Red veins all over, shorter gills and white threads from cloaca.

[Leen]

Hi!

I'm having trouble with my Axolotl, Moose.
About a week ago she stopped eating. She started looking puffy in her face and I noticed her gills had become a lot shorter!
I have also noticed darker areas behind where the gills go into her head.

She also has white slime threads coming from her cloaca and I can see red veins all over her body!

I have been searching the web all over but I can't really find out what is wrong with her.
The water quality was quite poor, I admit. I did not have a filter. I had one but took it out because I was afraid the flow/stream of the water was stressing them out.
I did change about 20% of the water on a regular basis, but not for the past few times.

She has been in the fridge for about a week now. I have fixed up the tank and am filtering the water now and the other axo's are doing fine.

What can I do to help her?? She isn't looking any better yet.
I'm not sure if I should give her salt baths since I do now know the nature of the illness, so I wanted to ask you guys for advice before I make it any worse!

Do I need to keep her fridged, return her to her tank an be patient or see a vet?

Tanks!

 

[Leen]

Here is another photo of the white threads.

 

[Kaini]

Axies are extremely sensitive to water quality - in an unfiltered environment, 20% changes are not enough. I would assume that's the cause of your problems.

That being said she looks pretty bad - I would take her to a herp vet if you can. In the meantime keep her in clean, dechlorianted and cool water with 100% daily changes to keep water quality good.

Salt baths are only for fungus and would probably aggravate whatever is going on here, I wouldn't do that.