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white slime algae and high ammonia

Axolotl owner_neco

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I have had my axolotl for 2 months and right after the cycle was over i started seeing white slimy stuff all over the decorations, plants and filter. I have done lots of research and still can't seem to pinpoint exactly what it is, and it seems to be raising the ammonia. I would do a 100 percent water change to get it all out but no matter how much i clean it, it just comes back and i'm worried my tank will recycle. We went through a long and hard cycling process and would not want to do it again. does anyone have any suggestions?
 

Calgarycoppers

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Can you post pictures?

If could be lack of water flow

It isn't raising you ammonia that is waster doing that and any ammonia is toxic especially in cold water
 

Axolotl owner_neco

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here are some pictures its floating around because i knocked it out of the filter so you could see better
 

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Calgarycoppers

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that looks like a biofilm for some of it and some looks like fungus from something decaying.

It on its own is not causing ammonia issues

What do you feed?

What are your current water parameters?
Temp, pH, high range pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate
 

EasternRomioi3

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Hey, my little axolotl has some of this stuff too. What is it? How do we test for nitrites and stuff? Everything is closed in my area and by the time I get off work, curfew has everything closed.
 

Calgarycoppers

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You can order a freshwater master test kit from amazon, chewy, petsmart maybe petco etc.

In Canada they are about $40

That set gives you pH, high range pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate which are the critical values. I also test GH and KH and am getting a copper and iron test soon to add.

Can you post a pic of your axolotl ? It may be true fungus and need tubbing until you can test your tank


Hey, my little axolotl has some of this stuff too. What is it? How do we test for nitrites and stuff? Everything is closed in my area and by the time I get off work, curfew has everything closed.
 

EasternRomioi3

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You can order a freshwater master test kit from amazon, chewy, petsmart maybe petco etc.

In Canada they are about $40

That set gives you pH, high range pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate which are the critical values. I also test GH and KH and am getting a copper and iron test soon to add.

Can you post a pic of your axolotl ? It may be true fungus and need tubbing until you can test your tank


Yes, I will attach one here. You replied to my post from a few days ago. I think I just need to lower her ammonia levels. But we did have an incident yesterday while I was feeding her, my mom's new puppy chased her cat into my axolotl's tank. I got him out before he could hurt her or tip the tank, she hid all night till like midnight. But she's up and around, swimming, eating fine. When I fed her tonight, she swam up, grabbed the worm, and in her sucking motion, some of this clear, mucus-like stuff flew off and was quickly picked up by the filter.

The photo I attached is right before I fed her, it left and her gills are completely clean and free now. I haven't noticed her scratching at her gills, or swimming around erratically, she's been her usual, happy self. She likes to take her worms and go under her drift wood to eat them. She had a normal bowel movement 2 days ago, cleaned it when I got home from work, so it sat there for at least 8 hours. There's a pet store near me that will test the water for free and sell us whatever we need to fix it. I think she needs a new filter. I am very worried about her though, she's my pet, my mom has all these other nasty ones, but she antagonizes me for taking care of that "ugly fish thing" as she calls it. It hurts me a lot to hear her say that.

Anyways, here's the photo. Like I said, there is NONE of it on the rest of the tank, nothing on her, she is currently without it, after feeding her tonight at 9pm, when I got home from work.
 

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Calgarycoppers

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Nothing they sell will fix cycling issues
If you have Ammonia or Nitrites you need to tub her and finish cycling your tank or deal with the mini cycle.
If your Nitrates are 40 or higher you need to do a minimum 50% water change if its 80 or above its daily 50% for 3 days as you need it under 20ppm

Good luck

Remember many pet stores are more interested in upselling unneeded items than the health of the ecosytem and pet.

Jordanne

Yes, I will attach one here. You replied to my post from a few days ago. I think I just need to lower her ammonia levels. But we did have an incident yesterday while I was feeding her, my mom's new puppy chased her cat into my axolotl's tank. I got him out before he could hurt her or tip the tank, she hid all night till like midnight. But she's up and around, swimming, eating fine. When I fed her tonight, she swam up, grabbed the worm, and in her sucking motion, some of this clear, mucus-like stuff flew off and was quickly picked up by the filter.

The photo I attached is right before I fed her, it left and her gills are completely clean and free now. I haven't noticed her scratching at her gills, or swimming around erratically, she's been her usual, happy self. She likes to take her worms and go under her drift wood to eat them. She had a normal bowel movement 2 days ago, cleaned it when I got home from work, so it sat there for at least 8 hours. There's a pet store near me that will test the water for free and sell us whatever we need to fix it. I think she needs a new filter. I am very worried about her though, she's my pet, my mom has all these other nasty ones, but she antagonizes me for taking care of that "ugly fish thing" as she calls it. It hurts me a lot to hear her say that.

Anyways, here's the photo. Like I said, there is NONE of it on the rest of the tank, nothing on her, she is currently without it, after feeding her tonight at 9pm, when I got home from work.
 

Calgarycoppers

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Its either fungus on the gill or debris biofilm from the tank.

The water quality is a bigger issue.

If you have any ammonia or nitrite you need to tub her ASAP
IF you suspect but dont know tub her until you know.
 

EasternRomioi3

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I found out the problem, her water has almost no alkalinity. No pet store around has any alkalinity buffer so I have to order it from Amazon. Everything else in her water was perfect, pH good, ammonia good, nitrites and nitrates are good. Just no alkalinity.
 

Calgarycoppers

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You can add crushed coral or oyster shells in a nylon into the filter to help or make Holtfreters solution which has been long used for Axolotls health and wellness which has Calcium Carbonate.
 
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