Please help our little guy! So many problems!

[beckyg]

We really need some help with out little guy, Kirby. We noticed concerning changes in him around 9 months to possibly a year ago and have tried lots of things, including going to the vet and we've only seen slight positive changes in some things, no change in others, and new bad things have cropped up.

First off, just found out yesterday we've been using too much Prime due to a math error on our part. He's probably been getting 4x as much as he should for years now to dechlorinate the water for his water changes. Googling "Prime overdose" said that it usually "fixes" itself after an hour, but I don't know if the years of overdose is the root of all our problems or not. I feel terrible.

I've done my best to give all the info necessary. Let me know if I've missed something. I also attached a photo where you can see all the issues.

Info dump:

Upgraded tank from 20 to 40 gallons about 4 months ago.

Changed 50% of water 24 hrs ago due to extremely high nitrate (160 ppm). We got it down to 80 ppm. We usually change 10% of his water in his 40 gallon tank once a week.

pH 7.6
Ammonia 0.25
Nirite: 0
Nitrate: 80 ppm

Kh 50 ppm 3 degrees
Gh 200 ppm (most likely due to salinity) 12 degrees

Holtfreter's - 100%

Temp 67-68 F Bought a chiller, but waiting on the delivery of hose clamps. Adding frozen bottles of water in the meantime.

Airstone, live plants (more on the way to help with nitrate), no substrate, bag of peat to help with water hardness.

Live ghost shrimp clean up crew

Food - nightcrawler once every 5 days (per vet's advice). 5-6 axolotl pellets and very small chunk powered brine shrimp every other day for suppliments.

Observable conditions:

Eats normally and poops regularly.

Very lethargic.

Huge size. We thought it was bloat. Have been using Holtfreter's for this for a couple months. He used to roll over on his back, but since using Holtfreter's, he's stopped doing that. Vet said he might just be genetically a very large lad.

Open mouth 24/7 for at least 6 months or longer. Area does NOT seem red or inflammed.

Newest issues:

Top set of gills losing frills. Possibly fungus?

Sheds weird white stuff I thought was sand at first from the peat or filter debris. Also possibly fungus?

Bent left wrist. Noticed that several weeks ago.

---

We're desperate to help our little guy, but our best efforts aren't doing much. Please help!

Thanks in advance.

 

[wolfen]

are you adding the right amount of bicarbonate of soda as your kh seems low.
is it the full holtfreters ( info here.. Axolotls - Requirements & Water Conditions in Captivity ) that you are using or a modified version (if brought of internet it is sometimes a modified version similar to johns solution)
do 50% water changes every other day until nitrates are stabilised then change every week unless it gets warm then a water change can be done to cool the tank down.
the main issue with dechlorinator overdose is that it depletes the oxygen in the water, always make sure there is a means of oxygenating the water ie.. air stone etc..
feed a full carnivore diet for a while (continue with the worms, shrimp etc.. but remove the pellets)
axolotls are moderate/hard water animals and don't require softeners such as peat.
the salt levels in 100% holtfreters ie.. 3.5g/l should be high enough to prevent fungus although ammonia can also damage the skin and gills, if you are still getting traces of ammonia even 24hrs after a water change (after twenty four hours any ammonia from any chloramines should have been consumed/converted by the biological filtration) there might be an issues with your cycle or filter.
gh measures mainly minerals level ie.. calcium and magnesium rather than salts such as sodium chloride, gh for axolotls is 7-14 so 12 is fine (gh higher than 14 doesn't seem to bother them although low gh can effect their health)

 

[beckyg]

are you adding the right amount of bicarbonate of soda as your kh seems low.
is it the full holtfreters ( info here.. Axolotls - Requirements & Water Conditions in Captivity ) that you are using or a modified version (if brought of internet it is sometimes a modified version similar to johns solution)
do 50% water changes every other day until nitrates are stabilised then change every week unless it gets warm then a water change can be done to cool the tank down.
the main issue with dechlorinator overdose is that it depletes the oxygen in the water, always make sure there is a means of oxygenating the water ie.. air stone etc..
feed a full carnivore diet for a while (continue with the worms, shrimp etc.. but remove the pellets)
axolotls are moderate/hard water animals and don't require softeners such as peat.
the salt levels in 100% holtfreters ie.. 3.5g/l should be high enough to prevent fungus although ammonia can also damage the skin and gills, if you are still getting traces of ammonia even 24hrs after a water change (after twenty four hours any ammonia from any chloramines should have been consumed/converted by the biological filtration) there might be an issues with your cycle or filter.
gh measures mainly minerals level ie.. calcium and magnesium rather than salts such as sodium chloride, gh for axolotls is 7-14 so 12 is fine (gh higher than 14 doesn't seem to bother them although low gh can effect their health)

Thank you for the info. Here is the Holtfreter's recipe we use. It was originally purchased from The MottledLotl.com

3 tablespoons of non-iodine salt
1 teaspoon of Epsom salt
1/8 teaspoon of NuSalt Salt substitute (Potassium Chloride)

This recipe treats 5 gallons of water.

We don't use baking soda, so I guess that's the reason for the kh.

I forgot to mention that we do have 3 small pieces of limestone in the tank. They're each about the size of a car key. Should we remove those as well?

After the nitrate is fixed and we go back to once a week, do we still do 50% of the water?

Do you think the loss of his gill fuzz is fungal?

What types of brine shrimp do you suggest? The powdered form we give is very hard to feed to him since it floats and he's so lethargic.

 

[wolfen]

for food frozen brine shrimp, blood worms, mysis, krill, cockle, mussel, fish (basically anything meat based, the reason for frozen is for freshness rather than dried etc..)
the solution you are describing is a modified holtfreters, the salt level is between 50%-75% actual 100% holtfreters (depending on whether salt is coarse or fine) and the magnesium sulphate (epsom salts) is 0.09g/l more than is used with 100% holtfreters + 0.2g/l magnesium sulphate, the potasium chloride is the same as 100% holtfreters (0.01 higher but about right), your solution doesn't include calcium chloride or bicarbonate of soda.
limestone will release some carbonates to help buffer the ph and increase the kh but it is slow in doing so, it will also release some calcium as well.
although salt level at 2g/l normally offers protection against fungal infections some can be more aggressive and require a higher level of salt and possible baths with methylene blue or acriflavine, because of the slime coat shed it doesn't seem like normal gill fungus.

 

[beckyg]

for food frozen brine shrimp, blood worms, mysis, krill, cockle, mussel, fish (basically anything meat based, the reason for frozen is for freshness rather than dried etc..)
the solution you are describing is a modified hreteroltfs, the salt level is between 50%-75% actual 100% holtfreters (depending on whether salt is coarse or fine) and the magnesium sulphate (epsom salts) is 0.09g/l more than is used with 100% holtfreters + 0.2g/l magnesium sulphate, the potasium chloride is the same as 100% holtfreters (0.01 higher but about right), your solution doesn't include calcium chloride or bicarbonate of soda.
limestone will release some carbonates to help buffer the ph and increase the kh but it is slow in doing so, it will also release some calcium as well.
although salt level at 2g/l normally offers protection against fungal infections some can be more aggressive and require a higher level of salt and possible baths with methylene blue or acriflavine, because of the slime coat shed it doesn't seem like normal gill fungus.

One issue we have is we don't really have a way to measure amounts less than a gram. Do you know of anyplace that would sell the proper holtfreters recipe already measured out?

 

[beckyg]

although salt level at 2g/l normally offers protection against fungal infections some can be more aggressive and require a higher level of salt and possible baths with methylene blue or acriflavine, because of the slime coat shed it doesn't seem like normal gill fungus.

Do you think we're adding too much salt? The recipe we're currently using (that I typed above) is for 10 gallons of water.

 

[beckyg]

are you adding the right amount of bicarbonate of soda as your kh seems low.
is it the full holtfreters ( info here.. Axolotls - Requirements & Water Conditions in Captivity ) that you are using or a modified version (if brought of internet it is sometimes a modified version similar to johns solution)
do 50% water changes every other day until nitrates are stabilised then change every week unless it gets warm then a water change can be done to cool the tank down.
the main issue with dechlorinator overdose is that it depletes the oxygen in the water, always make sure there is a means of oxygenating the water ie.. air stone etc..
feed a full carnivore diet for a while (continue with the worms, shrimp etc.. but remove the pellets)
axolotls are moderate/hard water animals and don't require softeners such as peat.
the salt levels in 100% holtfreters ie.. 3.5g/l should be high enough to prevent fungus although ammonia can also damage the skin and gills, if you are still getting traces of ammonia even 24hrs after a water change (after twenty four hours any ammonia from any chloramines should have been consumed/converted by the biological filtration) there might be an issues with your cycle or filter.
gh measures mainly minerals level ie.. calcium and magnesium rather than salts such as sodium chloride, gh for axolotls is 7-14 so 12 is fine (gh higher than 14 doesn't seem to bother them although low gh can effect their health)

I did not realize that we were not using 100% concentration Holtfretters, what % concentration do you recommend we use? And what would the full recipe be for your recommended concentration for 5 gallons, in imperial units?

 

[wolfen]

if an axolotl is ill or there are issues 100% holtfreters + 0.2g/l magnesium sulphate, as a normal preventative and to correct water chemistry 50% holtfreters + 0.1g/l magnesium sulphate is fine, in cases where there is possible edema due to fluid build up A.R.S. (amphibian ringers solution) this is similar to holtfreters but with an increase in salt, calcium chloride and potassium chloride.
although the chemicals for making holtfreter are easily sourced finding places that sell holtfreters isn't, even in the uk holtfreters has to be imported at times from sellers and even then it isn't complete.
for weighing the chemicals required I use a cheap set of jewellers scales that measure from 0.01g to 500g.
these two sites can be used to help convert weight to volume for ingredients/chemicals.. Weight to Volume / Volume to Weight Converter Volume to Weight conversions for common substances and materials

 

[beckyg]

if an axolotl is ill or there are issues 100% holtfreters + 0.2g/l magnesium sulphate, as a normal preventative and to correct water chemistry 50% holtfreters + 0.1g/l magnesium sulphate is fine, in cases where there is possible edema due to fluid build up A.R.S. (amphibian ringers solution) this is similar to holtfreters but with an increase in salt, calcium chloride and potassium chloride.
although the chemicals for making holtfreter are easily sourced finding places that sell holtfreters isn't, even in the uk holtfreters has to be imported at times from sellers and even then it isn't complete.
for weighing the chemicals required I use a cheap set of jewellers scales that measure from 0.01g to 500g.
these two sites can be used to help convert weight to volume for ingredients/chemicals.. Weight to Volume / Volume to Weight Converter Volume to Weight conversions for common substances and materials

Quick question: I noticed that there is "lab grade" Calcium Chloride and "food grade" Calcium Chloride. Does it make a difference which one I get?

 

[wolfen]

although there shouldn't be any difference always go for food grade (it means that there aren't any harmful additives)