Illness/Sickness: Chytrid infection- other treatment options?

[Minniechild]

Hey all, long time no see...
So pretty sure my axie population have been infected with chytrid- initially lethargic and not themselves, followed by extremely rapid onset of skin lesions, just pre-mortem limb fungus, gill loss, gastro-intestinal trauma, drastic weight loss (in the two most recent cases Trouble and Itty Bit went from a normal weight to skeletal in the space of three days followed by death). At the moment, it's happening so quickly that even if money and location wasn't an issue, getting to see the Herp vet before they're at the point of no return or dead from the freakout of travelling just wouldn't be possible.

Having trawled the internet and checking off with every list of symptoms I could find, (and having tried salt baths on the earliest cases with no change or a shortening in timeframe to mortality) I tried treating with Tri-sulfa at double strength in quarantine tubs (in consultation with the LFS axolotl liking people) sterilising the tank with chlorine (what fun that was...), and then, once the course had finished, dosing the entire tank with roobios tea in the filter (one of the stop-gap preventions I found during my initial searching for treatments). I had a fortnight of no deaths, until Monday, when Itty went, then Tuesday when Trouble became symptomatic before passing away today.

At the moment, the 6x2x2ft tank is at 19c, 10 adults, 8 juveniles, is in the middle of re-cycling so ammonia IS up, though the (dosed) duckweed Is sucking up enough nutrients to double its volume every few days, so has been keeping things mostly under control along with the water changes. PH is steady at 7.5, diet is worms, pellets, bloodworms and the occasional guppy fed most days due to the higher than what I'd usually have tank population.
What I'd be incredibly grateful for is so advice on the next treatment option- would it be worth re-treating everyone, and if so, what would be the best commonly available options? What other preventative steps are available? Or do I let it run its course, and run the risk of becoming a mad turtle lady instead of a mad axolotl lady?

 

[auntiejude]

I would say you've done almost everything you can. I assume you replaced all the accessories or sterilised them?

If you still have a problem the only thing left is to get a new tank and new set-up ...expensive but could be the only option left.

Do you know how the fungus got in? Was it after a particular addition, a weather issue, or anything else you can identify as a trigger. I think that might be a key point to figure out, as you had 2 weeks with no issues then a recurrence.

 

[Minniechild]

Yeah, I know who the carrier was (she passed away just before I nuked the tank), and everything was left in the tank when I chlorinated it, filter ran with it, extra filters were nuked as well, and all plants (after being quarantined themselves) thorough treated both with chlorine and bicarb before being replanted. Sadly a new tank is very much out of my reach (I had enough trouble getting this one through the door!), so would be stripping down the current tank and scrubbing it to kingdom come, Although I'd try chlorinating it again at as high a dose as humanly possible before declaring it a complete loss (not to mention that would mean giving up on my lotls, and I will NOT do that).

 

[xxianxx]

Are you sure its chytrid ? Massive weight loss is not a recorded symptom of chytrid, at least in any of the literature I have read. How ever if it is, you dont need to change the tank . Put a heater in at and keep it at 32C for a min of four days and you will kill the fungus and spores. Dont worry about the spores being in your house they cant survive desiccation. I am not familiar with the treatments your axolotls have had but chytrid can be carried by many species without them suffering any ill effects, axolotls are one of them ,apparently , so unless the treatment has wiped it out they could still be potential carriers. Have you any pics of the dead axolotls or any of them in the early signs of their illness ? It may be use full to any of the vets you want to be pming with requests for advice. Sorry for your losses you have always shown your self to be a good axolotl keeper and this situation is very unfortunate.

 

[Minniechild]

http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-be...anum/f58-sick-axolotl/91593-warts-juvies.html There's a pic from a while back of Patty, showing the lesions on her back (apart from the carrier, she was the one who held out the longest), and I'll take a pic of Trouble's body before I lay him to rest (a little bit teary at the thought). In most cases the weight loss has been nowhere near as drastic as Trouble and Itty's cases- just enough to go "woah, something's happened here...why haven't you been eating?", and as up until Trouble the victims have all been juvies, it was noticeable very quickly when dinner suddenly wasn't being consumed...I'm probably 80% sure that it is chytrid, going off the symptom checklists, and from correlating with image trawling I've done.
I'm taking it the lotls (and guppies) will need to move out again whilst I heat the tank, though would it perhaps be an idea to bring them up to the 24c mark (I shudder at the thought)?
Thank you for the suggestions! I'm crossing my fingers it can be knocked out completely, and everyone will be all right!

 

[xxianxx]

Remove the axolotls from the tank when you turn the temp up, four days at 32c will not do them any favours.