New tank set up?

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axygirl20

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Hi just want to check a few things about my new tank set up for my axy
I have posted recently about problems with regards to health and though a brand new enclosure may help?

My tank is around 1 ft wide and 3 ft long.

I have replaced my substrate from pebbles to aquatic silica sand, i have read this is the best type?The sand has been washed through several times, but i have noticed since it is in the tank the water looks a bit murky though when removed into a glass jug it looks clear. Is this just a reflection off the glass from the sand?
The other thing i have changed is the plants in the tank, i have gone again for synthetic, there colourful though safe.
He still has both his large gecko hide and the fish log as he likes them both (i think)

New tank water readings: ammonia- 0
pH 7.6 though
not exactly the same colour as the card (the level i am getting is slightly paler)
nitrate and nitrite 0.
The only problem i have is the pH, i have a pH lower and with advice use.

Axel is NOT yet in the large tank as im waiting for the go ahead, the water in the new tank is changed daily and he isnt showing signs of stress in his smaller home. The small tank he is in at the moment is covered with a towel though some light gets through during the day time. The temp is reading at 20oc during the hottest part of the day and will drop to about 19.5 at night.

Sorry to go on but i want to make sure i have done the best i can before i will even think of letting axel back into the large tank. Will post a picture of the tank and the water when i canf ind batteries
 
Hi Jodie,

The new tank sounds great!

As Axel is happy in his present home I think you should carry on with the cycling of the new tank. Have you got an ammonia source in there? Some axie poo will do the trick. There is no rush to move him and he will be a much happier axie if his new tank is cycled.

As far as the pH goes, that level sounds fine. I definately wouldn't use any chemicals or additives to raise or lower the pH, these can cause more problems than they solve.

Carry on with the water changes and tests, hopefully it won't be too long befor the tank is ready for Axel.

The cloudiness of the water is more than likely due to fine particles of sand still suspended in the water. In time it will clear. Do you have a filter running in the new tank? It will help to clear the water.

Also, if you have a filter running in both tanks you can use the filter media from Axel's current tank in the new one to speed up the cycle, just put a new sponge in the filter in his current tank.
 
Hey thanks for the advice :) though i dont no if i will need it any more :( axel is in the vets at the moment and it doesnt sound very good. He has a calcium defect, there trying to sort him out but so far he hasnt eaten. Not sure what will happen but im keeping my fingers cross as he is going to love his new home. I will be making sure i keep in touch with the vet dealing with axel though there is no night person so he will be alone during the night. 8am call to the vets tomorrow to make sure my little man is ok :)
 
Axel has made a good recovery and is finally hoome after four days at the vets. He has metabolic bone disease and also anorexia. The cause of MBD has been established and luckly with out realising it stop the disease getting to bad. The cause was the food, i havent used the food source which caused the problems for about a month now. X-rays show very little as the bones dont seem to have much calicum in them, now he is on a more appropiate food type, once the problem of anoreixa is solved my hopes are axel will make a full recovery. Since axel has come home he has just sat at the end of his tank, i think this is due to being in a small tank over his vet treatments. His gills are looking good and he moved about for 10 mins when he first got in.
If over the next few weeks axel doesnt eat anything and looses more weight i will have to do the kind thing.
Thought id do this post to let people know what is going on.
 
Glad to hear your little one is home Jodie.

If you can get some pics up perhaps it'll be a good idea to make newbies aware of the problems of the wrong kind of diet. I'm not having a go at you (honestly), I just think it would be good to make others aware so that they don't make the same mistakes.

Don't suppose you have pictures of the x-rays, or can get hold of them? They might be able to use them in the Caudata Culture or Axolotl Sanctuary pages.

I hope he starts to regain his appetite soon.
 
Hey Kerry its ok if anyone else had said that i;d of though they were having a go but seein as i no you :)
Basically the problem was teh deit of waxworms, in themselves they werent a problem its just that the diet (recommended by teh store) of oats wasnt giving the phosrous (sorry cant spell) levels needed to build up the calcium. Hense the MBD and ostiophorosis.
Tim (the vet) says that as long as axel eats something (anything) in the next few weeks and his weight increases or stays the same he should be ok.
Will see if i can get the x-rays send through of axel and otto. They are very interesting espically when you see them together will do my best but am sure i can get hold of them :D
 
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Dietary imbalances are indeed the most common cause of metabolic bone disease in axies. However, there has been some speculation among vet scientists that axies do need very limited light exposure as well, but this still remains to be elucidated.

One special feature of axies are that their skeletons are very cartilaginous as opposed to ossified like usual bones. Hence, MBD has to be carefully diagnosed with concurrent clinical signs, skeletal deformities and such. Normal axie skeleton will look less radio-opaque compared to bones naturally. However signs of osteosclerosis, bone cysts and lesions, and other radiographic findings can help diagnose.
 
Hey Rayson, the vet i used is an exotic and fish specilist and has worked with newts before in the past. Axel is the 1st axie they have seen but after speaking to other vets about axel the diagnostic was comformed. (p.s. sorry about spellings) From what all the vets have said it is MBD i just need to stop the annorexia and get him to eat. After that he will go back to the vets for another series of x-rays to make sure. I will be in touch with my vet through out this period and will ask ever so nicley and see if i can get a cope of the xrays taken. I have done some work expericance in a vet pratice which made looking at the x-rays a bit easier for me than "normal" clients. The reason the vets feels its MBD is the3 xrays hardley showed the bone unless it was on a higher setting. Will try and post the xrays if they will let me have them :D
 
Jus a quickie to say axel has eaten two worms and is looking better. With the love and care i can give him hopfully he will beat the anorexia and from there can tackle the other problems
 
Great news Jodie, good to hear he's eaten, I hope he continues to get better.
 
From what i can gather, axel is going to be ok, it looks like he has put a small amount of weight on over the last week. His neck looks a little bigger than before. He has eaten around 5-6 worms since ive had him home, not bad as id be lucky to have him eat that much in a month :D
 
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