Hey all,
I've had my Axolotl Toki for nearly two years now, I bought her when she was barely 5" long and she has since grown to around 11" long and over that time I've never had any problems with her. Until now.
Recently she started to eat a bit less then usual before stopping altogether a bit over 2 (maybe even 3) weeks ago. I usually feed her Axolotl pellets as she had displayed something of a fondness for them and occasionally put small feeder fish in with her as a treat, seems to like them too! Or at least she did... I've continually tried to coax her into eating but she has made no attempt to even lunge at what is offered. Worse still, she has lost a great deal of weight and become skinny like she was when I first bought her. Her gills are looking terrible, very bare and appear to be receding a little. She also comes up for air much more often then usual. And just today, she appeared to have a bright green goopy secretion coming out instead of regular poop.
I'm worried sick about her, I don't know what could be the matter. She is kept in a tank with a very fine sand on the base which has never presented me with any problems. It is summer and it does get awfully hot out here despite my best efforts to keep it otherwise. We recently bought her a buddy about 3 months ago but that axolotl unfortunately died within 3 weeks of us buying him, we suspected impaction, the pet store keep their axies on small gravel pieces which they shouldn't, but could it be something that is now affecting Toki?
The only other variable that has changed recently is our district council, against the town's insistance, has started putting fluoride in our water. I've had no problems with using our tap water in the last year and 10 months but could this be what is making my axie so unwell?
Or could it simply be that Toki is just desperate (to the point of starving in protest) for something different to eat?
Sorry for the epic huge post, but I am really concerned for my buddies well being, any and all help would be much appreciated.
I've had my Axolotl Toki for nearly two years now, I bought her when she was barely 5" long and she has since grown to around 11" long and over that time I've never had any problems with her. Until now.
Recently she started to eat a bit less then usual before stopping altogether a bit over 2 (maybe even 3) weeks ago. I usually feed her Axolotl pellets as she had displayed something of a fondness for them and occasionally put small feeder fish in with her as a treat, seems to like them too! Or at least she did... I've continually tried to coax her into eating but she has made no attempt to even lunge at what is offered. Worse still, she has lost a great deal of weight and become skinny like she was when I first bought her. Her gills are looking terrible, very bare and appear to be receding a little. She also comes up for air much more often then usual. And just today, she appeared to have a bright green goopy secretion coming out instead of regular poop.
I'm worried sick about her, I don't know what could be the matter. She is kept in a tank with a very fine sand on the base which has never presented me with any problems. It is summer and it does get awfully hot out here despite my best efforts to keep it otherwise. We recently bought her a buddy about 3 months ago but that axolotl unfortunately died within 3 weeks of us buying him, we suspected impaction, the pet store keep their axies on small gravel pieces which they shouldn't, but could it be something that is now affecting Toki?
The only other variable that has changed recently is our district council, against the town's insistance, has started putting fluoride in our water. I've had no problems with using our tap water in the last year and 10 months but could this be what is making my axie so unwell?
Or could it simply be that Toki is just desperate (to the point of starving in protest) for something different to eat?
Sorry for the epic huge post, but I am really concerned for my buddies well being, any and all help would be much appreciated.