Morphing and blotchy (+image)

[leah]

Hey all

Egon is not in a good way. It's stupidly hot in Brisbane and even though we bought him an airconditioner, it seems to not be enough to stop him from being visibly stressed all the time. He's in the fridge now, but his gills are shrinking and his fin is receding. That seems to have slowed down since putting him in the fridge about 5 days ago, but his beautiful white colour is really red and blotchy! It started subtly a month ago but it's getting worse in the fridge. I've scoured all the threads about skin problems, but it doesn't look like fungus - seems to be more internal.

We really can't work it out! Has anyone seen this before? I'm going to try Melafix tonight and start salt baths tomorrow, but I'm stumped. Chemical levels are all fine.

Thanks!
Leah & Arryn

 

[joan]

The skin will be quite red in the fridge. Your skin gets redder when it's cold too. Because cold water holds more oxygen, the blood goes to the skin more for cutaneous respiration. This is normal. You don't need salt baths.

 

[leah]

Thanks for replying Joan.

The problem is that his skin was reddening while he was still in his tank in warmer water, so the fridge holiday wasn't responsible initially. I guess we'll have to wait and see if his skin returns to normal when we feel it's safe to put him back in the tank. No one else has had this happen??

As for his shrinking gills and fin - is there any chance of a reversal in his metamorphosis if that's what's happening? Has anyone had their axolotl come back from the brink of morphing? The fact that it's slowing down while he's in the fridge is reassuring, but I'd feel even better if I knew he had a chance of surviving (preferably as a water creature...)

 

[jarred]

Your axolotl does not look like it is showing any signs of morphing to me.

 

[sharn]

have a look through the old posts, i think its called 'anorexic axie' or something similar, she thought her axie was morphing but it was actually just very very sick

might see some things you can relate to there and info on morphing axies. stressed axies also turn pink so im guessing that was the cause while in the tank.

good luck!

 

[joan]

The skin would be red in the tank if it was warm. They get red when they're stressed. The gills and tailfin may also shrink when stressed. But his gills still look normal, so I'd highly doubt that it's morphing.

 

[charlie]

My axie's fin/tail is shrinking as well, but gills seem fine. Is stress the only cause of fin shrinkage?