Paralysed and upside-down

[Irrlich]

We came home about an hour and a half ago to find Axel, our 8 y/o male lying at the bottom of the tank, paralysed and upside-down.
His cloaca was swollen and redish and has been slightly swollen since Tuesday/Wednesday.
His mouth is also a bit swollen which it seems to be since last weekend.
He has been off food since last weekend.

I immediately placed him in a tub with fresh water and an almond leaf, and called two herpvets and hope they will call us back, but it's 1.30 am and a weekend...

It's a 100 liter barebottom devided tank, and his tankmate, a female has no signs of any illness or distress.
Waterparameters are
No2 = 0.05
Nh3/nh4 = 0.1
Ph = 7.5
Temp = 20 Celsius
They are being fed live earthworms.
He has deformed gills on one side due to a fungal infection during a heatwave a few years back.

Are there any tips?
Advice?

 

[wolfen]

use an air stone in the water to increase water oxygen.
use 2 grams salt per litre in any water that you use for either the tank or tub, this will help reduce any effects of the ammonia and also help prevent any fungus/bacterial issues.
give him methyline blue baths, info here Tubbing and Safe Meds - Oregon Axolotls this will help combat any effects from the nitrites.
make sure to change 100% tub water daily with dechlorinated water.
if you have a ceramic or pyrex dish large enough use it instead of plastic to prevent further irritation of his cloaca.
crushing an almond leaf boiling cooling then using the water will release the beneficial tannin's faster then just putting a leaf in the water.

 

[Irrlich]

Hi Wolfen

Thank you for the advice and swift response.
We managed to get help from someone at the university for veterinary science. Unfortunately it was too late for Axel.
He had a septic bacterial infection, and as she was doing post-mortem analysis red-leg was developing.

I'm very sad to see him go.
It's hard.

 

[wolfen]

Hi Wolfen

Thank you for the advice and swift response.
We managed to get help from someone at the university for veterinary science. Unfortunately it was too late for Axel.
He had a septic bacterial infection, and as she was doing post-mortem analysis red-leg was developing.

I'm very sad to see him go.
It's hard.

sorry for your loss

 

[Autistic Catholic]

Oh no! First Lotte, then Axel. I'm so sorry to hear about your beloved first two axolotls!

 

[Irrlich]

Oh no! First Lotte, then Axel. I'm so sorry to hear about your beloved first two axolotls!

Thank you

It's a hit, since Axel always seemed tye biggest healthiest boy, and I also ordered a 500 liter tank two weeks ago to create a paradise for him and Kiekie.

I'll still be upgrading for Kiekie.
Maybe I'll adopt an adult at some point, but not for now.

 

[Autistic Catholic]

It's probably best to make certain Kieke is healthy first too. I'd imagine red leg is potentially contagious so definitely monitor her as she was in the same tank.

I think you have to catch red leg right when it starts to have any hope. You did all you could for him and I'm sure he died knowing how much you loved him.

 

[Irrlich]

It's probably best to make certain Kieke is healthy first too. I'd imagine red leg is potentially contagious so definitely monitor her as she was in the same tank.

I think you have to catch red leg right when it starts to have any hope. You did all you could for him and I'm sure he died knowing how much you loved him.

Yes, I'll be keeping a very close eye on her.
I did take the precautions I could think of. 50% water change and the vet did take a few swabs from Axel's slimecoat, throat and cloaca to rule out parasites.

 

[axolotl nerd]

Hi Wolfen

Thank you for the advice and swift response.
We managed to get help from someone at the university for veterinary science. Unfortunately it was too late for Axel.
He had a septic bacterial infection, and as she was doing post-mortem analysis red-leg was developing.

I'm very sad to see him go.
It's hard.

that's awful, i'm terribly sorry..
you did everything you could, and he seems to have had a great life