Worried about my axolotl :/

[chlo]

I was having issues with my filter and this caused a lot of ¿bacteria? to spread throughout the tank and the water would be milky every time I did a water change. I ended up buying a new filter and taking my axolotl out of the tank while I did a 80% water change and put the new filter in. I left it about 2 hours before putting my axolotl back in, but I wish I waited longer as he hasn’t been right since. He isn’t as active and he doesn’t come to the front of the tank like he used to- he enjoyed seeing people now he just doesn’t care. His gills are shorter than normal (they were already short since another axolotl apparently “ate” them in the pet shop before we bought him). He’s refusing to eat, but I only fed him a few days ago so I’m not as worried about that for now. I’m not sure if he’s sick or there’s something wrong with the water or maybe I’m just being paranoid.

I’m not sure if this made any sense but I’m really worried he’s going to die as he’s normally a very active lil guy.

 

[GulfCoastAxolotls]

I was having issues with my filter and this caused a lot of ¿bacteria? to spread throughout the tank and the water would be milky every time I did a water change. I ended up buying a new filter and taking my axolotl out of the tank while I did a 80% water change and put the new filter in. I left it about 2 hours before putting my axolotl back in, but I wish I waited longer as he hasn’t been right since. He isn’t as active and he doesn’t come to the front of the tank like he used to- he enjoyed seeing people now he just doesn’t care. His gills are shorter than normal (they were already short since another axolotl apparently “ate” them in the pet shop before we bought him). He’s refusing to eat, but I only fed him a few days ago so I’m not as worried about that for now. I’m not sure if he’s sick or there’s something wrong with the water or maybe I’m just being paranoid.

I’m not sure if this made any sense but I’m really worried he’s going to die as he’s normally a very active lil guy.

what are your water parameters? ammonia, nitrates, nitrates, pH?
Are you using any chemicals in the tank? water conditioners/dechlorinators?

 

[chlo]

I do not know about that since I don’t have the equipment for it, which I will be buying once I have the money. I use aquasafe and accu clear.

 

[GulfCoastAxolotls]

I do not know about that since I don’t have the equipment for it, which I will be buying once I have the money. I use aquasafe and accu clear.

knowing your water parameters is the most important part of owning an axolotl. you should be testing your water at least once a week. gill damage/poor health are usually water quality related. I suspect your ammonia is probably high, which would explain the cloudy water. at this point, I would recommend removing your axolotl and placing him in a tub of cold fresh water (changed 100% daily). Then do 30-40% changes daily on the tank for the next 3 days. that should help re-stabilize your chemical levels into a safer range, however without testing your water, it would be hard to determine.

 

[BasilBear]

Hello,
I agree with GulfCoastAxolotl and think you should definitely purchase a test kit, it is definitely an important part of axolotl owning And also GulfCoastAxolotl is probably right in saying that the ammonia may be high. This is a bit random, but I was wondering if your aquarium is fully cycled? An aquarium that is not cycled can cause all sorts of issues, if not I would definitely get on that! There are a lot of good information on the web on how to cycle an axolotl aquarium. I suggest looking at ivy's axolotls guide to cycling an aquarium: Easy Axolotl Tank Cycling Guide
Okay now back to the cloudy water problem, like I said before it could be high ammonia (which would be harmful) but it could also be a bacteria bloom, and I believe bacteria blooms are completely harmless and will pass quickly. For more information on bacteria blooms and other reasons behind cloudy axolotl tanks I would definitely check out this video by girl talks fish:

. With that being said, I just wanted to say that I am not an expert but I have been caring for my axolotl for almost 2 years now and I have a bit of experience. I also understand what you are going through with being so worried about your axolotl. Know that its not to late and you will be able to solve whatever is going on, one step at a time.