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Salt bath Picture Tutorial

kurlytop1976

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I can't thank you enough for this tutorial. I have now used this method twice, once for sand impaction, another for fungus. (Two different axolotls). Both times I got fairly quick and effective results. It's greatly appreciated. :D
 

basechip

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This is just what i am looking for i will post photos tomorrow of my sick axolotl and the garden pond and filter i am using to keep 5 of them in. I only saw it was sick at 4pm today so i put it in a small tank on it own. it was looking very red/pink instead of white and had one back foot missing and had fungus growing on it and bits on its tail as well.
A very handy tutorial thanks for posting it.

Basechip
 

FX1C

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Is it possible to keep a tutorial like this as a sticky? :) it's very handy to be able to find tutorials like this one - brilliant! :)



<3 >o_o< <3
 

basechip

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Ive noticed this axolotl is ill with fungus growing on it, so Ive quarantined it and Ive followed the instruction on the salt bath I used fine sea salt. I keep five axolotl together in a pond Ive posted some pictures of the pond, filter system & the sick axolotl. the other four are unaffected i feed them four cubes of bloodworm (Frozen) twice a week and throw earthworms in from my compost heap a couple of times a week too and not had any problems for the six months Ive had them in there.
I'm looking for any advice on what this is and how to avoid it in the future.
 

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Kaysie

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That's a pretty severe case of fungus! I would be especially aggressive about salt baths with that one. Maybe use a bit stronger mix or a little longer duration. Don't go overboard, though.

Fungus is an opportunistic organism that usually attacks injury sites. It's always around, and takes hold when there's a break in the skin. There's not much you can do to avoid it other than keeping the water clean and cold. Or keeping animals individually.
 

basechip

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Thanks for the reply i will post photo after each salt bath but i fear it may be to late for this small one.It looks like one of the others has had a bite out of its right foot.
I would not of seen it if it had not turned red/pink and come out from under the java moss where they hide in the day. I don,t see them for days on end and then all 5 are out and about at the same time mainly just befor dark.
Just wondering if i should put a few spoons of salt in the pond it holds 3000 gallons and my brother says he dose this in his Koi carp pond and it dose no harm to his fish (not sure about this) i will wait and see if anyone on here has heard about this to prevent fungus.

basechip
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...IroTmp2fTQK-VilgCQCJA&bvm=bv.1355534169,d.d2k
 

basechip

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Sadly my small axolotl died in the night. I may have to rethink keeping the other 4 in the 3000 gallon pond there are just to many places to hide and i don,t want to find another one when its to late to save it.

basechip
 

FX1C

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Basechip are there koi in your pond with your axies?

Having them more easily visible in a tank would seem like a good idea - the concept of a pond is great but I'm too selfish & love to sit & watch mine for hours :)



<3 >o_o< <3
 

basechip

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Basechip are there koi in your pond with your axies?

Having them more easily visible in a tank would seem like a good idea - the concept of a pond is great but I'm too selfish & love to sit & watch mine for hours :)



<3 >o_o< <3

The koi and golden orfe are in a 1000 gallon sediment tank that is part of the filler so they are using the same water but not in the pond and only in there till my nephew gets his pond fixed.

basechip
http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=se...AXU24GoBQ&sqi=2&ved=0CDsQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=885
 

ellena

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I have 2 axies to treat and limited fridge space and containers! Could they salt bath together then stay in separate containers the rest of the time in the fridge?
Thank you for the guidance on this, I have a feeling its going to be pretty stressful!

Further questions popping up as I do this! So currently I have in my fridge, 2 axies in separate Tupperware containers of their own tank water wrapped in towels. Fridge is as warm as it will go and I'll turn it down over the day to do first bath about 10 tonight. I assume the lids of the containers need to be left loose for air to get in?
Also in the fridge I have enough dechlor water to refill both their tubs and 4l of salt solution. I have 1 further container I hope I can salt bath them both in.
They've been difficult to feed over the Xmas break. Should I try to feed them while treating? Before or after the bath?
When I use up the salt bath, I can make a fresh one with dechlor at tap temp can't I? It will get down to temp in the fridge before I need it. It's just I'm struggling to make space to fridge enough for a water change for them both, let alone enough to make fresh salt solution!
Thanks :)
Goodness, also just thought, I ought to feed their filter with some ammonia while neither of them are in the tank didn't I?
 
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Kerry M

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Hi Kaysie

Just wondering whether you can let me know how to make the salt solution. I can't seem to find it, apologies if it is here somewhere and I have skipped over it. I just realised that my axie has a little bit of fungus on her toe and want to get onto it sooner rather than later.

Thanks in advance :)
 

FX1C

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Kerry it's Step 9 in the very first post on page 1 :)

2-3 teaspoons non iodized salt
per Litre of water



<3 >o_o< <3
 

Nemesea

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ok yesterday we woke up to our 4 axies been white and all were very sluggish, nugget was the worst as we thought s/he was dead as s/he was on his/her side and its legs where in funny positions, and gills where nearly gone (they had been fed the night before and all where fine) so we have put them all in the fridge stright away and done 15 min salt baths every 6 hours,and while they are in the fridge they are in decloranated water with almond leaf extract in and almond leaves in which is changes on a morning and a night, so there slime coat is not hurt as much with the baths and they are all looking ALOT better some still have bits on them so i think they just need a few more baths and thats it, i believe i know what has caused the out brake, it has as 3-4 days ago we did a 50% change to try and get the temp of the tank down due to the hot weather which i think is whats done it, the only thing im unsure of is whether i need to do a strip down of the tank or not as i dont want the same thing to happen again if they go back in as the water in the tank is cloudy as if we have had a bacterial bloom so im unsure if the tank needs a strip down or not any insite would be great thanks the axies will be staying in the fridge until im positive they are better and i know the tank is safe for them to go back in to.
 
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mewsie

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Have you got a water testing kit, Nemesea?

That would be a good place to start - check out exactly what it happening with the water conditions before you start treating your axolotls. Salt baths can be nippy for axolotls, and the constant changes in water and tubs could be distressing.

Salt baths are typically used for fungus, and tea/almond baths for soothing skin conditions, and salt baths in particular should not be used as a 'catch all' treatment.

I would suggest keeping your axolotls in clean dechlorinated water in the fridge for the time being until you can test your water and work out what is causing the problem. Doing a very large water change may have killed your bacteria cycle and caused a spike of ammonia, or it might just have been too big a temperature change. How big is your tank? How hot did it get?

There are some good tips on cooling here, and tons of other great threads on the forum.

Hopefully your 4 axies will fully recover, give them some fresh dechlorinated water every day and do some testing on your tank, see what the matter may be. Some local fish shops may test your water for you if you don't have a kit, by the way :)

If we do get this second run of hot weather they keep promising us, you'll want to be prepared!

mew x
 

fishoutofh2o88

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Can someone post pictures of what the fungus looks like? Also is it contagious to other axolotls in the same tank? Thanks!
 

Possum63

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Hi guys! QUICK QUESTION!!!!


I have tonic aquarium salt - is this okay to use? My baby was severly attacked and has now got fungus :(
 

kristy2010

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Hi

I have had my axolotls close to a year now. The other week I bought a young axolotl 6 days after he passed away. When he was in my care he didn't eat. I change the water. Not long after my black one stopped eating has not had food since. Night before my gold axolotl wouldn't take food. Yesterday morning I did a full water change. Yesterday afternoon I came home and they both have a white gill fungus. I checked the water ph was at 7.2 7.6. ammonia and nitrite both were at 0.was putting in melafix.
Today I woke up in the morning to check on them and the gills are falling off. Put them both in the fright. temperature is a 2c.

Any suggestions would help. Thanks
 
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