Very Itchy Axolotl

[ChelseaRose]

Hello everyone hoping someone can help me with this....I did a water change in my axolotls aquarium the other day and afterward he started VIOLENTLY itching. Almost gave me a heart attack. I was hoping maybe just some sand got kicked up and was irritating him but its three days later and he's still itching!!

Here is some info on my tank:

It's a twenty gallon kept at 67 degrees. I have two young axolotls about six inches long occupying the tank. I do frequent 20% water changes (3 to 4 times a week) dechlorinating with prime.

Ammonia-0
Nitrites-0
Nitrates-5
Ph-6.8

The ph coming out of my tap is reading at 7.6 so I'm not sure what is causing my ph to crash. I added some crushed coral(bagged) to bring it back up slowly. I am using two small sponge filters set on low that I have never cleaned but my tank set up is only about three months old. So.... Why is my axolotl itchy and why is my ph low and are the two connected?

Thanx for your help,

Chelsea

 

[PatchworkClocks]

I've never heard of violent itches before. I know axolotls will scratch at their gills if there's a water issue, though. For starters, how do you dechlorinate your water? Since it seems like there aren't any real issues with your water quality from your parameters, the only thing I can think of is maybe it's chemical or chlorine/chloramine related.

 

[ChelseaRose]

I use Seacham Prime I have been using it for three months and have never had an issue.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

 

[ChelseaRose]

And when I say violent I mean he's thrashing around a lot running into things. Looks like he's trying to rip his gills off its so sad to watch I found a scratch on his tail today must have been from running into a plant or hide or something during one of his itching episodes.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

 

[auntiejude]

This sounds more like internal discomfort rather than itching or irritation.

What do you feed your axies and how often?

 

[ChelseaRose]

I feed both of them live black worms every other day. He might also have internal discomfort but his gills are definitely bothering him. He is bending his body and trying to scratch it with his back leg and sometimes he twitches one of them very rapidly. Seems like it's just the one that is bothering him. He's also rubbing his head against the sand and his hides. Other than the scratching and thrashing which he is not doing constantly he seems fine. He's eating his color is good and his gills and tail aren't curled.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

 

[Bellabelloo]

Could you maybe add a photo or even a video so we can see?

 

[ChelseaRose]

I haven't been able to get a good pic or video but he looks perfectly normal. I can't see anything on him that could be bothering him. I have looked at his gills as much as I can and I can't see anything....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free