Gill and tail deterioration

[cherylpey]

Hi All,
I have had my 2 axolotls for about one year now. They were both looking great until about 6 months ago when I moved them to a larger tank (20 gallon long). My wild type is doing great, but my leucistic has been having some trouble. Her gills have gotten very short (almost just stubs) and sometimes look like they have white stuff on them. They were long and feathery when I got her and for the 6 months or so afterwards. Throughout this, I have fridged her a few times, but get nervous about her not eating for too long (she is already skinny). She swims around fine and usually eats (I feed pellets and sometimes tubifex work cubes if I have trouble getting them to eat the pellets). The tank has no substrate and a filter with a spray bar (so flow shouldn't be stressful). The pH always tends to be a little low and I tested the amonia today at 0.25. I know I need to get the amonia down, but what do you I suggest I do to help the leucistic in the mean time? Her tail also has seemed to deteriorate since the tank change. Again, the wild type is thriving. Thanks, I am attaching pictures.

 

[NeekaLovesYou]

Are they housed with fish or any other species? Have you check your nitrite levels?

 

[cherylpey]

The two axies are the only animals in the tank. I don't have a test for nitrite. I may be able to get one tonight. The gills look pretty bad, huh? I don't really think they have gotten much worse in the last couple months.

 

[cherylpey]

I have her in a little tub of de-chlorinated water now trying to decide if she should go in the fridge, get some sort of bath, etc. What do you think?

 

[cherylpey]

So, unfortunately my axolotl died today. I'm wondering if it's my fault for keeping her in the small container today (she was completely submerged in water, but there wasn't room for her to move around much) while I decided whether to fridge her and tried to get ammonia levels down in the tank. I went to put her back in the tank and she wasn't moving : (
Do you think there wasn't enough water and so the water got toxic from her waste? Is 6 hours or so long enough for that to happen? She's had the gill problem for awhile and clearly has been looking sick, but she was moving around and all this morning (although I couldn't get her to eat)

I had an axolotl a few years back that died in a similar way. He had been sick with a fungal infection and was in the fridge in the small container. I took the container out of the fridge to try to feed him. I was deciding whether to put him back in the big tank or the fridge, but forgot he was out of the fridge and went to bed for the night. I assumed that death was my fault because of temperature change from leaving him out of the fridge. Although again he had been very sick which was why he was in the fridge in the first place.
I guess I'm just wondering if keeping an axie in a small container for 6-8 hours can kill them or if my axies just happened to succumb to their illnesses . Thanks. I think I could have prevented this and feel awful.

 

[Olivia97]

My guess is poor water quality, ammonia very quickly builds up and they also look extremely skinny. I am doubtful the container killed it.

 

[NeekaLovesYou]

So, unfortunately my axolotl died today. I'm wondering if it's my fault for keeping her in the small container today (she was completely submerged in water, but there wasn't room for her to move around much) while I decided whether to fridge her and tried to get ammonia levels down in the tank. I went to put her back in the tank and she wasn't moving : (
Do you think there wasn't enough water and so the water got toxic from her waste? Is 6 hours or so long enough for that to happen? She's had the gill problem for awhile and clearly has been looking sick, but she was moving around and all this morning (although I couldn't get her to eat)

I had an axolotl a few years back that died in a similar way. He had been sick with a fungal infection and was in the fridge in the small container. I took the container out of the fridge to try to feed him. I was deciding whether to put him back in the big tank or the fridge, but forgot he was out of the fridge and went to bed for the night. I assumed that death was my fault because of temperature change from leaving him out of the fridge. Although again he had been very sick which was why he was in the fridge in the first place.
I guess I'm just wondering if keeping an axie in a small container for 6-8 hours can kill them or if my axies just happened to succumb to their illnesses . Thanks. I think I could have prevented this and feel awful.

Sorry for the late reply, don't beat yourself up about it these things happen.. I'm very sorry for your loss and hope your remaining axolotl thrives. As Olivia said it's probably something to do with water quality in the their tank so for the sake of your other baby I'd get everything checked out asap. Poor water quality can cause a number of ailments in axolotls. It wouldn't have been anything to do with the container, you find hobbyists on here having to keep their axolotls in tubs and containers weeks, sometimes even months, at a time for the sake of their well being. You did the right thing. Unless you rinsed it out in something odd (chemical cleaner, soap, etc) and not cleaned it out properly, which I find unlikely, I doubt it had anything to do with the container. How long was she refusing food for as she is incredibly thin for a little lady. For now, focus on your other one. Check out all your water parameters, try and keep them stable so that your other axolotl can live happily and healthily.

 

[cherylpey]

Thanks! I am actually not sure if "she" is female, but never was as interested in food as her wild-type tank-mate. I could get her to eat maybe every 4 days or so, but I had to hold the food in front of her face for awhile, and it almost seemed like she would eventually "accidentally" eat it. Her tankmate was always excited at feeding time and gobbled the food up. I guess it's just a coincidence that she died when I had her out in the small tub. As I said her gills have looked bad for almost 6 months never got better. I guess I just wasn't able to get her healthy again. I'm attaching a pic of her before she got sick so you can see the difference. Do people have suggestions on how they dispose of an axolotl once it has died?

 

[NeekaLovesYou]

A very sad situation. I wouldn't say her gills were incredibly full but obviously they come in all shapes and sizes. The deterioration is quite obvious and she did look very unwell towards the end (from the pictures, anyway) . Axolotls can sometimes be finicky with food, what was she being fed? I bury my axolotls. There's a wood at the back of my garden so I'm able to always find a nice resting spot. Obviously if you choose to bury her you could put her in your garden (if you have one) but definitely put her in a box that can't be easily broken into for obvious reasons. Other people may have more suggestions but that's how I like to do it..

 

[Olivia97]

I would get one of those foil "food take out" containers, place her in there and then in a cardboard shoe box. Then bury her. Sorry for your loss. Just a question, what type of substrate is that?

 

[Munchausen]

Maybe it was bitten by its tankmate?