Methylene blue intoxication? Lack of Oxygen? Help! Axolotl Dying (I think)

[Fallenangel500]

Hello guys! Hope you're doing great.

I'll proceed to explain the situation:
I've had my axolotl for about five years now, he was growing happy and healthy until a few days ago when I changed his food and bought a new dechlorinator.

The store where I bought axie stuff closed, so I got a new brand of dechlorinator (dec from now on) and a new brand of food (he had been eating tetra reptomin since he was practically a year old, now I bought him a national-argentinian brand that is specifically for axies because the new store didn't have reptomin by tetra)

Okay, so the thing is that when I started changing the water with the new dec I noticed that the methylene blue compound in it was kinda strong because of the colour, I could barely see my axie... I change 10 liters of water every day in a 47 l. Tank. And so, the same day I started changing the water with new dec, also started feeding new food.

The next day he had his nose a little blue like? But I couldn't see very well because of the methylene blue and also I thought maybe it was my imagination because of the blue water...
5/6 days had passed since then and he started to swollen a bit and all of its body got blue, his gills shrank I think...

So, basically, I think my baby is dying and I dunno what to do...

My hypothesis? This new food was smaller and he eat less, so, a lot more food stood in the bottom of the tank that I couldn't see, and that contaminated the water ( I don't have filter, I filter myself the wAter everyday syphoning it) since the water was contaminated he had problems breathing And he was blue because of lack of Oxygen...

My solution? Well, I'm moving houses also, so I prepared a new tank in the new house, 120 liters, much bigger and comfy for him, but I hope he makes it.

Temporarily, I used the famous fridging that helped me times before.

I loaded dechlorinated water in a tupper, sent to the fridge (above 5°C always) and wrapped the tupper with a towel in order for the light of the fridge not to bother him.

Now 12 hours passed and I changed him the tupper so 1) I could check his status 2) to renew the Oxygen.

He had poop, that was a nice indicator, the colour blue purplish he had last night had gone a bit, he's still blueish af, and clearly sick, but alive and looks (believe me) better than yesterday. Less swollen.

I'm planning (I don't have any other chances because I have to leave the house for legal reasons) to move him today. So, I will keep the tupper an hour or two out of the fridge to catch environment temperature and then will take a cab to the new house asking the driver not to bump and to go very slowly.

With some luck he'll make it and he can heal in this new aquarium... But help, what do you think was the problem? Any advise? Change food? Change Dec? It was REALLY DIRTY the water from where I took him and smelled bad, so I guess the other tank was contaminated because of rests of food I couldn't see...

No, I don't have any ammonia test nor money to buy one so I can't tell you guys how was the ammonia/nitrites and stuff. Love you and I'll leave you a vid of him that I took when I was changing tuppers.

Pd.: The video is too heavy so I'll upload it to YouTube then send it here by a link.

Edit:

 

[Calgarycoppers]

First - can you tell me the name of the new food or pictures of the ingredients and nutritional analysis
Next - what dechlorinator ?

He is blue from the meth blue soaking into his slime coat it can take a week or more.

Other than the blue what is the list of signs you are seeing?

Has he always lived without a cycled filter dealing with ammonia and nitrites?

 

[Fallenangel500]

First - can you tell me the name of the new food or pictures of the ingredients and nutritional analysis
Next - what dechlorinator ?

He is blue from the meth blue soaking into his slime coat it can take a week or more.

Other than the blue what is the list of signs you are seeing?

Has he always lived without a cycled filter dealing with ammonia and nitrites?

THANKS for the response! I thought he was dying because of his colours, never seen him like that before...
Doesn't look "Ill" or sick apart from that, actually maybe I got a bit too worried... By the way, other symptoms? Maybe he's moving less than usual,nor eating a bit less than usual;

Yes, he has always lived dealing with ammonia and nitrites, although I always change the water, but he never seemed to be having problems. I can detect when he's stressed because he swims franticall and hits hard the walls, but has happened very little times, most of the times he chills out, hides in he's little cave, eats normally, and poops normally I don't know...

I attached new food pic and old food pic...

The one which I took a screenshot from the internet is the OLD food, the one that I took an actual picture is the NEW food.

The dechlorinator I'll find it and send you a picture. THANKS ONCE AGAIN for my axie. I update you, also, I have already moved him in his tupper, he's still alive and he's colour a bit better, I thought he was gonna die from stress in the travel but nope, he's still with us... So, I'm waiting for the tupper to take environment temperature before sending him in the new aquarium.

 

[Calgarycoppers]

You are welcome!!

I use meth blue on my surrenders so I'm used to the blue lotl look.

both foods are not the greatest for axolotls. I have YET to see an axolotl specific diet that is high quality for them.

I dont know what you have available to you BUT I can give you what to look for in the ingredients.

Ideally 3 of the 6 first ingredients should be fish, insect or invertebrate sources - not listed as generic like your pellets. There should be NO mammal or land animal type ingredients. No Copper or Iodine OR VERY VERY miniscule amounts. No freeze dried bits added. Protein Minimum 40% ideally closer to 45% - Fat Minimum 5% for adult.

Brands I use in Canada you can research are....

Repashy Bottom Scratcher
Repashy Grub Pie
Northfin Jumbo fish - usually 6mm for adults - This is a sinking cichlid food
Hikari Sinking Carnivore pellets - Used for any bottom dwelling carnivores
Omega One Shrimp Pellets - these are also a sinking pellet

These are our best options for feeding Axolotls - not 1 of them is the commercially available Tropical Axolotl Sticks which is an absolutely horrible diet.

When borders weren't closed I used to order bulk amounts of Rangen moist sinking pellets from the US.

Hikari apparently makes a specific axolotl pellet in Asia
Novo makes a Novolotl food and I have seen the company that makes Axogravel in Europe also makes an axolotl food.

I have not researched them.

Dechlorinators - this is a BIG one

Axolotls cannot have dechlorinators with any type of aloe extract added. I have had to message MANY companies to ask if their natural slime coat enhancer is aloe based.

If you are choosing to not set up even a sponge filter to allow to cycle and convert the ammonia and nitrite into less harmless nitrate you need to clean up all debris daily and do minimum 50% water changes every other day. Ammonia and Nitrite are very harmful.

THANKS for the response! I thought he was dying because of his colours, never seen him like that before...
Doesn't look "Ill" or sick apart from that, actually maybe I got a bit too worried... By the way, other symptoms? Maybe he's moving less than usual,nor eating a bit less than usual;

Yes, he has always lived dealing with ammonia and nitrites, although I always change the water, but he never seemed to be having problems. I can detect when he's stressed because he swims franticall and hits hard the walls, but has happened very little times, most of the times he chills out, hides in he's little cave, eats normally, and poops normally I don't know...

I attached new food pic and old food pic...

The one which I took a screenshot from the internet is the OLD food, the one that I took an actual picture is the NEW food.

The dechlorinator I'll find it and send you a picture. THANKS ONCE AGAIN for my axie. I update you, also, I have already moved him in his tupper, he's still alive and he's colour a bit better, I thought he was gonna die from stress in the travel but nope, he's still with us... So, I'm waiting for the tupper to take environment temperature before sending him in the new aquarium.

 

[leomleite]

THANKS for the response! I thought he was dying because of his colours, never seen him like that before...
Doesn't look "Ill" or sick apart from that, actually maybe I got a bit too worried... By the way, other symptoms? Maybe he's moving less than usual,nor eating a bit less than usual;

Yes, he has always lived dealing with ammonia and nitrites, although I always change the water, but he never seemed to be having problems. I can detect when he's stressed because he swims franticall and hits hard the walls, but has happened very little times, most of the times he chills out, hides in he's little cave, eats normally, and poops normally I don't know...

I attached new food pic and old food pic...

The one which I took a screenshot from the internet is the OLD food, the one that I took an actual picture is the NEW food.

The dechlorinator I'll find it and send you a picture. THANKS ONCE AGAIN for my axie. I update you, also, I have already moved him in his tupper, he's still alive and he's colour a bit better, I thought he was gonna die from stress in the travel but nope, he's still with us... So, I'm waiting for the tupper to take environment temperature before sending him in the new aquarium.

I agree with calgarycoopers that both food options seems bad. You could set up an worm farm to produce free worms for your axolotl, it's easy diy and you find plenty of videos on YouTube explaining. You'll save money and provide good food.

Your dechlorinator has methilene blue in it? I've never seem something like this, I'd change for another brand. I'd recommend Seachem Prime, it covers the chlorine issue and detoxifies the ammonia for 48h I think. Win win situation, as you do daily water changes.

And finally, your axolotl seem ok, it's eating and moving less because of the fridge. If you don't see anything abnormal, don't worry.

Saudações, hermano

 

[EasternRomioi3]

@Fallenangel500

How's your axolotl doing? How are you?

 

[Bellabelloo]

I wonder if there was too much de chlorineator added to the water. I would be surprised if the regular dose would be so strong as to turn the water so blue.

 

[Flamingolid]

Has your axolotl gotten better?