Bloated or overweight?

[Feathery]

Hi, this is my first time posting on the forums and I wish it was about something happier. I've had two Axies for about a year and a half now and my female Wild Type/GFP seems to be getting increasingly large and I'm beginning to worry.

She does eat more than my male Melanistic, and she's always been considerably larger than him but I'm concerned about her current size? I'm not sure if she's simply eating too much, if she may or may not be gravid, or if she has an illness such as bloat.

They both did have a fungal infection about five weeks ago which cleared up through medication, fridging and salt bath regiments and both seemed to have recovered well from that outbreak.

Here are some photos of my female, if anyone here could be able to help me determine if she's simply large due to potential over eating or if she is in fact ill and a course of action if that happens to be the case I would greatly appreciate it, she was my first Axie and I would hate to lose her.

 

[sebguy]

We'll need some more info to determine whats wrong

1. how much is she being fed and how often?
2. how long did it take here to get this way
3. is she behaving differently?
4. and the water parameters (could be useful?)

Good luck!

Kind regards, Sebguy

 

[Feathery]

Their diet varies. They eat shrimp pellets, frozen blood worms and on occasion live ghost shrimp as a treat. Their main diet consists of blood worms, they will both get a cube every other day and shrimp pellets in between worm feedings. When they have ghost shrimp (I'll buy about 20-40 a month) they snack on those throughout the month.

Her behavior hasn't been abnormal from what I can tell, she is the most active of the two, and that hasn't changed as she's gotten larger. She likes to move around the entire tank and has a certain spot in one of the caves that she stays in during the mornings, but wanders around in the late afternoon, evening and throughout the night from what I can tell. The male prefers to either stay hidden in a sword plant I've had since I first obtained them or in a large clump of java moss. She prefers to stay on the sand.

Parameters for the water have stayed unchanged since I cleaned it out about five weeks ago and the filter is working as it should, without giving the water too strong of a current.

I haven't added any new tank mates in some time minus 20 ghost shrimp about three weeks ago, who appear to have all been eaten by now. She's always been quite large, but it's only been within the last two and half weeks she's grown considerably larger to what she is now.

 

[sebguy]

Okay,
So i personally think your axolotl does have bloat, as the limbs, neck and torso are all
bloated, take at look at this page Caudata Culture Articles: Bloat
However, I don't have much experience with the issue, so i wouldn't take any action
until someone with more experience can confirm this.
Good luck with your axie
Kind regards, Sebguy

 

[Skudo09]

She looks bloated to me also. I suggest getting her to a vet if you have one in your area. Bloating can be a sign of serious illness and may be a bacterial infection, or may be a sign of organ failure.

 

[Charlotl]

I don't mean to be a downer or cause worry but does she have the short toes mutation? I was reading about mutations recently and here is a link:
Mutant Genes

IF that is it (hopefully it is not!) then the "bloat" could be due to kidneys shutting down...

 

[sebguy]

So it could be possible she has the short toes mutation but it's unlikely
considering its a recessive disease, i think regardless of whether it is or isn't
she should be taken to a vet just to be on the safe side

good luck

Kind regards Sebguy

 

[Feathery]

I took her to the vet, and after some x-rays and some blood work the vet told me she had Septicemia. There was a treatment plan, but unfortunately the vet said that she personally thought Gummy was too far gone.
I made the humane decision to have her euthanized so she was no longer in any discomfort or pain.

 

[CatSpit]

Sorry to hear that. It's good that you took her to the vet and were able to have her properly euthanized, but always hard to do that. Good on you for doing the best you could for her.

 

[Skudo09]

I am sorry to hear Gummy did not pull through. It was a difficult decision I am sure but a kind thing to do for Gummy.

 

[sebguy]

I'm so sorry for your loss you did the right thing to take her to the vet
and i know from personal experience, that its a really hard decision,

Kind regards. Sebguy

 

[spillz39]

Hey I am sorry for the loss of your axie
I was reading through this post, as I also have a sick one right now. I noticed the mention of the short toes. Would you guys be willing to look at the pictures of my axolotl I posted recently. My threat is the "distressed axie" threat from today. I have always notice her toes were little tiny nubs compared to my other axie. And now she seems to be failing.

I have had her about a year and a half. And that falls in with the info you linked here.