HELP!!!

[amanda]

So I went home for the week, leaving my axie up here by himself. I made sure to fatten up the week before I left, and gave him some fish to eat while i was gone. Tonight I came home, and he is pure white!!!! As in, if i threw him in some snow, you couldn't find him. His gills, which are normally BRIGHT red (see icon pic on left) and he usually has a pinkish tinge to him. His gills are BRIGHT WHITE. i seriously thought he was dead when i came home. But he is active, and four fish are gone. My tank, which is normally about 20C is currently 15C. I fed him some blood worms immediately, and his gills are starting to pink up, but what caused this? i had read that they can go up to a week w/o food.

 

[rheann]

Hey Amanda, Was he in the fridge? Because if that is the case, it was just the colder water that changed his gills. Where abouts in California do you live again? I live in Sacramento, and it has been getting cold. Our apartment is usually between 60 and 70 degrees now. We never keep the heat on to save power. The heat actually for us isn't even hooked up and the lack of heat keeps my tank roughly 70 degrees or colder sometimes.

If he is eating ok and color is returning, then I think he will be ok, but do keep an eye on him

.

 

[amanda]

Well, i'm on the coast, so it doesn't get to freezing (Humboldt Co.) but no one was home, so there was no heat. Usually, his water is about 20-22C, and when i got home the water was about 15C. I know that this is usually the ideal temp for them, but he seems to have not taken to it very well. Here are some pics of how i found him when i got home...

as compared to normal...

i did a water change, which raised the temp to about 18C, and his gills have started to pink up. He was still active, and ate a bunch, so i'm really confused. lol, scared me half to death.

 

[sharn]

maybe he was sleeping. they go pale when they are inactive but his gills do seem rather white

 

[sarah]

I must say that you have a beautiful Axo!

My White Axo's gills go white when he is sleeping and when he is in water under 16 degrees, so it could be that (but dont quote me)

Im not too sure how long Axo's cant eat for, but mine hasnt eaten for 11 days now and Im a bit worried too!

Hope all works out (for the both of our babies)

Sarah

 

[cynthia]

Amanda - it is normal for them to go lighter at times, as long as they do not stay that way I wouldn't worry.

I would check the ammonia levels though.

If they stay white or light it could be anemia.