Illness/Sickness: Tail cut

[vanjaif]

Hey!

I just introduced my new axolotl "Skittles" to my two grown ups, I have owned Skittles for 6 months and she had finally grown big enough to join the others.
It was all going pretty well until I noticed a cut in her tail this morning.

Do you think this is a bit mark? Or has she cut herself on something sharp?
(I have removed some of my plastic plants witch seemed to be sharp enough to cut her)
Is there anything I can do do help her heal? Should I isolate her from the other two?


Hope some of you can help me out with those questions :happy:

Some additional information:
They all share a 50 gallon tank.
My grown ups "Wooper & Toothless" are 25-28cm
Skittles is approx. 20cm.

 

[tammyaxie]

Oh no poor skittles. I've watched your videos on instagram! Lovely axies!!!
I'm sorry I can't be of much help. They seem to have become better acuainted. Optimal water conditions and a close eye out for fungus/infection is all I can advise. Maybe someone else may have more recommendations for you.

 

[vanjaif]

Oh no poor skittles. I've watched your videos on instagram! Lovely axies!!!
I'm sorry I can't be of much help. They seem to have become better acuainted. Optimal water conditions and a close eye out for fungus/infection is all I can advise. Maybe someone else may have more recommendations for you.

Thank you :happy: They are just incredible creatures, and its breaking my heart seeing her tail like this after all the hard work she has done regenerating her gills and wounds the past 6 months.
I'm going to be extra good at keeping the tank clean and cold the next few weeks, I really do hate doing salt baths, so I'm going to do everything i can to prevent an infection :happy:

 

[Elise]

I would expect it to heal over a few weeks provided you keep up with your husbandry. I also wouldn't perform a salt bath treatment for a cut like this, as it would likely cause pain.

How exactly it will heal will be interesting to see. I would guess that it may heal with a small notch in the tail for a while. However, I've seen a small juvenile recover from a much larger cut in a similar area with no noticeable trace of injury. Their ability to regenerate can really be surprising.