Axolotl floating/unresponsive but heart is still beating

[chezzeh]

This is my first post, i just made this account for urgent help.
i got my axolotl as a baby almost a month ago. he has had water changes every other day, the ph is monitored, and his water is kept cool. he eats bloodworms and pellets.

this routine has not changed at all, but he started floating, and is unresponsive. i did not find him upside down, though.

his gills have never been curled to show stress.

his heart is still beating, although its very dark. its darker than anything else in his body.
his belly is just barely, barely bloated.

he is currently in the fridge, please help!

 

[Caesar]

You check your pH,
but you need to check all your other water parameters (Ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates)

As far as him not responding but his heart still beating, I don't know what to suggest.

 

[Petersgirl]

Is he asleep?

As silly as it seems, I have axolotls that haven't responded even when I've touched them, and they were asleep.

Checking your parameters is a good idea, but if he shows no signs of improvement within the next day you may need to consider a vet.

I hope he gets better soon. Please keep us updated.

 

[chezzeh]

he has been in the fridge for roughly 36 hours, with still a steady heartbeat and bright pink gills. he hasnt been pale really at all, maybe once or twice, but his gills quickly light up again.

he hasnt responded to anything until today, i pressed a paintbrush against the side of his tail and he began wiggling. he ends up sideways, though.
he has a small black dot on his upper side belly, and im not sure if its a small grain of sand that managed to make its way into the tank or if its nothing. it wouldnt really explain his almost paralyzed state, though.

so far he has made a lot of progress. im hoping he pulls through this funk.

 

[chezzeh]

i just checked on him, and it seems like he has random moments when his gills will turn pale, but then return back to being pink minutes later.

they also seem to almost be shedding, but it might just be some kind of slime, it doesnt seem to be massive or a large issue (that i know of)

he has gone back to being unresponsive completely, but a couple minutes ago he was moving his tail.

i just dont know if hes in any form of pain or not

hes going to stay out tonight and on top of a form of ice pack to keep his water cold still.

 

[LSuzuki]

You need to check all of your water parameters.

How much water are you changing every other day? Chlorinated water or well water? Are you dechlorinating it and if so, with what? Are you familiar with "the cycle"? Is the tank cycled? What kind of filter? What kind of decorations are in the tank? Any substrate, and if so, what?

Most of the time (not always) illness in an axolotl are directly or indirectly caused by poor conditions. Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate are all toxic to some degree or another. That may not be the case here, though.

I hope your baby improves.

 

[chezzeh]

since hes really small (probably less than 3 inches long) i get really worried about using a filter because of the flow, so i would do full water changes every day to every other day. this seemed to be going fine for about 3 to 4 weeks, and he had no issue with it, but i did plan on getting him a filter as soon as he got to be about 4 or 5 inches.

he never had substrate in his tank, and he had 2 little hideaways that he would sleep in, but besides that, i didnt really keep a lot in there because i was afraid he would manage to swallow something.

i have well water, so i dont use a dechlorinater, but i have used ph down and an ammonia neutralizer in the past with no problems

up until this point, hes been really healthy, hes been eating fine, pooping (a lot) and swimming about, he never floated before either.

 

[LSuzuki]

This may not help at all ... Some very reputable people recommend using a good dechorinator product (e.g., Prime) to neutralize any heavy metals in the water. If something in the well water is causing problems, I would not expect such a product to instantly fix the issue - it might take time, as it took time for the problem to develop.

pH down (and other pH adjusting chemicals) are not recommended. Some fish-safe products are not axolotl-safe. Having said that, it probably is not the cause of the problem. FWIW, my pH runs 8.2, and the axies are happy - no need to drop the pH.

It is possible that the axie has a defect of some sort. That rapid change from pale to pink and back makes me wonder ... I've had axies that turn ghost-like pale in the middle of the night, but not that do a rapid swing.

I'm hoping some of the more knowledgeable people see a clue that I'm missing. It is very sad when a pet is sick and you can't figure out how to help.

 

[AxolotlChris]

Well water can contain many contaminants, as well as high levels of toxins you do not want. Using a dechlorinator is still advised, as well as checking with who ever provides the water source to see what chemicals/toxins the water actually holds.
http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-beginner-newt-salamander-axolotl-help-topics/f48-axolotls-ambystoma-mexicanum/f58-sick-axolotl/98631-well-water-making-axolotls-abnormal.html

If you are actually changing the water 100% everyday then the Ammonia levels should not be high. Since your changing your water 100% everyday I highly doubt your tank is cycled. Cycling is one of the most important factors for keeping your Axolotl alive in a healthy environment.

Its very important for you to be aware of the Nitrogen Cycle, and for you to regularly test your Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates, and PH levels.

Read these links on cycling:
Caudata Culture Articles - Cycling
Caudata Culture Articles - Water Quality

Can you post some images of your Axolotl and tank? It may be fine to start using a filter suitable for your tank size, which means you can start to establish a functioning cycle.

You said it seems like the gills are shedding? if that is the case then poor water quality seems to be playing a part. Not sure if putting him in the fridge was needed.

Not sure on the changing of color rapidly.. are you sure that's actually the case? Again can you get some images of this?

 

[chezzeh]

his tank has been cleaned out but i have pictures of his hides. his gills have been pale all day today so i couldnt get a picture of the change.

 

[LSuzuki]

Do you have a test kit? If not, do you have a fish store nearby that can test the water for you? Sometimes well water is contaminated with higher levels of Nitrite or Nitrate. That could be a contributing factor. And if not, we can stop suggesting that "maybe it is the water" and think of other possibilities easier.

When you get the test kit, get a dechlorinator that handles heavy metals too. Prime is good. Avoid dechlorinators not mentioned as "axolotl safe" on this site - some are not appropriate for axolotls. Avoid "stress coat" projucts, as some of them cause skin reactions in some axolotls.

 

[chezzeh]

my axolotl passed today. he was in the fridge, and when i went to check to see if he had a heart beat, yellow like puss began coming from his nose and rear end.

sad day

 

[LSuzuki]

I'm sorry. I wish we'd been able to help.