Illness/Sickness: Growing Lump on Axolotl Head :(

[pablo]

Axolotl isn't eating and hasn't for two weeks.
Also a lump has gradually appeared in the last 2 days and grown rapidly.
gills are forward and tail is curled as well.

What should I do????

Temperature is around 20 degrees, i tested ammonia and ph a few days ago and they were fine.
There is a 60 litre tank with a small internal filter facing the wall to minimise stress related to water flow.

See photos attached

 

[Bette]

I really recommend getting your axolotl to a vet. It looks like perhaps a boil or abscess. If this is true, it would possibly need to be drained and antibiotics may be prescribed. Let us know what transpires.

 

[LSuzuki]

I second the vet. It might be an abscess or it might be something else.

If you don't have access to a vet, here is a link to a thread where they treated the abscess themselves. Note: in this case, it had already burst, and their axie hadn't spent two weeks not-eating. Your axie seems to be sicker, and a qualified vet is your best bet.

 

[anjelloca]

Draining abscesses are a weird pleasure of mine oops but yeah I'm interested to know whether it's hard or soft or what drains out of it (looks like pus to me)

 

[LSuzuki]

Jello, you are a very strange person and I'm pleased to make your acquaintance. :happy:

Are you suggesting they should check the lump for hardness? What should they do differently if it is hard or soft? Are there any risks that you know of if they do this? (I am definitely not an expert on draining abscesses.)

 

[anjelloca]

If it's hard or calcified they usually just have to make a small incision in the skin and flush it until it pops out, similar to turtle ear abscesses (which are gnarly as heck). If it's soft it's just like popping a pimple.

Either way it's gonna need antibiotics.

 

[pablo]

Thanks for the feedback, taking him to the vet tomorrow

 

[pablo]

So the lump was an abscess so the vet cut and drained it and also tested a sample of the pus and turns out he may in fact also have a form of fungal infection so his tank is being treated with Ketoconazole, will see how it goes over the coming days.

 

[Bette]

Okay, thank you for the update. Let us know how the meds work.

 

[anjelloca]

WhoA. Ketoconzole in a tank? That's really interesting. Thanks for the update!!

 

[Bette]

How are the meds working? How is your axie doing?