Illness/Sickness: They were doing great, then...

[Swampie]

Thank you, their personalities crack me up, which is why I hate to see them like this.

Is chemical burn something that will clear up with clean water on its own? Should I think about getting some Stress Coat? Will that help? I know it helps replenish fishs' slime coat. I know they're not fish and some stuff doesnt work the same.

 

[HayleyK]

Tea baths can help soothe skin, I had problems with my leucistic with her veins before she passed. When I tea bathed her she was good for a day or two so it definitely helps with skin issues.

I have no experience with stress coat but avoid fish remedies as axolotls don't have scales to protect them and easily absorb chemicals through their skin.

 

[Boomsloth]

Right now some of mine are getting a little floaty. In florida its been pretty chilly (50-60F) however living in a dormroom means that they decided to crank up the heat so now i've been fighting to keep the temperature below 70. I noticed that my leucistic will also get a little dull and tired if the temp fluctuates but other than that he seems fine. keep us posted on yours

 

[Elise]

You'll need to figure out a way to provide a more stable temperature within their preferred range of 12C-16C (Caudata Culture Articles - Cooling). In addition, two axolotls in a 10g volume of water are going to produce a lot of waste so water changes would need to be done more often.

Their behavior is likely a result of the constant fluctuation in temperature along with the temperature probably being over 18C for a prolonged time. The alligator barrel roll along with inappentance could be a sign of a systemic infection. If you continue to notice this strange behavior, you'll need to make a vet appointment for treatment, especially if one/both stops eating for a week or more.

Dropping in - Reptisafe is what I use in my lotl tank, I heard from a breeder it was fine. Actually curious if that's true or not...

The only thing you need in a dechlorinator is sodium thiosulfate. Everything else is extra "features" which can alter your water chemistry, though usually harmless. This particular product adds electrolyte salts without disclosing which ones or the amount.. really? It's probably homeopathic. I'm not a fan of the slime coat addition either.

 

[Swampie]

Okay guys! I left both Axies in that large tub for about 3 days, while I let my 20L run and get ready for them. The last day they were in there I just couldnt stand how depressed they looked. I could get my WT to eat a bite of bloodworms, and the leucistic would take a bite also.

So, I decided they couldn't get much worse than they were. I was ready to let them swim. I checked the temps in the tank and the tub and they were the about the same, so I put them in the tank. After a few tense moments, they started swimming around and exploring!

The WT wasn't floating anymore!!!!!

I let them settle in overnight, and then offered food, 2 bloodworm cubes. WT went right to the bowl, and gobbled them down! The leucistic is still hiding, but coming out more frequently and has taken a few bites of bloodworm off of the bottom. Since the wildtype has taken to laying in the bowl, I believe it's time to add another food bowl for them.

So glad they're doing much better, it was breaking my heart! Thank you all for your help and support!!