Black Sploges

[Chuds]

Hi I'm hoping someone can reassure me....I've had my axolotyl almost 4 years now and he survived my care surprisingly as I didn't do anything right, not having any idea about cycling and partial water changes, etc. Since being online I have learnt heaps but the local aquarium shop says I should continue doing things incorrectly as my axie has gotten used to it! I always completely empty his tank putting him in a bucket while I do so. I do put water conditioner in and then put him straight back in! I now know this is completely wrong but he's survived amazingly! He eats a block of beefheart every evening and doesn't waste any and now and again I buy him 10 neons for a treat which usually go in a few hours! My quandry is that he's developed a black mark on his body. Its just an isolated patch like a birth mark or something. Reading all about fungi, etc. has made me worried that it could be something like that? He's happy and healthy in all other respects.....can you please advise what this black mark could be?

Thanks you!

 

[kapo]

What colour is he? Fungus can have different appearances, but generally are greyish or whitish cotton woolly or hairy looking, can appear in patches over the body and parts on the gills, feet, mouth, tail etc... if there has been some wound/infection/ammonia burns etc...

How big is his tank?

I disagree with the aquarium shop saying you continue to do things incorrectly as he's used to it now, and I hope you don't continue doing things the way you have been, especially after further reading of both this site and www.axolotl.org

There will be many members and moderators on this site willing and able to help and answer any questions/concerns you have.

Are you able to post a picture of the mark and whereabouts it is? Might give us more of an idea of what it is or could be.

 

[Chuds]

Thanks, I do intend to start doing things the right way! I just hope he can cope with it! I will take a photo tonight and send tomorrow. He's a yellowy/goldy colour and its a black odd shaped mark. Not spongy at all - looks like texta!! His tank is 40 litres.

 

[Chuds]

Here are a couple of pics. Its hard to see but you can see a black spot and just under his gills is a longer "splodge"....

 

[Kaysie]

First off, your tank setup is not appropriate. The gravel is the perfect size to cause impaction (which can be deadly). And you have very little as far as hiding spots for your axolotl. It's also a very small tank for one adult.

As far as the black spot, I can't say.

 

[Chuds]

Sorry what do you mean by "impaction"? I've had Harry for 4 years now and never had a problem with him eating the gravel or anything - I feed him by hand directly into his mouth so he doesn't go for the gravel. I actually bought him a big tank last year and a friend but he seemed to hate it and his friend died too... The fish shop said this size tank was fine for one axolotyl so I put him back in it!! I have been reading a lot on your site here and it seems there are many different opinions plus the ones you get from the fish shop!! Its very hard to work out what's best! I was thinking of getting him a slightly bigger tank but not as big as the previous one (which is just now full of fish!). What is the ideal size please? Thanks I do appreciate any help/advice.

 

[Kaysie]

You don't THINK he's eating the gravel, but I can absolutely assure you he is. You can ask around, and anyone who's kept an axolotl on gravel, and removed them from the gravel, has found little pieces of gravel in the poop. They can continue to poop out gravel for months after being removed from it.

You've already demonstrated that your fish shop knows squat about axolotls. They rarely know what is optimal care.

A bigger tank, preferably a 20gallon long (over here, that's 76 x 30 x 30cm) is a great size for 1 adult. It provides a lot of options as far as decorations and providing hiding spaces.

 

[Chuds]

I've heard several opinions about having nothing on the tank floor. Do you agree? Or is it preferable to have sand?

 

[Kaysie]

Either sand or a bare bottom are better than having gravel. The benefits of a bare bottom are that it's easier to clean, and easier to feed. Sand is more aesthetically pleasing to those viewing the tank, and looks more 'natural'.

 

[Chuds]

Thanks. I'll get onto it!

 

[Bellabelloo]

I understand how you felt about so much conflicting imformation. Having read the more recent threads I thought I'd work my way through some by looking at the very original ones..nearly all had gravel, but as more imformation was learnt about the dangers of gravel ,sand became more common. I am about to do a new set up and I think I'll be using silicon ( ?) to stick sand down on to one area where the caves and plants etc are and then leave the rest bare. Just to help keep the tank clean, I've also aquired some different coloured polystyrene to put under the tank, instead of the white I had before, haven't decided on which colour yet.

 

[Ed]

With looking under a microscope it will be hard to tell but it is not uncommon in amphibians and reptiles that have a pigmentation defect (depending on the defect) to develop the occasional spot or patch of normal pigment.

Ed

 

[Chuds]

Thanks you! He doesn't seem to have a problem with it so I guess its just pigmentation. Now I'll get onto the bigger tank with no gravel and he should be very happy!! Thanks for all your help.

 

[ianclick]

Hi Chuds,

Have a look at the gallery on this site, its got some good photos of tank setups, it might give you some ideas.

I have no substrate in one tank and pool filter sand in the other. Personally i prefer the barefloor its heaps easier to clean and the axie that lives on it doesn't have any trouble moving around on it.

Your axie looks great, cool colour. I'm sure he will love a bigger environment they love plants, fake or live, and caves or tunnels.

My mission with habitats is to try to create as close to natural environment as I can geographical constraints providing. As a result and with the help and advise from other axie lovers, breeders and keepers on this cite, I have two healthy and happy axies.

Good Luck

 

[laurasplanb]

yea your axie is a beautiful colour! i use sand in my tank and find its very easy to clean with a net, filter... and if any big poos come along a spoon! with regard to the size surely the bigger the better... think of it as if you were the axolotl, would you like to live in one room that was only twice the length of your body or would you like space to roam and investigate?

 

[Ed]

I would not use the comparision between a person and a axolotl to justify why a larger enclosure maybe needed... the behavioral needs are very different.


Ed

 

[John]

I would not use the comparision between a person and a axolotl to justify why a larger enclosure maybe needed... the behavioral needs are very different.

Nice sentiment Ed, but I don't think we can win that one - the site is full of talk about "babies", and last I checked the site was about newts, not humans.

 

[Ed]

I know but I have real concerns that this will end up being one of those "set in stone" standards that are used to justify conditions (the like the gallon/inch of fish rule for number of fish in a tank (so a 10 inch oscar or ten 1 inch tetras are okay in a ten gallon tank))....

Ed

 

[Chuds]

Re previous discussion please have a look at Harry's new set up. He doesn't seem as active or happy now though... He's been in there for nearly 2 months....any suggestions would be gratefully received!! Thanks you!

 

[digger]

you could do with some plant life in there as this gives him something to hang about on.
if that is glass beads/stones in there with him i fear you have replaced your gravel with something equally as harmful (potentially).axies have very large mouths when open and anything that is of that size or smaller is likely at some stage to be swallowed.
its a lovelly size tank though and im sure with a bit more decor he will be very happy