How did this happen?

[inuratus]

So I received an axolotl about 5-6 months old almost 3 weeks ago. He is currently tubbed as my fish tank isn't cycled (been over a month and still nothing) and was told that he could be tubbed as long as I perform 100% water changes daily.

So I first started doing 100% water changes once a day until it seems like his gills were deteriorating. I did an ammonia test in the water and it was almost 2ppm which I believe is terribly high. So I started to do two 100% water changes 12 hrs apart. This seemed to help for as time went on his gills became fuller.

However week two into the having him he started to develop white fuzzy tendrils, think stringy fibers but with some fluff. For a couple of days these fuzzies would come and go. Somedays he'd have nothing on him, others he'd have some on his skin. Regardless everyday I see fuzzies in the water attached or not.

What caused this and is this dreaded fungus? I have been very attentive to the water temperature keeping at a cool 63 degrees F. I basically fill up a container with tap water, dechlorinate and stick it in the fridge as my water runs around 70 out of the tap. So then I add some hot water and measure with a thermometer until the water reaches 63 and stays there. I then plop him in and do this as I said twice a day.

Is there something that I'm missing that I could be doing wrong? He still growing so he feeds almost everyday. I feed him in a separate container whenever I do the water change, so food never even reaches his home. I suction out waste whenever he makes it. And yet this problem hasn't gone away.

I am so stressed and worried that if I don't do anything this will progress to something bigger. I've been reading endlessly about salt baths and it seems like it's a very 50/50 toss up. I see some say that they did a salt bath and it killed their axie and then others say they did a salt bath and it cured them. Just due to the high number of people reporting deaths over the salt baths has me not even wanting to try, but I don't have any experience to say otherwise.

I did contact the person who gave me the axie who said she's dealt with others returning their pets due to fungal grow. So I figure she'd know how to treat it. But all she told me was to basically make sure everything is clean and that I kept the temperature cold and consistent.

Please if anyone has any advice I would love the help for I am at a loss for how to progress.

 

[Calgarycoppers]

What are you using to dechlorinate your tap water?

What temp is the tub being kept at?

 

[inuratus]

I am using API Water Conditioner. The tub stays between 60-63. I have a fan clamped to it.

 

[Noodlethenewt]

I’m not an expert but you could try fridging her to keep it cooler, also maybe purchase precycled filter media from an aquarium shop to hurry the tank up. Again I’m not an expert so I’d consult some other people as well

 

[EasternRomioi3]

@inuratus

I am currently fighting a fungal infection on my axolotl. Let me see if I can help you. So my girl has been fighting it for about a month now. I have FINALLY lost my patience with waiting and seeing approach, mainly because like 1/4th of one of her gill stalks fell off. I started doing salt baths. However, my axolotl is almost 3 years old now. She is a big tubbo. How long is your axolotl?

With that said, I bought a dollar store bucket with a decent amount of space. I added 2 quarts of water from her tank, then I get aquarium salt, specifically aquarium salt. I know it's trustworthy that way. A big box of it is 6 bucks in my state. So I add 4 teaspoons of the salt, put an air stone in, hook it up to my filter, and then wait for all the salt to dissolve. I stir it gently for a bit. Then I check the temperature to make sure it's very close to the same as my axolotl's tank, then I add her. Now, let me warn you, again, my axolotl is full grown adult, 4 teaspoons (2 teaspoons per quart) are enough to fully submerge her and treat her fungus. I would NOT do 4 teaspoons for two quarts with a little axolotl. I'd only do like 2, or 3 teaspoons.

Another warning, this hurts. The first salt bath my girl had, she freaked, she was so angry. Got into her defensive posture, puffed up, but the biggest clump of fungus fell off! Mine only stays in the salt bath 10 minutes. Any longer and you will just hurt them a lot. So, now that I gave you an idea, I want you to NOT give your little guy a salt bath until you have given it more time. To me, it's a last resort and I know my girl is big and tough.

I know how upsetting it is to see your axolotl be in this state, trust me. I go without sleep for a few days over this. The only thing my mom can think of (my mom's a retired vet, but with no experience on anything reptilian or amphibian) is the temp. My house does not have AC and my axolotl's tank can go get as warm as 68 degrees and then I cool it down to like 62, but my mom thinks that cooling and whatnot is causing the fungus. I have no idea if this is true.

Do you have anymore photos of your little guy? Could you send a photo of the tank that he's supposed to live in? Have you gotten the tank cycled yet?

Hang in there, don't hesitate to message me if you need to vent or anything. I've had some serious issues with my poor axolotl this summer. I got the coronavirus and was in the hospital, away from her, then my mom's cat fell in the tank, crashed the cycle, I would go like 2 days without sleep over my axolotl's health. She was given to me by my best friend before she moved away, so I am hyper protective of her.

 

[inuratus]

@inuratus

I am currently fighting a fungal infection on my axolotl. Let me see if I can help you. So my girl has been fighting it for about a month now. I have FINALLY lost my patience with waiting and seeing approach, mainly because like 1/4th of one of her gill stalks fell off. I started doing salt baths. However, my axolotl is almost 3 years old now. She is a big tubbo. How long is your axolotl?

With that said, I bought a dollar store bucket with a decent amount of space. I added 2 quarts of water from her tank, then I get aquarium salt, specifically aquarium salt. I know it's trustworthy that way. A big box of it is 6 bucks in my state. So I add 4 teaspoons of the salt, put an air stone in, hook it up to my filter, and then wait for all the salt to dissolve. I stir it gently for a bit. Then I check the temperature to make sure it's very close to the same as my axolotl's tank, then I add her. Now, let me warn you, again, my axolotl is full grown adult, 4 teaspoons (2 teaspoons per quart) are enough to fully submerge her and treat her fungus. I would NOT do 4 teaspoons for two quarts with a little axolotl. I'd only do like 2, or 3 teaspoons.

Another warning, this hurts. The first salt bath my girl had, she freaked, she was so angry. Got into her defensive posture, puffed up, but the biggest clump of fungus fell off! Mine only stays in the salt bath 10 minutes. Any longer and you will just hurt them a lot. So, now that I gave you an idea, I want you to NOT give your little guy a salt bath until you have given it more time. To me, it's a last resort and I know my girl is big and tough.

I know how upsetting it is to see your axolotl be in this state, trust me. I go without sleep for a few days over this. The only thing my mom can think of (my mom's a retired vet, but with no experience on anything reptilian or amphibian) is the temp. My house does not have AC and my axolotl's tank can go get as warm as 68 degrees and then I cool it down to like 62, but my mom thinks that cooling and whatnot is causing the fungus. I have no idea if this is true.

Do you have anymore photos of your little guy? Could you send a photo of the tank that he's supposed to live in? Have you gotten the tank cycled yet?

Hang in there, don't hesitate to message me if you need to vent or anything. I've had some serious issues with my poor axolotl this summer. I got the coronavirus and was in the hospital, away from her, then my mom's cat fell in the tank, crashed the cycle, I would go like 2 days without sleep over my axolotl's health. She was given to me by my best friend before she moved away, so I am hyper protective of her.

Thank you for such a thorough reply! Sorry I'm getting back to it late. My axie is 6 inches long, but in size he is still very small. I've been doing some tea baths to see if it would help and while it hasn't fallen off his gills, it hasn't progressed either. But I've been told that I should be using Prime conditioner so I just bought some of that to help with his ammonia. He's still eating and being active which is good to see. And he doesn't look so stressed, because when I got him he was very stressed which could have made him susceptible to it to begin with.

What's really frustrating is seeing the fungus in the water when I check on him. Like I have no idea why it keeps growing. Even with my water changes, by the time it comes to do another the tub is just littered with it.
I have attached some pictures of him and what is supposed to be his permanent home. Just note that he doesn't live in this little tub. It's just what he goes in while I do the water changes. The tank has yet to finish cycling and I'm just so frustrated. I've been doing this for about a month and a half now. It just seems not to go anywhere. I have been cycling it with ammonia and I just wondered if my source of ammonia could be the issue. So I bought a new bottle. I just feel that it means I have to start from scratch and that's a daunting thought.

 

[Calgarycoppers]

Okay first the "fungus" in the water is debris not fungus. It doesn't grow a separate entity.

I have 10 tanks of axolotls, 2 10g breeding tubs and many individual tubs for my babies. I do not get fungus on my axos even in the height of summer and the water gets to 68-70 for the few days.

I use Johns solution at 20% as preventative in all of those tanks and tubs. It gives the minerals and "salts" the axolotls need to prevent fungus from ever getting started.

Here is my HANDOUT on Johns - Caudata does list Johns solution on the Axolotl.org site - I just made it a bit easier

NEXT - at the coldest here in Canada my water comes out of the tap at 10 degrees celsius - My axos handle and LOVE the cold cold water I dont warm it up at all when I do water changes. Cold also helps prevent fungus and bacteria.

Good luck!!

 

[EasternRomioi3]

The stuff in your tank, that's just "sludge." My girl has that with whatever type of sand she's in. I think that stuff in your axolotl's gills looks like fungus but you gotta get that tank cycled. What type of filter are you using? I have two sponge ones in my axolotl's tank, they don't produce enough current to upset her and they keep her tank super clean.

 

[inuratus]

The stuff in your tank, that's just "sludge." My girl has that with whatever type of sand she's in. I think that stuff in your axolotl's gills looks like fungus but you gotta get that tank cycled. What type of filter are you using? I have two sponge ones in my axolotl's tank, they don't produce enough current to upset her and they keep her tank super clean.

I am using a sponge filter in a size that supports 40 gallons. My tank is a 20 gallon. I had started my cycle adding bottled bacteria which I've read that your mileage may vary. Then I kept a constant level of 4ppm of ammonia and never saw nitrites within a month. So I bought Seachem's Stability and of course that produced nitrites and nitrates but after I dosed it for the seven days, my ammonia never dropped again.

 

[inuratus]

Okay first the "fungus" in the water is debris not fungus. It doesn't grow a separate entity.

I have 10 tanks of axolotls, 2 10g breeding tubs and many individual tubs for my babies. I do not get fungus on my axos even in the height of summer and the water gets to 68-70 for the few days.

I use Johns solution at 20% as preventative in all of those tanks and tubs. It gives the minerals and "salts" the axolotls need to prevent fungus from ever getting started.

Here is my HANDOUT on Johns - Caudata does list Johns solution on the Axolotl.org site - I just made it a bit easier

NEXT - at the coldest here in Canada my water comes out of the tap at 10 degrees celsius - My axos handle and LOVE the cold cold water I dont warm it up at all when I do water changes. Cold also helps prevent fungus and bacteria.

Good luck!!

I just assumed it was fungus because it's white and stringy and it clings to my axie and floats in the water. Thank you for the document. I'll look into it if things don't resolve. Right now where I live the cold tap always runs ~21 degrees celsius which is too warm I've been told for an axolotl to be comfortable. That's why I used a combination of chilled water and warm water to get it to even out to ~17 degrees celsius.

 

[EasternRomioi3]

Oh man, that seems way too complicated. I just let the tank cycle naturally but then again, when I got her, I got a fully cycled filter since my best friend gave her to me when she moved. Then her tank cycle was reset when we had an encounter with worms...

My girl was doing fine all week, got rid of her fungus, she started to grow her missing gill stalk tip back and now she has like, a light white patch on the tip and I can't tell if it's fungus or just her stalk getting longer and not filling up with enough blood. I don't know.

Maybe you should try a second sponge filter. I got a half sized one for 10 gallon tanks but am currently running 2 larger ones. She's had stable water readings for like 2 months now. The two filters really made a huge difference.

 

[inuratus]

Oh man, that seems way too complicated. I just let the tank cycle naturally but then again, when I got her, I got a fully cycled filter since my best friend gave her to me when she moved. Then her tank cycle was reset when we had an encounter with worms...

My girl was doing fine all week, got rid of her fungus, she started to grow her missing gill stalk tip back and now she has like, a light white patch on the tip and I can't tell if it's fungus or just her stalk getting longer and not filling up with enough blood. I don't know.

Maybe you should try a second sponge filter. I got a half sized one for 10 gallon tanks but am currently running 2 larger ones. She's had stable water readings for like 2 months now. The two filters really made a huge difference.

It's not so much complicated as it is tedious. I wish I knew someone I could put my filter into their tank. The reason why I questioned the ammonia was because it might have surfactants. And if it does I would basically be killing any bacteria that is trying to grow.

I'm really glad to hear that her fungus has been treated. How many baths per day did you do per day and for how many days?

I will get another filter and see if that helps out. Thank you.

 

[EasternRomioi3]

Yeah, I got lucky that when I was recycling my girl's tank, I was gainfully unemployed, so I was home with her constantly.

So the baths I've done. We started on Friday with a bath that was definitely too salty. My girl was viciously upset. Then on Saturday, the 24th, we got it going. She got 2 baths a day, 24th to 27th, 1 bath was 10 minutes, 1 was 15. Two quarts of water (taken directly from her tank), put in a large, safe bucket, and 4 teaspoons of salt (2 teaspoons per quart). Today was her first day of 1 salt bath, for 15 minutes. The first two days caused immediate improvement. The fungus on her gill stalk fell off, it took the tip of the stalk with it, but now, she has a teeny tiny little curly end to that stalk now with super small filaments already growing. Her other 5 gill stalks are perfectly clean.

Oh and the filter set up, so I have two sponge filters, let's say my tank set up is like this...

1-2
3-4

Just imagine it's a rectangle and you're looking top down. I have one sponge filter at 1, and one at 4. That way they circulate the water towards one another. God, I hope that made sense...

 

[inuratus]

Yeah, I got lucky that when I was recycling my girl's tank, I was gainfully unemployed, so I was home with her constantly.

So the baths I've done. We started on Friday with a bath that was definitely too salty. My girl was viciously upset. Then on Saturday, the 24th, we got it going. She got 2 baths a day, 24th to 27th, 1 bath was 10 minutes, 1 was 15. Two quarts of water (taken directly from her tank), put in a large, safe bucket, and 4 teaspoons of salt (2 teaspoons per quart). Today was her first day of 1 salt bath, for 15 minutes. The first two days caused immediate improvement. The fungus on her gill stalk fell off, it took the tip of the stalk with it, but now, she has a teeny tiny little curly end to that stalk now with super small filaments already growing. Her other 5 gill stalks are perfectly clean.

Oh and the filter set up, so I have two sponge filters, let's say my tank set up is like this...

1-2
3-4

Just imagine it's a rectangle and you're looking top down. I have one sponge filter at 1, and one at 4. That way they circulate the water towards one another. God, I hope that made sense...

Oh okay. I have aquarium salt on order. Should arrive tomorrow so I can start with that. Hehehe yes I understand the diagram. Looks like the filters are opposite in a diagonal line. His gills right now don't look great. It was a little clump before but now its like peppered across the filaments of 2 gill stalks. I feel terrible. I hope that if I can treat this that it wont come back.

 

[Calgarycoppers]

YOu want to start cooler if you can - my water change water is 10 degrees celsius and the Axos love the cold shot - they prefer cooler 15-18 celsius so start colder than 17 if you can

I just assumed it was fungus because it's white and stringy and it clings to my axie and floats in the water. Thank you for the document. I'll look into it if things don't resolve. Right now where I live the cold tap always runs ~21 degrees celsius which is too warm I've been told for an axolotl to be comfortable. That's why I used a combination of chilled water and warm water to get it to even out to ~17 degrees celsius.

 

[EasternRomioi3]

Yes! Opposite in a diagonal line, I could not figure out how to represent that with words.

Another blooming of the fungus? Post a photo. My little girl is recovering from hers, she let me gently remove some left over fungus today, didn't hurt her at all, I tubbed her, and brushed it off with my hand. Sometimes she gets sand in her gills from digging in the substrate, she's used to be wiping her clean.

 

[inuratus]

Yes! Opposite in a diagonal line, I could not figure out how to represent that with words.

Another blooming of the fungus? Post a photo. My little girl is recovering from hers, she let me gently remove some left over fungus today, didn't hurt her at all, I tubbed her, and brushed it off with my hand. Sometimes she gets sand in her gills from digging in the substrate, she's used to be wiping her clean.

Here's another pic. It's now clinging onto individual filaments on two stalks. It's pretty imbedded. I have started giving him salt baths. Did one last night and have done one this morning- will be doing one in the evening. He hates the bath. It's so sad cause he swims around and gulps a bunch and it's hard to watch. I have notice that tiny bits of fungus fell off. I'm hoping that this will be the trend and that it will come off slowly.

 

[EasternRomioi3]

@inuratus

I know how miserable the bath makes them. When I had yet to figure out the amount of water to salt ratio that was good for my girl, I gave her a bath that was too salty, it was agonizing. I have a decent sized bucket now and I had 2 quarts of water. So 2 quarts of water, 4 teaspoons of aquarium salt, 10-15 minutes. My girl did her last bath yesterday and her damaged gill stalk is almost entirely back, the filaments are still small. I think that end fell off on October 22nd so the salt baths really did help.

Do you feed your axolotl earth worms? Because when I am done giving my girl a salt bath, I wait for her to calm down when I put her in her tank, and then I toss her a worm. She goes nuts and sucks it in, and when she reels from it, twice she flicked all the fungus off her gills and I was able to suck it up with my turkey baster and tosses it out. I think that helped her too.

 

[inuratus]

@inuratus

I know how miserable the bath makes them. When I had yet to figure out the amount of water to salt ratio that was good for my girl, I gave her a bath that was too salty, it was agonizing. I have a decent sized bucket now and I had 2 quarts of water. So 2 quarts of water, 4 teaspoons of aquarium salt, 10-15 minutes. My girl did her last bath yesterday and her damaged gill stalk is almost entirely back, the filaments are still small. I think that end fell off on October 22nd so the salt baths really did help.

Do you feed your axolotl earth worms? Because when I am done giving my girl a salt bath, I wait for her to calm down when I put her in her tank, and then I toss her a worm. She goes nuts and sucks it in, and when she reels from it, twice she flicked all the fungus off her gills and I was able to suck it up with my turkey baster and tosses it out. I think that helped her too.

Just wanted to give an update! He now seems to tolerate the baths which makes me glad that he's not thrashing about. Today was the first time that fungus was falling off his gills. There's still some left but quite a bunch of clumps came off.

As far as worms go he currently eats pellets and the occasional worm once a week. He's eating regularly so that also makes me happy.

My main problem is now the tank. When your cycle crashed how did you cycle it again? Was she in the tank or did you fishless cycle? I have nitrites off the charts but my ammonia still hasn't gone down. It's so hard since you can't see the process so it's like is there even bacteria in there? Ugh.

 

[EasternRomioi3]

Hey, first, again, I am sorry for the SUPER late reply. I just messaged you but I am going to reply here as well.

Did you immediately get all the fungus out of the water? Sometimes the salt bath wouldn't make the fungus come off immediately and I'd put her back in her tank and she'd slither down to the bottom and THEN it would fall off. I always sucked it up with a turkey baster and put it in a bowl so I could look at it.

I have to ask, how are you cleaning your sponge filter? Because all I do is take them out back and ring them out real quick, then put them back in the tank. I never run tap water through them or anything. That way the bacteria remains and is able to help.