New axolotl content in uncycled tank, but stressed when tubbed. What are my best options

[EC’s Axsy]

Hi!
New member here! And New Axolotl owner. There was a gal in my area who was selling baby axolotls which my daughter wanted. So I got one. I asked if she could hold the axolotl while I got set up as I had no clue what I was doing. First she said sure the. She said I could tub my Axsy I t the tank was set up. Sounded super easy…… so we felt the axolotl and we were tubbing her 100 percent water changes with prime. Everything was fine then she stopped eating.
Meanwhile I realized it could take a month to cycle my tank!!! We took the filter from my old tank to help speed up the process. So it’s been about a week at this point. I go to the pet store almost daily because I know I must need something, and the gal at the pet store says oh no it only takes 3 days to cycle your tank, and I have friends who bought from the same lady that already put their axolotl in their tank.
So In she goes! And she starts eating again and her personality is starting to show. We are doing tests two times a day (the strip tests) and the ammonia dropper water tests, everything is fine.
So I go into the pet store (a different one) because I wanted to get the master freshwater test kit. And I’m talking to the gal and she says my cycle will spike here soon as we are at about 2 weeks in from
Initial cycle start.
She tells me that it might stress out the axolotl to take him out for this part of the process and to go on complete fresh de chlorinated tap water especially since she was already stressed during tubbing.
So I come home and test my waters, everything looks good but ammonia is at .5.
I also got stability and added a cap of that.
I did about a 8 qt water change that took it down to .25 ammonia levels.
Axsy is eating and seems content, but I noticed her Gill’s on one side are smaller then the other.
So my question is, do I just keep doing water changes to reduce ammonia to as close to zero as possible? Is .25 dangerous? If I don’t allow any ammonia then it will never cycle correct? Or should I just add some live plants?
Or should I tub her again even though that stresses her out more?
Are her gills diminishing from being in a non nutrition cycled tank or ammonia levels?
There so much conflicting info.
I also notice she has a hard time walking around because there is no sand…. But she is just 3 inches so sand isn’t recommended at this age.
Thanks for your time and patience with all us newbies who just had no clue what we were getting in to!

 

[Autistic Catholic]

You need to tub her. The ammonia exposure is causing her gills to shrivel.

 

[wolfen]

what are the water results with the liquid tests? (I assume you have now got a freshwater test kit)
what is the tank size?
what is the water temperature?
make sure that you have a air-stone in any water that contains a axolotl.
cycling is done to make sure that the filtration can remove waste chemicals from the water column, to cycle a axolotl tank the ammonia has to be high to make sure that the filtration can cope with the high amounts of waste that an adult axolotl produces. this means that cycling can take a long time.
ammonia can build up quite fast in a tub which is why the water must be changed at a minimum of every 24hrs with the tub being scrubbed clean to prevent any bacteria build up.
it is best to use two tubs both kept at cold temperatures 15°c - 18°c, moving the axolotl from the used tub into the fresh tub and then cleaning used tub ready for next change.
the toxicity of ammonia depends on temperature, ph, salinity of the water, unfortunately nitrites once they start being produced are toxic at all levels although added chlorides (not the chlorine found in water) has been shown to protect/reduce harm. see/read Axolotls - Requirements & Water Conditions in Captivity for more information.
your axolotl will be less stressed in the tank as it takes time for such large amounts of toxins to build up compared to in a tub, although only ammonia is an issue in a tub as nitrites and nitrates aren't produced.