Reassurance please

[christine]

Hi,

I am new to the forum having just found you a couple of nights ago while looking for info about axolotls. I bought Chilli during the summer and he seemed to be doing really well, he is a good eater and has grown a fair bit. About a week ago I noticed a tiny bit of white which I am assuming was fungus on one of his gills, a couple of days later it had gone, the next day it was back and a couple of days later it disappeared and hasn't returned although the tip of the gill has gone too. I have now noticed the same thing on a gill on the opposite side. I have done a 50% water change (the water was pretty dirty which has probably caused the problem)and I have replaced the filter with a smaller one. I had hoped that this second spot would disappear like the first but it doesn't look as though it is so having read all your posts I decided to try a salt bath. It took me three goes to actually get a firm enough hold of him to lift him out of his tank, the first twice he wriggled away from and cannoned off round the tank. As soon as I got him into the salt bath I noticed a red line running down his back and tail and another couple of red dots on his tail as though he had broken some blood vessels. After ten minutes I put him back in the tank and he swam to the corner where he has sat with his back to me for over two hours. I am now worried that I have done him more harm than good and I should have left him well alone. Can anyone give me some advice please, he is a lovely little guy and normally so friendly.

Christine

 

[christine]

Since I placed the first message I have taken a sample of water to the pet shop to be tested. The nitrate is way too high and PH is way too low. I have set a bucket of water ready to do another 50% water change tomorrow, is there anything else I can do?

Christine

 

[joan]

To raise the pH, put some crushed coral inside your filter.

Do 10-20% water changes once a week, and that should keep your parameters within normal range.

 

[kapo]

Welcome to the forum!

How much salt per water quantity did you use? Too much salt or too long a salt bath could burn or it may have been due to stress. (Saltbaths are 2-3teaspoons for each litre or pint of water)

You should try not to handle him as too much handling can damage their skin. Next time maybe use a net and container or two containers (one to gently herd him into the other). If you use the net when you lift him, place your hand under his body/net so it doesn't swing and he's not hanging so much.

What is the tank temperature? Temp should be kept below 20deg cel. as axies prefer cooler temps and heat stresses them, which in turn may lower their immune systems and fungus could develop or they get sick.

Also you shud really have left your old filter in the tank, you may have set your tank into a minicycle with putting in another filter, unless that filter had come from another tank (or was it brand new?) To clean a filter you should wash it in tankwater, not on a waterchange day.

Do you test your tankwater at all with water test kits - ammonia, nitrite, nitrate & ph? And how often do you usually do waterchanges? The dirty water might not have caused the problem which is why you need to test first before doing a big change. Then if there is a problem - ammonia or nitrites above 0 - then do a 20-30% waterchange every few days.

What substrate do you have, sand/pebbles/gravel rocks or bare tank floor?

edit: (this was posted on the other one you left in the breeding section!) What was your actual nitrate reading?

 

[christine]

Sorry about posting in the wrong section originally, just getting the hang of this.

The nitrate level was off the scale so it is really high. Chilli has a bit more colour to his gills this morning but is very lethargic and hasn't eaten. I hand fed him a bit of scallop which he took but immediately spat out, I then tried him with a bit of dried krill which he loves but today he wasn't interested.

 

[joan]

Christine, no harm done.

Axolotl adults won't necessarily eat daily. Mine eat 3 times a week, and will occasionally refuse food. Don't be alarmed unless it hasn't eaten in 2 weeks or so.

 

[christine]

I did a 50% water change about 21/2 hours ago and have just checked him and now all his gills seem to be turning white as though they are covered in frost. I put chlorine remover in the water the same as I would for my fish tanks. Should I of? The water has been sitting for 24hrs.