Illness/Sickness: HELP - Rescued Axie from pet shop with Nitrates OFF THE CHART!

[Morrison]

This makes me sad. Glad you saved this little boy.
The part you wrote where he's looking at you gives me that 'I feel so happy, I wanna cry'-feeling

Edit: wow, I feel a lot at the same time. I'm a complicated type of human being...

 

[poncho11]

There is a pet store in Geelong, Victoria that I have a similar problem with. I went in there this morning and they had at least 20 young axolotls in a tiny tank, most missing limbs. When I confronted the owner he claimed he was an 'expert' and that they were fine. Makes me so angry! I really hope this lil guy pulls through, good luck!

 

[FX1C]

Evening Update...

All good on the SpookyBoo front so far although his day was more eventful than I'd have liked - my fridge is always super cold & even with turning it right down to its warmest setting the axie box got down to 3.5C & he was very pink, still & stiff looking... I took him out & popped him in a chiller bag with an ice block & his temp came up slowly during the day - as it got warmer he started to look more active & less pink.

In the meantime I cleaned & readied a small (possibly a little undersized & not ideal - but will do for now) I also boiled some dechlorinated aged water & steeped some black tea as per an article on Caudata waited till the tea cooled completely in the fridge then added a small amount of it to the tuppaware container with axie - there was no reaction to it being added to his water & I think within a couple of hours in the final warming he started to look much less pink & maybe a little less veiny (too early to tell) so I added the remaining tea to the small tank hoping the tannins might be soothing like a good piece of driftwood (also in tank with an Anubia).

Axie SpookyBoo is now in his new tank & he isn't floating, he swims a little & likes to sit on the plant & in the hide.
Whenever he notices me peering in on him (probably too often) he comes out to say hi & has swum up to the surface a couple of times & easily makes it back down.

Here's some pics

A very pink axie at about 14C


This is the final stage of warming up with the axie tuppaware suspended in the tank with digital thermometers in both bodies of water - an ice brick in the tank helped equal the temps.


Just before putting him into tank - his temp at 18.5C with small amount of tea in water - looking slightly less pink & veiny??



Some shots in his tank





<3 >o_o< <3

 

[FX1C]

SpookyBoo says thanks to you all for the finger crossing
it's only early stages but I've got big hopes for this guy to get back to good health
some gill growth would suit him



<3 >o_o< <3

 

[axolotl newbie]

that smile!!!

well done, you're doing a brilliant job. what a lucky little axolotl xxx

 

[Olivia97]

Hi Nikki, try black tea baths for the skin. Horrible how they can possibly think they are taking care of the axies

Steep a black tea bag in dechlorinated boiled water until its cooled. Then add that to 10 litres of water. He can stay in the water until you do your next water change so if you want, empty the tank and fill it with the correct amount of tea then when you do the water changes the tea will dissipate into just about nothing

 

[FX1C]

Hi Nikki, try black tea baths for the skin. Horrible how they can possibly think they are taking care of the axies

Steep a black tea bag in dechlorinated boiled water until its cooled. Then add that to 10 litres of water. He can stay in the water until you do your next water change so if you want, empty the tank and fill it with the correct amount of tea then when you do the water changes the tea will dissipate into just about nothing

Thanks Olivia - yes I've already added the tea (Twinnings English Breakfast of course see above description) & his colour seems slightly less pink & veiny but it's early days.. I did a 50% change today & his tank is 18C so he's quite active - still not interested in worms although he ate one accidentally lol

I'm about to post pics & some pleas for more help.. He has bottom issues



<3 >o_o< <3

 

[iChris]

it's not morphing. the ability for commercially bread axies to morph is pretty much non-existant because of the amount of in-breeding. poor living conditions don't induce morphing. the animal will die before it changes.

it's impacted and receded gills and horrid looking skin result from long time exposure to poor water quality. ph is not really that important when it comes to homing axies but nitrates and ammonia will burn them quickly.

never under estimate the healing powers of the axoltol, keep the water cool and clean (if it's a temporary tank it's homed in don't bother about cycling it, just do a complete water change each day)

by fridging the animal it's metabolism will slow down and as a result it won't feed. it will regurgitate (over time) anything in it's digestive tract so it does not rot in the gut of the animal. this includes any gravel, stones, etc that cause the blockage. as long as the water does not freeze, it will be fine.

 

[Olivia97]

Thanks Olivia - yes I've already added the tea (Twinnings English Breakfast of course see above description) & his colour seems slightly less pink & veiny but it's early days.. I did a 50% change today & his tank is 18C so he's quite active - still not interested in worms although he ate one accidentally lol

I'm about to post pics & some pleas for more help.. He has bottom issues



<3 >o_o< <3

I love English breakfast I have no doubts this axie will make a full recovery! I would document this case, photos, dates etc and put that petshop under some pressure! After all the animal has been subjected to abuse. It's such a shame that the axolotls sold here in Australia are in horrible condition as i know my 3 babies were Good luck! x

 

[FX1C]

Continued Help Needed
Bottom Issues

As you can imagine this little guy has been under close observation & I've got a concern about white mucus goo coming out of his bottom - it's taken some stalking to get a pic finally.

He's currently not in the fridge - it seems to be a little too cold dropping the temp in the tuppaware to 4degC & possibly lower, I pulled him out thinking he might be happier with more space & cool clean water in a tank with black tea added.

Of course I'll pop him back in the fridge if its 100% necessary - the bottom issue may require it - on this I need advice as I don't want to keep changing from fridge to a tank - he seems happy in the tank apart from the bottom white stuff.

Here's pics

Sorry for the quality - I'll try for better.

Some general shots from today for comparison.



Thanks for all the help



<3 >o_o< <3

 

[Kaysie]

Keep him well-fed and try to push out anything that's in the digestive tract. I wouldn't fridge him yet. It's better to get him to try and pass it.

 

[FX1C]

Keep him well-fed and try to push out anything that's in the digestive tract. I wouldn't fridge him yet. It's better to get him to try and pass it.

Kaysie he still has no interest in food - I've tried earthworm whole & chopped, I've got live blood worms & no interest even when held wriggling at his mouth suspended in turkey baster.

His tank is currently 18.5 C & he's not floating or arched - he has however got signs of fungus so I've followed your awesome salt bath tutorial & then put him back into tank which has a small amount of black tea. I've done 75% water change yesterday then another 75% this morning & all debris removed.

The salt bath was a brilliant success with the white stuff falling off in the 10mins - will keep up the salt baths every 12hrs & leave him in tank - unless he seems like fridging would be better, but I'd like to encourage an appetite.

Before salt bath



In the salt bath



Left behind in salt bath



I feel bad for this little guy - who knows what his poor skin has been through lately coming from such bad water conditions hope I'm not stressing him out more :-/



<3 >o_o< <3

 

[CJ1981]

Ow, ow, ow it looks like his skin is peeling off! I've got cold shivers just looking at the poor thing

 

[FX1C]

Ow, ow, ow it looks like his skin is peeling off! I've got cold shivers just looking at the poor thing

I've got shivers too

He's back in his tank & looking a bit better. He seems to like resting with his gills on the air bubbles - I guess it's much easier than swimming to the top. His tank is darkened with a towel over it so he's just resting. Didn't want to take too many pics as I had to use the light >_<





<3 >o_o< <3

 

[tigmades]

Thank goodness there are people like you; that axie I'm sure loves you to death right now! I hope the shop he came from smarten up !

I'll be cheering for his quick recovery!

 

[Kaysie]

I don't know if that's fungus or not. To me, it looks more like his skin is peeling in reaction to the nitrate poisoning (akin to ammonia burns).

Tea and salt will actually work against each other. Personally, I'd go with tea in this case and not do salt baths. I think it's more a matter of needing skin soothing. It may also be worthwhile to use a dechlorinator with aloe for the time being.

 

[FX1C]

I don't know if that's fungus or not. To me, it looks more like his skin is peeling in reaction to the nitrate poisoning (akin to ammonia burns).

Tea and salt will actually work against each other. Personally, I'd go with tea in this case and not do salt baths. I think it's more a matter of needing skin soothing. It may also be worthwhile to use a dechlorinator with aloe for the time being.

Oh poop did I salt bath him for nothing...

I won't do another salt bath again
(It seemed the reaction was very quick & the fuzziness has mostly gone)
I really should have waited for advice from here - but with time difference & the mama instinct to 'freak right out' I wanted to nip it in the bud - it looked similar to other pics of fungus although I felt it was the very early stages. I will stick to the tea baths & dark therapy & most of all just give him time to recuperate

A quick pic of Boo


I'll pick up some conditioner with aloe - it makes sense to add it for a time.

Do you think almond leaves would help at all? I can try & get some tomorrow to float in his tank if you think it could be beneficial.

Also someone suggested getting some charcoal to help soothe his skin - but I haven't been able to find anything on the benefits of charcoal. Has anyone heard of this as a therapy?

Thanks all again for the help on this



<3 >o_o< <3

 

[Olivia97]

Never heard of charcoal but the almond leaves may be beneficial and add to the soothing of the tea, it will also ward off any fungal infections

 

[FX1C]

Never heard of charcoal but the almond leaves may be beneficial and add to the soothing of the tea, it will also ward off any fungal infections

Thanks Olivia
I shall go & hunt down some leaves tomorrow & the aloe water conditioner. Anything that can help or ward off will be very welcome.

We'll turn his little tank into a zen zone for fixing up his skin & gills - like an axie day spa but for a couple of months




<3 >o_o< <3

 

[kiathepooch]

You could try wax worms,not as a staple but just for something to get him to eat,none of mine could resist them.

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