bit until Autumn, how long is the dose of medication? Nice, having a way to jump-start your cycle helps. Best of luck, update us if you get the chance :)

Would have to see a photo to take a guess at the eye. Morphing is pretty rare here. Unless it starts showing very specific signs, I'd say the legs are just chunky from growth and/or weight gain. How old are they? One of mine recently went from having twig legs to chunky and I think it's because they're reaching sexual maturity
 
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Summer has been crazy here. Could you maybe put it off a bit until Autumn, how long is the dose of medication? Nice, having a way to jump-start your cycle helps. Best of luck, update us if you get the chance :)

Would have to see a photo to take a guess at the eye. Morphing is pretty rare here. Unless it starts showing very specific signs, I'd say the legs are just chunky from growth and/or weight gain. How old are they? One of mine recently went from having twig legs to chunky and I think it's because they're reaching sexual maturity
Going to wait until it gets really cold here. Yeah its great had having a jumper start for this, yabbies a pretty gross too lol grosser then axolotls.

Thats what I was thinking too, I don't really know how old they are got them from a pet store, I'll say close too or over a year old, I'll see on my phone if I can find any pictures of her eyes but if you look at my display picture you can see her eyes a bit.

Found a picture, sorry about the fluff of her gills parasites thought it was yummy....
 

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