Help: axie swollen belly and enlarged reproductive organs

[mandy]

Please help, i got an axie 3 weeks ago, when i got him i thought he was well fed. but 2 weeks ago his belly was more swollen and this week his cloaca area has started to bulge. he hasn't been eating and a funny white discharge has been coming out of cloaca area. he is finding it hard to stay on ground. and what concerns me is every day his belly is getting bigger and bigger. i went to my local pet store, he thought it might be a bacteria infection and gave me some live bacteria to put in my tank and change 1/2 water in tank (which i did yesterday). as i have no experience in axolotls, apart from a book i have been reading, i don't know if i should seek urgent attention or what? i can put a pic on page soon when i get camera back. i have read other notices, which mine seem to be similar but nobody has encounted very swollen cloaca area? and he hasn't eaten for a week. please help me (i have read where they put axolotl in fridge?? scary idea for me, but what do they put him in and what does that do to them?)

 

[mandy]

- i forgot to tell you i have small gravel along with large pebbles at bottom and i had to put my goldfish in with Mr Lottle as goldfish bowl cracked and he ended up 1/2 eaten (sorry i didn't know you shouldn't put fish in there) but after he attempted to eat my goldfish that is when the problem got worse? also i had a strong filter in the tank which i have now change to a charcoal filter? is this ok

 

[denise]

im not sure exactly was is wrong with your axie but it sounds like you axie might have wind, as far as the cloaca this sounds normal, one of my black axies has a very large area and sometimes has a white discharge from it which i put down to becoming sexually mature, i cant remember how to get rid of wind in axies i think you have to rub their tummy. i dont think putting live bacteria is a very good idea, if it is a bacteria infection then a solution of 2-3 teaspoons of salt (not iodized)per litre of chlorinated water should be prepared and the axie should be put into this twice a day for no longer than 10 minutes per day. also what is the temperature of your tank water and what are the parameters, did you cycle your tank before adding your axie

 

[jennifer]

I think it could be bloat. It's hard to say without seeing a photo of the axie. Bloat can cause swelling of the cloaca, as well as the abdomen. See:
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/bloatEDK.shtml

 

[mandy]

thanks, i looked at the bloat article and my axie looks exactly like that. my computer is playing up and i can't download picture of my axie yet. but i think he has bloat, i feel really sorry for him. i have him in isolation today, because yes he was on gravel. i hope he gets better and not bigger