Weird gills... is he old or is something wrong? (Update: Morphing?)

[EasternRomioi3]

Oh God, he is so adorable and precious. I love.

 

[KOsika]

thank you guys so much for being so patient with me. I’m used to other communities jumping down my throat with criticisms that I did something wrong and I feel very supported here.

EasternRomioi, thank you for asking, we’re both doing much better. Steve is continuing to eat normally and is still very active. I need to make a trip to Lowe’s tomorrow to get a fitting for this RODI pump because buying distilled water is starting to produce a lot of plastic waste x.x he’s doing very well!

does anyone know: will the kink in his tail straighten out as he gets better or is his tail just like that now? I was thinking about that today while checking the water.

I dug up an old pic of him when I first got him to compare his eyes. You guys seem more familiar with what’s normal... it kinda seems like his eyes were always like this but maybe it’s more exaggerated now? What do you think?

 

[Bellabelloo]

I think he is looking just fine. The little curl in his tail can indicate that Steve is stressed, but keeping a close eye on his water parameters and temperature may see it in curl. If not it's just another one of Steve's little quirks. I think he is lovely and a great litt!e companion

 

[EasternRomioi3]

Oh my, if you ask me, he's eyes look the same.

 

[Helloworld]

I’d say that he’s probably a bit stressed, but he actually seems a bit better, and seems he is quite healthy, because he moves around well, except for the stuck foot, though the foot doesnt really look »stuck » I’m sure hes completely fine! I agree that he isnt morphing but im sure with time his gills will grow back!

 

[KOsika]

Steve seems to be doing well, he’s still eating and moving normally. I’m thinking about putting his tank back to normal and increasing the water level, since he doesn’t seem interested in the land parts.

i Got an adapter for the rodi system so I can hook it up to my mom’s sinks and I’m going to test its quality tomorrow to see what canisters,if any need replacing. But I am concerned I’m going to be doing frequent water changes still. I’ve been having to do water changes on the lower water level daily and it’s gettting to be a lot. I’m worried it will be similarly frequent with a full tank...

can I use something like a nitrate removal pad in the filter to help with that? I’m not sure if those even work... thoughts? Or am I just over estimating how often I’ll have to change the water?

 

[Helloworld]

I think he’ll go back to normal, im sure the gills disappeared due to the ammonia leak but I think he’s a strong lil lottle and’ll make it just fine!

 

[KOsika]

I refilled his tank and have continued feeding him every day. He always seems enthusiastic about food. As I suspected would happen tho, this water is already full of nitrates again so I’ll have to filter some more water and do a large water change. I’ve sortve lost all concept of what a normal water change schedule is so maybe every week and a half isn’t too bad. I think with my mental state it feels like a lot at the moment but I’ll do what I gotta do for my little guy. He seems about the same otherwise so keep you updated if anything dramatic changes.

 

[KOsika]

A little update since it’s been a while... idk y’all he doesn’t look good at all. He’s at least 8 and it feels like his days are numbered. He’s eating just fine but he looks thin to me and the gills on the one side seem even shorter than before, and his tail curl keeps getting worse. I’m trying to keep his water clean but I feel like he looks worse... can I get some second opinions? I wish there was a vet in the area I could take him to but everyone is closed. I don’t know what to do. I feel like I’m killing him.

 

[Binditheaxolotl]

A little update since it’s been a while... idk y’all he doesn’t look good at all. He’s at least 8 and it feels like his days are numbered. He’s eating just fine but he looks thin to me and the gills on the one side seem even shorter than before, and his tail curl keeps getting worse. I’m trying to keep his water clean but I feel like he looks worse... can I get some second opinions? I wish there was a vet in the area I could take him to but everyone is closed. I don’t know what to do. I feel like I’m killing him.

Okay, that definitely looks like a morphing axolotl now. What are your parameters? Ik we’ve debated for a while but now he definitely looks like he’s morphing, with the tail fin and receding back fin. But I agree, his morphing doesn’t look right. I would test all of your parameters.

 

[KOsika]

Okay, that definitely looks like a morphing axolotl now. What are your parameters? Ik we’ve debated for a while but now he definitely looks like he’s morphing, with the tail fin and receding back fin. But I agree, his morphing doesn’t look right. I would test all of your parameters.

I don’t know he hasn’t been going for air at all. I’m not an expert but I don’t know if he’s morphing. Shouldn’t it have happened by now?

I can’t remember all the parameters off the top of my head from his water change today but he’s been getting ro/di water with 2tsp of ro right across the 15 gallons. The water has 0ppm of ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates and I’ve been changing his water before it gets above 40ppm nitrates. I’ll retest in the morning and see.

 

[KerfuffleFace]

Hey Kosika - As others have mentioned - good for you keeping up the efforts to diagnose and treat your buddy. I noticed reading through the posts that you were hesitant to go to a vet due to COVID 19. I just had to resort to taking mine into the vet, and where I am in ontario canada the vet was still able to look at him no problem ( I just had to wait outside in the parking lot) - in looking for vets I stumbled on a great post on this forum to locate a vet for axolotl's in your area as many vets wont / dont know how to treat them.

heres the link: Herp Veterinarians
covers vets in the US, Canada and the UK
Hope this helps!

 

[KOsika]

Hey Kosika - As others have mentioned - good for you keeping up the efforts to diagnose and treat your buddy. I noticed reading through the posts that you were hesitant to go to a vet due to COVID 19. I just had to resort to taking mine into the vet, and where I am in ontario canada the vet was still able to look at him no problem ( I just had to wait outside in the parking lot) - in looking for vets I stumbled on a great post on this forum to locate a vet for axolotl's in your area as many vets wont / dont know how to treat them.

heres the link: Herp Veterinarians
covers vets in the US, Canada and the UK
Hope this helps!

It’s not that I’m hesitant to go to a vet because of covid. It’s that I physically cannot. I’ve been trying to find a new primary vet for my cat as well and no vets in my area are accepting new clients, at all. My cat’s previous vet from before I moved was doing the “wait outside for them” thing and I didn’t mind it. But after I moved, I called every vet in my area and they all said the same thing. No vet will see my pets, period but I’ll check out the link in case I missed one. Thanks for trying to help!

Editing to add: I’m dealing with a shoulder injury and will get parameters as soon as I’m able. It’s been a rough couple days.

 

[EasternRomioi3]

@KOsika

You're in PA, right? Where at, I can ask my mom, she's a retired vet, maybe she can give me names or point you in the right direction.

How are you? I too, am injured, broke my right hand.

How is your axolotl? Is he for real changing? Sorry, can't type well. How are you holding up?

 

[KOsika]

@KOsika

You're in PA, right? Where at, I can ask my mom, she's a retired vet, maybe she can give me names or point you in the right direction.

How are you? I too, am injured, broke my right hand.

How is your axolotl? Is he for real changing? Sorry, can't type well. How are you holding up?

Yeah I'm in PA. Eastern, near Reading/Lancaster area. If your mom knows anyone that would be really helpful. I've called everyone I can find phone numbers for in those areas and no one is seeing new clients and only one vet could make me an appointment for my cat at the end of January.

I'm struggling tbh. Everything is hard right now and my shoulders have just... well we're not sure what's going on. Sitting up was so painful the last couple days. I went to see a massage therapist and she got it to the point that I can at least function but it's still sore and I can't lift anything.

Steve seems... idk. Energy wise he seems fine. He jumps around and gets all excited about food, he's eating normally, but he just seems thin and frail and his gills look.. bad. I'm not sure if he's morphing or not. He hasn't been going for air and he's not developing eyelids. He doesn't act sick but he sure looks sick. I wish I could take him to a vet... I know this forum isn't a replacement for a vet but it's all I have right now so I'm just trying to keep an eye on all the things people are saying to look out for. Thanks for asking about us <3

 

[EasternRomioi3]

Aw, that's the whole other end of the state. My mom has no contacts out there but we'll keep looking.

Your little guy still eating regularly? Sorry, short answer, hand in a cast, hard to type.

 

[KOsika]

Sorry to bump this old thread but I wanted to give everyone an update. He is still eating regularly and enthusiastically. His gills have not improved but I've been more diligent with water changes and am checking the water quality more often. I've also begun more aggressively chilling his water. I'll admit I was a bit lazy with it before. I don't know if his gills can even regrow at this point but he doesn't seem distressed so I'm keeping an eye on him.

Thank you all again for all your advice. I was really struggling mentally in december and I felt like I was going to lose my little buddy because I couldn't care for him properly anymore. Now I'm in a much better place and have the energy to give him the attention he deserves.

 

[EasternRomioi3]

Sorry to bump this old thread but I wanted to give everyone an update. He is still eating regularly and enthusiastically. His gills have not improved but I've been more diligent with water changes and am checking the water quality more often. I've also begun more aggressively chilling his water. I'll admit I was a bit lazy with it before. I don't know if his gills can even regrow at this point but he doesn't seem distressed so I'm keeping an eye on him.

Thank you all again for all your advice. I was really struggling mentally in december and I felt like I was going to lose my little buddy because I couldn't care for him properly anymore. Now I'm in a much better place and have the energy to give him the attention he deserves.

Aw, I'm glad he's still doing good though.

 

[KOsika]

Another little update: I got tired of rotating ice packs in his water so I bought him a chiller. Now he’s hanging out at a nice, cool 64 degrees he seems more energetic now? He goes crazy when I come up to the tank now and follows me wherever I go. He’s still eating well and enthusiastically! Only weird thing is that little bump on his foot I posted about but that’s it.

Fingers crossed he might grow his gills back. Even if he doesn’t, that’s ok. I just want him to be comfortable.

Does anyone know: is Kent RO Right still the best thing to be adding back into his water? Or would Seachem Equillibrium or something else be better? I need to order more soon and I wasn’t sure if one was better than the other considering his gill situation.