HELP Fungus

[tracey]

Ugly seems to have developed fungus on the tip of one of her gills, wasn't there yesterday but was there this morning. (well i think its fungus if she was a fish i'd say it was a bit of white spot and treat it with TTree) What can i do to treat this in Axolotls's???)

She is behaving normally, eating, swimming around etc. Tested water and readings are:

Ammonia = 0
Nitrites = 0
PH = 7.6
Nitrate = 40

Any help on treating this will be great. Would like to stop it while its still small and she doesn't get too sick

 

[row]

I believe the best treatment (from my reading and limited experience!) is straight in the fridge (2 containers same amount of water, just enough to cover their back, so that when you do daily water change water is same temp) and salt bath twice daily....Add a bottle of dechlorinated water to fridge for the salt baths, just make sure they are all the same temp before you go swapping her around! (I have noticed depending where I put my bottle in the fridge it can vary up to 2 degrees!)
Do some surfing on this site whilst waiting for more replies...if you look in sick axi for newbies there are heaps of posts along this line!!

What is your tank temp, how long have you had her and can you post pics?

 

[tracey]

Thanks for your posting.

Have had her for about 6 months. Don't remember tank temp off the top of my head (i'm at work) but know its been around the same temp for the last 2 months as least.

Won't putting her in the fridge stress her out? and make things worse, have read on here that stress makes them ill and would have thought taking her from her normal environment and put in a plastic pot in the fridge would cause a load of stress (would me!)

Also if you could let me know how much salt to water i'm meant to do that would be great. Also were do you get dechlorinated water? never heard of it before.

 

[kapo]

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>Quoting Tracey Turner on Friday 16 March 2007 - 11:22 (#POST124694):</font>

Won't putting her in the fridge stress her out<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

No axolotls prefer colder temps. It's the warmer/summer temperatures that stress them - when it rises above 20C. Does it share with any companions?

Just make sure your fridge temperature is above 4C, put a thermometer in a glass of water and pop in fridge. Check temperature after 20minutes. If ok then put in fridge.

The fridge temperature is known to calm an axolotl when it is stressed; the colder water has more oxygen in it and also slows its metabolism down in order to give it a chance to both destress and heal if need be.

Make sure to use a container with a lid. When putting in the fridge. Wrap container in teatowel to stop temperature fluctuations and light flashing (as fridge door opens/closes). The 100% daily waterchanges will also ensure water is clean and no ammonia builds up while in the fridge.

Dechlorinated water is tapwater with a water ager/conditioner/dechlorinator drops added to remove chlorine and chloramines. Do you used it when you do waterchanges?

Saltbaths:

2-3 teaspoons of uniodised table salt or aquarium/tonic salt per litre of dechlorinated water.

Bath for 10-15minutes max. - as any longer and salt may burn the gills.

He may find it a bit irritating for first few baths but persevere as saltbaths have worked wonders for our axies when they've had fungus over 18months.

Continue saltbaths until at least a week after fungus drops off.

 

[tracey]

Hi

Nope she lives alone/ Don't put anything in the water when i change it, i only change a bucket a week.

Will she have to live in the fridge for a week?

 

[kapo]

Actually you could just give her saltbaths twice a day without fridging her (as its winter there). If it was summer then I'd advise you to fridge her.

 

[tracey]

Great so i'll start the salt baths tonight (as long as i can get the still to put in the water) and will bath her and put her back in her tank.

Think she will be happier the that her tank lives under a open window (open 24/7) so its very cold water in there. (my hand comes out totally dead after a quick feed)

 

[kapo]

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>Quoting Tracey Turner on Friday 16 March 2007 - 12:33 (#POST124705):</font>

(my hand comes out totally dead after a quick feed)<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

Probably colder than your fridge!