Fluffy bits on gills falling off!!!!

[sharn]

hi all.just got my axolotl a new tank and within the last few hours the fluffy bits on his gills started to dissappear and white mucusy stuff was coming off them when he flapped them... i did a salt wash as suggested.. but hes not lookin to healthy.. one side of his head has pretty much no fluffies and fowards facing. the other side is just missing fluffies.please help and quick!!!!

 

[mik]

sharn, it sounds like there is some kind of strong irritant in your tank. Did you rinse it out before setting up and clean everything going in?
Any chance you can return your axie to his old tank and water?

If not; set up a clean plastic tub or bucket with fresh water in it and transfer your axie to there while you think about the new tank and tell us as much as you can, what is in it, how you set it up, what preoerations you made, size, temperature and so on.

Continue to give him salt baths twice a day and return him to the fresh water container afterwards. You may need to do daily water changes as it won't have a filter.

Not much now but we need more information and at least you can keep an eye on him.

 

[sharn]

I got the new tank yesterday its about 60 cm x 30 x 30. way bigger than his last one. i just scrubbed it out with just water and a cloth to get it all clean... the temperature is averaging around 17-18 c. but last week it was up in the 23s so i had a ice bottle in it.he seems better this morning his gills look less tattery even though theyre nearly all gone. nearly all of his old water went into his new tank then i topped it up with new water.he couldve hurt himself yesterday. i went to pick him up to move him and he jumpt outa my hand and hit the side of the bowl... hes normally okay with me picking him up.i also noticed lots of tiny bumps all over his head and on his tummy and tiny white lookin rigs on his eyes. its only been about a month since i got him so could this be diseases and stuff from the pet shop they had about 6 or seven axies in the tank about the same size as mine....ill continue to bath him twice a day and hope it helps

 

[sharn]

just put him into a bowl after his salt bath. he started scratchin at hits head with his feet. the tank came with a under gravel filter and the bits come up i took out cuz they have carbon in them.. i duno if this is the prblm but just in case. hes seems to be keepin his gills against his head too.oh and another problem. im going away tomrrow for two days. what can i do to continue the treatment when im away

 

[cynthia]

Sharn can you post a clear picture of your axolotl? It might help us, help you if we can see the condition.

I have never seen an axolotl with irritation so bad that it tried to scratch its head with its feet. Did all the bumps appear suddenly? Could it be infested with a parasite?

 

[sharn]

i have no idea i was just lookin at him the other day and noticed them on his head and around the sides of his tummy, also he became ribbed after i got him, is that normal?. i cant take a pic as i have no camera!!!it looks like his gills are pretty much bare, the fluffies are scraggly. i just cleaned out the whole tank. everything in it was cleaned with boiling water and replaced. i have the filter on now. lucian is now under my bed in a bowl.hes stressed as, his tail tip is curved AHHHHH

 

[sharn]

was just reading the one about the melting gills. this is exactly the same as what happend to mine. they say it could be because he got a new tank and was stressed.??? and the water the less gills they need....

 

[cynthia]

Well he is defiantly stressed, his tail is curled and his gills are falling apart.

I don't think the "more oxygen in the water the less gills they need" theory allows for the gills to all fall off at once. I would think the change would be more gradual. But I could be wrong. I have never personally experienced this.

I hope yours is doing better when you return from your 2 days away.