Is my axolotl sick?

[Axiegirl]

Hi all,

I have had my axie now for nearly four months. The first 2 and a half months seemed to run smoothly. She ate well - usually earthworms and sometimes bloodworms. Then one day she just stopped eating. She'd catch the worm in her mouth and then let it go. She manages to eat most of the bloodworms but again, spits a lot out. I've tried various other foods such as shrimp and frozen daphnia but she's pretty much been on hunger strike for a while now. She is tiny. About 4 inches if that. And her tummy is really flat. I know its not right because up until she stopped eating she looked really well - belly was about the size of her head, big pink fluffy gills and she was a lot more interactive. Now she seems incredibly fatigued, underweight, her gills are maybe less than a cm and she is more a barely pink colour now than her original darker pink.

I've read through all sorts of articles and FAQs relating to these issues. I am fairly certain water conditions, filtration and temperature are fine. She doesn't have any bumps or lumps or anything like that. She doesn't make frequent trips to the top of the tank for oxygen. Her gills don't have anything on them but they have gone so much smaller recently. She also stands upside down a lot.

I would really appreciate any advice any of you can give me here. I'm so worried she feels ill or is in pain and I really want her to feel better.

Thanks.

 

[zoezakella]

A couple of questions if you dont mind, what substrate do you have your axie on and you say you think water conditions are fine, have you actually tested them??

 

[Axiegirl]

Yes water conditions have been tested.

She is on very fine sand.

 

[zoezakella]

Ok so definately not water and my only other idea had been if she was impacted but if she is on sand that is a no Is there anything in her tank that she could have swallowed, pebbles etc & does she have any tank mates?

 

[Axiegirl]

No tank mates. And nothing that she could swallow either. She just doesn't seem to have any kind of appetite at all anymore?

 

[zoezakella]

sorry I dont have any other ideas sure someone with more experience will chip in soon, wish you luck :happy:

 

[Erzs]

If it’s possible to post a picture it could help. :happy:

But considering what you’ve said about your water, substrate and temperature being fine, I’m also presuming your earthworms were either bought or from safe soil (no pesticides), it could be an internal problem of some kind and most likely needs addressing by a vet.

Out of curiosity, how often did she used to eat and how often does she eat now?

 

[animalloversfb]

Being so small, its possible the sand is causing a problem, especially if she is ingesting a good amount of it with the bloodworms. I'm keeping my little ones in a bare bottom plastic tub until there larger.

What is the temperature of your tank? Also, what type of filter are you using(a picture of your tank would be great)

I would take her out in a small shallow container. This will allow her to touch the bottom and not feel like she is floating, which can be very stressful to them.

 

[Axiegirl]

I'm not sure - its fine sand? Sorry.

I will try and post pictures from my phone in the next post.

I'm really starting to worry because she didn't even try to nibble at the blood worms today.

What steps would I take if she had swallowed something? Or what steps you would if I knew she had some kind of infection?

Should I move her to a completely different tank for the time being? Colder water?

I just can't keep just watching her getting smaller and smaller like this.

 

[Axiegirl]

Being so small, its possible the sand is causing a problem, especially if she is ingesting a good amount of it with the bloodworms. I'm keeping my little ones in a bare bottom plastic tub until there larger.

What is the temperature of your tank? Also, what type of filter are you using(a picture of your tank would be great)

I would take her out in a small shallow container. This will allow her to touch the bottom and not feel like she is floating, which can be very stressful to them.

Ok i have a very small container that I bought for travelling with fish and never used. But it wouldn't have enough room for a filter or anything?? Should I just move her?

 

[Axiegirl]

OK. I just had a heart attack. She was floating at the top of the tank. I touched her very lightly. Nothing. I touched her again. Nothing. Tears streamed down my face and thank god, she moved. She's most definitely alive but is at the top of the tank.

 

[Cheylee]

I would move her to the small tank with fresh unchlorinated water as soon as possible. Hopefully that will save the little guy. My first axolotl almost did the same thing but once i moved him he got so much better.

 

[Axiegirl]

Here she is now in the tank. This was her a few months ago. That was sold to me as sand but someone on another forum told me it was gravel so I changed it to proper sand.

The picture doesn't really show how bad she looks. She's completely white and her gills are less than a cm now.

 

[Cheylee]

She does look really skinny. My only suggestion would be to get here out of the tank if there is for some reason a water problem that couldn't be detected. I would also try to contact a vet as soon as possible. I sure hope she makes it.

 

[Axiegirl]

I already contacted a vet. They don't know anything.

I could move her but where would I get the water from??

 

[Cheylee]

Any type of water will work as long as you have some type of water conditioner around. I know there is drinking water around in stores that i've heard work but you need to make sure that there's no chlorine in it. Sorry i don't know much about drinking water. I just use tap water and add the coditioner to it.

 

[mewsie]

Hey Axiegirl, sorry to hear your axie is poorly

Could you post the exact water parameters you got when you tested the water? Along with the current water temperature. I know you say they are fine, but the more exact information folks on here have, the better. Are you using a dechlorinator in the water, if so, which type, and are you using any other water treatments?

It can't be nice for axie to be floating, so popping her in a shallow container might help destress her. Also, do you have any photos of your whole tank and setup? What filter do you use, are there lots of hidey places for your axie etc - all this stuff is useful to us for helping to find out why she is feeling out of sorts.

When you've tried feeding her recently, have you used live food? I know you mentioned earthworms, but the bloodworms, were they frozen? Did you defrost the cubes before putting them in? Live food might spark her instinct to eat better than dead stuff.

Edit: I know you mentioned swapping to sand, but those extra stones and rocks in the tank - did those all go too? Please get some photos of your setup up.

 

[Axiegirl]

Thanks mewsie. I will post all that information and a photo up. Right now I am just sorting her out in a small container. I have used the dechlorinator. Do I need to put her in the fridge now?

 

[animalloversfb]

Use fresh water(like you would use for a water change) that has been treated with water conditioner/dechlorinator. You want it shallow enough that she can touch the bottom. You will need to do daily 90%+ water changes as the waste will build up quickly in a small area. Keep her in as cool a place as possible and covered to reduce her stress.

Have you tried offering chopped up earthworms recently? Perhaps live wiggling food might entice her.

Also, in you picture, I notice colored square type things - is it possible she's ingested one of those?

Edit: I wouldn't fridge her at this point unless you suspect she ingested something. Fridging will reduce her appetite and activity further and you want to get her to eat.

 

[Kaysie]

How big is her tank? How warm? Do you have a filter?