dead axie

[Tequila Sunrise]

hi all ,

about 20 minutes ago my axie died. i want to know why. i thought she had a fungus because theyre was white cottony stuff on her, so i took my water to be tested. all the levels of everything were perfect. my water was 16 degrees and the ammonia levels were normal. i had one live plant. i used a filter witha spray bar. i used sand not gravel. i gave her hiding place. she was really happy and healthy until a couple of days ago. she started to go red (she was leucistic) like all of her blood vessels were coming to the surface, and she stopped eating. does anyone know anything that i couldve done wrong, i didnt know wat else to do. i went to come on here and ask for advice but the internet was down. on the one occasion i really needed help with her. and now she's dead. so i spose it doesn't really matter now. but i still feel like it is my fault and i would just like to hear some suggestions or anything from anyone.

 

[CarlNJen]

Hey Tequila Sunrise,

Sorry to hear the bad news, and yes it was extremely unfortunate that the website was down during the time you most needed the advice of our more experienced members.

I'm sure people will chime in shortly with any further advice or known causes for what happened.

I'd just like to offer my condolences

Carl

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

thank you Carl.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

i made tequila a little coffin. it's red with a bow on it. im burying her later today where i buried sunrise. she looked so big in her coffin. wen i got her she was only a little baby. i don't think i'm going to get anymore axolotls. i love them and theyre fascinating but i dont want to have to deal with them dying again.

 

[kclinton]

I'am vary sorry. What was her diet like? Has she been sick before? Was ant thing else in the tank with her? I don't think you should give up on having an axolotl. It is clear that you love them. I know she can't be replaced. Maybe just give it time and you might be ready for another. I whis I could help more.

 

[kapo]

Sorry, to hear about that Tequila.

When you say the ammonia levels were normal, what was the reading/number? Also, did you get the tankwater tested for nitrite and nitrate and if so, what were those levels?

Fungus doesn't usually appear unless an axie is sick or stressed for some reason, be it water quality, wound or other, it can usually take anything from a few days-weeks for it to appear. So what may appear to be a happy, healthy axie may very well have been ailing for a wee while longer than you thought, ie: just a few days - and only the reddening and appearance of fungus brought it to your attention.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

thanks you guys. yes i did get the nitrate and nitrite levels tested but im sorry kapo, i was so pre-occupied with just knowing she was ok that I didn't even ask for the actual readins/numbers, all they said was it was fine and theyre was nothing abnormal and i was just happy to hear that. i dint think of asking wat the results were. she has never been sick before and theyre was nothing living in the tank with her. i fed her bloodworms, and flakes and amphibian pellets and sometimes headless soft mealworms coz she liked them. anyway, thanks for your help

 

[sezz]

geese io am so sorry to hear that... that hurt to read.... my axie was almost there aswell a couple of weeks ago. its a horrible feeling, like i had almost lost a child :/

sorry to hear it

Dont give up on axies....

 

[kapo]

yes i did get the nitrate and nitrite levels tested but im sorry kapo, i was so pre-occupied with just knowing she was ok that I didn't even ask for the actual readins/numbers, all they said was it was fine and theyre was nothing abnormal and i was just happy to hear that. i dint think of asking wat the results were. she has never been sick before and theyre was nothing living in the tank with her. i fed her bloodworms, and flakes and amphibian pellets and sometimes headless soft mealworms coz she liked them. anyway, thanks for your help

I hope you don't get put off from having axolotls.

And, It's a pity you didn't get any readings from the petshop. Having the no.s could have told you if it was definitely a water quality problem or not. Saying it was fine, can mean different things to people depending on their experience. Not all petshop people are very experienced either in keeping axolotls and/or even looking after aquariums.

What sort of flakes did you feed her, not usually part of an axolotls diet and could add to fouling in the tank, if left floating.

If/when you do get another axolotl, it might be an idea to buy a freshwater master test kit so you can keep an eye on the water parameters yourself.

 

[mantighoul]

when you do get a new axolotl, besides the Advice what kapo said, i would suggest good filtration, it helps a lot. especially a canister filter with a spray bar, something like a Rena or a Fluval or Eheim, those are examples of brands that make canister filter. The water testing kit is important, you can even measure weekly and make a spread sheet documenting the weekly readings to see if bad fluctuations happen, and but a thing of Aquarium salt, not the salt for saltwater fish, but it is for upping some salt levels used as treatment if you do happen to get fungus/bacterial or whatnot. Goodluck, you seem to know what you are doing, and when that happens, they will not die, you just happend to have a bad experience, dont let it get you down. Maybe you just had one that didnt have a strong system, who knows.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

thanks a lot for all your advice. i did have a really good filter with a spray bar and siphoned the tank regularly i never let any kind of food sit there if she didn't eat it. btu yeah. im still not sure about getting another axolotl. i might though. hopefully.