Illness/Sickness: Unhealthy "Shedding" Axolotl

[jdlqh8]

Hey Everyone,

Bit of background: This axolotl has had a leg problem forever! It was possibly a birth defect or an injury from her younger years. (that was before I had a hold of her)

One of her axolotl friends in her tank accidentally (I assume) bit the bad leg and damaged it beyond repair. I wasn't overly concerned with this because it isn't the first time I have had to nurse an axolotl limb back to health. So I removed her from the larger tank into an isolation tube along with frequent (3 to 4 times a week) water changes to hopefully prevent infections. Most of the bad leg fell off (as expected) and now she has an exposed bone which I am still waiting for it to fall off as well so the regrowth process can start.

Anyway, I checked on her today and I'm a bit concerned. It seems like she is shedding her slime coat, as well as her gills just look awful! Since I have been doing very frequent water changes water chem shouldn't be a problem. I did another water change and placed her in the refrigerator (refrigerator is registering at about 40 degrees F). I'm mildly concerned about doing salt baths because I don't want to stress her out any more.

So what do all of you think? Should I try to let her bounce back in the fridge? Should I try mild salt baths? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[keiko]

I'd take her to a vet. She looks pretty bad - the shedding, the gills, the veins and she looks a bit skinny.
Also if you have her in a tub you need to do 100% daily water changes unless you have at least some cycle going on in there (bacteria growing on a decoration or something). Especially in a situation like this where she was already injured and in a risk of infection.

 

[Elise]

Your axolotl's poor condition may be the result of ammonia toxicity. The number of cannibalistic issues with your axolotls also make me suspect overcrowding could be another concern and a contributing factor to poor water quality.

I don't see any obvious infections and would therefor continue fridging as long as your axolotl's condition is showing improvement. Fridging is often done for prolonged periods of time, such as a couple of weeks to a month if necessary. During fridging, daily water changes are required and you will want to increase the temperature in your fridge slightly. If temperatures are allowed to dip below 4C, your axolotl can start to experience cellular damage.

If you don't notice any improvement or see a decline in health, a vet may be needed. I'm also curious, is this axolotl as well as the others still eating regularly?

Here are some included articles on husbandry. I hope they can be of some use in identifying any underlying issues you may be having.
Guide to Axolotl Husbandry
Axolotls - Requirements & Water Conditions in Captivity