help needed ungently!!!!!!!

[orangebud]

i really need some help and quickly!!!!

came home from nights and found gimpy on the floor!!!

let lid of tank open after feeding and went to work just came home and found looking very dry on the floor, he's still alive so put him back in tank and he just floated down to the bottom face first into the corner wedged behind his house and he stayed there face down tail in the air. so i left for a few mins and no movement at all!!! gave him a little nudge to see if he moved and nothing

so i gave it 10mins to see if he would move and still nothing, so another little nudge and that god he darted very quickly to his little hiding place and thats where he's stayed. i can see him and the poor little guy is not looking good, he's lost 1 gill from his left side and both gills are looking all shriveled!!! his tails looking a bit ropey too!!! he is moving his gills so i guess there working ok but he is opening his to breath it looks like?????

impy his mate is fine but he keeps looking at gimpy as if he want to help!!

i really dont know what to do any help very much appreciated

 

[Darkmaverick]

Hi Orangebud,

Placing your axie back into water is a good start. You have to take a look at your current tank and perhaps check out how you can prevent escape, such as having a hood/lid/mesh netting.

Meanwhile, the only thing i can really suggest is to fridge your axie, give it plenty of undisturbed rest and continue to monitor. Water parameters, temperature and currents have to be tip top now. (Ammonia, nitrite at 0, nitrates <60, 18 degree celsius or so, minimal water currents)

Fridging your axie will destress it, boost its immune system and render harmful pathogens (both bacterial and fungal) less viable.

- Set your fridge to 5 degree celsius.
- Put your axie in a container large enough to allow it to stretch its limbs and tail comfortably.
- Fill with fresh dechlorinated water enough to submerge it but not allowing it to float.
- Cover with a lid. You can use a perforated lid or netting to prevent it jumping out.
- Use a tea towel to cover it to keep the environment dark.
- Perform 100% water changes daily with clean dechlorinated water.
- You can pre prepare bottles of water in the fridge.
- Continue to offer a variety of nutritious food daily. Try live wriggly food like blackworms, bloodworms, earthworms. You can also try the usual pellet, offer treats of shrimp and fish etc. Otherwise you can also blend everything in a food processor and then roll the resultant mash into a pea sized ball to try offer your axie. Remove uneaten food within 20 min.

Cheers

 

[blueberlin]

Hi orangebud,

The best thing is to let him alone to recover from his ordeal. Keep him clean and cool and watch for infection of the wounds. Please stop nudging him; wait instead to see if he moves. The less action going on around him, the faster he will settle.

-Eva

 

[ianclick]

Hi Orange Bud,

I agree with Ray and Eva, If it survived being out of the tank initially it should recover.

The head down tail up behaviour is part of the flight or fight response. Its trying to look like a plant and evade any perceived threat whilst it recovers. The other thing is axolotls are reknown for the regenerative abilities.

 

[orangebud]

ok a little update on how gimpy is doing,

first up is to thank you all for your help.

well its been a few days now and he his looking better and he's eating....just. he's never been a big eater since i got him about a month ago, impy his mate wont bloody stop eating but gimpy seems to be eating a little less than usual after his little trip out of the tank.

the only problem that i can see is that he keeps both his back legs in the air when he's not moving? he does use them to move around so im guessing there not broken or anything like that but ive never seen him do it before???

im hoping that it nothing serious but again any help would be great.

 

[Darkmaverick]

Hi Orangebud,

That is good news. Your axie is on the road to recovery. The very fact he is eating is already a positive sign. Give it some time, when he his condition improves, its very likely his appetite will pick up as well. Some axies though will always be gentle feeders and would naturally not feed as much.

Gimpy's back legs are still fully mobile so i really doubt there is anything particular serious. Axies just love to pose in unusual manners and perhaps his recent escapade has left you more conscious of anything 'off'. It should be fine though.

Cheers.

 

[orangebud]

thanks rayson, ill sleep a little better now!!! ive been so worried about the poor little fella