What has poor Diablo done to his arm? skinned?

[carriw]

Hi all
Just checked my boys and discovered that poor Diablo appears to have skinned his arm somehow? I have hopefully attached a photograph to this post.

I do not know how as everything in the tank is quite safe and they have been in there for years with no accidents. His arm still functions but he is holding it backwards a lot and resting his body a bit sideways - I thought he might be dead at first :-(

SO my question is, what am I best doing with him. Remove as much as I can from the tank until it recovers? (will it even recover?!)
And do I need to separate him and Blanco? I have a divider that I can use if they are ok in same water, or do I need to set him up a rehabilitation tuppaware of his own? (Dont have a way to filter this though).

Many thanks for your thoughts.
Carri

 

[axolotl newbie]

Ouch. It looks like he may have been bitten. I think I would use the divider until he heals and look out for fungus.

 

[net]

agree with anna

 

[carriw]

Thanks. I wondered that but Blanco isn't much of a biter...there has been the occasional nibble of each others toes by accident over food but this is like the whole skin of his arm but not hand has been peeled back (and is still there hanging), like maybe he got it trapped somewhere. I would be surprised if Blanco was capabable of a bite as sustained as that...but I shall never know what happened. Thanks for your advice. What should I do if I spot fungus? Water bath? Divider is in and both look content this morning thank goodness. Diablo is eating too which is a good sign.

 

[carriw]

*sigh* yes he now has white fungus growing on the injured arm. Do you recommend brief salt baths as instructed on the axolotl webpage? thanks

 

[carriw]

or would a tea bath be more suitable because this is an open wound and salt will hurt/irritate? Also lothe to fridge him as am away for 48hours at the weekend and water couldnt be changed.

 

[Kaysie]

Salt baths for fungus, in conjunction with the refrigerator. Once the fungus has cleared up, almond leaves are fine to help heal the wound.

48 hours isn't too long. Use a large container. I would definitely keep him fridged for that time though.

 

[carriw]

Okay thanks. I gave him his first salt bath last night anyway and I will progress to fridging him too.
Carri

 

[carriw]

UPDATE: He appears to be doing ok. has had daily salt baths and been fridged thurs-tues morning and after slowly returning to normal temperature is back in his tank now (separated) and eating again. Will continue with the salt baths daily but the fungus appears to be in check and arm looking less nasty.

 

[racheljritchie]

my lolt had an injury like that before and it was a bite, they had been eating and ones arm ended up in others mouth they darted across the tank and then he let go, it wasn't as raw as that but it healed fine she just has a bump of extra skin where it kinda folded down.
Hope its doing better now :happy: