Possible Bloat?

[vak14]

I posted a couple days ago about my axolotl being sick (see thread here Axie has a white gill tip and gasping for air)

Tonight I came home and she looks slightly bloated. Acting very lethargic. Able to sit at the bottom but still coming to the top to gulp air every few minutes. She seems to be having trouble swimming.

Please help, is there anything I can do for her?

 

[wolfen]

what are your water parameters temperature etc. look into using holtfreters or modified info at Axolotls - Requirements & Water Conditions in Captivity.
gasping at surface is a sign that something is wrong with the water.

 

[vak14]

what are your water parameters temperature etc. look into using holtfreters or modified info at Axolotls - Requirements & Water Conditions in Captivity.
gasping at surface is a sign that something is wrong with the water.

yes, as it turns out my nitrites and nitrates were sky high. ammonia was close to zero, though. i moved her to a tub of clean, fresh dechlorinated water while I sort that out. someone on another forum was advising dosing her with methylene blue in her iso bin, 2 drops per gallon for 12 hours and then switch to just fresh water for 12 hours to help with the bloat. do you think this is advisable or should i just leave her in the clean water to see if her condition improves? she is no longer gasping for air and has been sitting at the bottom of her tank/not floating since this morning. her bloat appears unchanged.

 

[wolfen]

yes, as it turns out my nitrites and nitrates were sky high. ammonia was close to zero, though. i moved her to a tub of clean, fresh dechlorinated water while I sort that out. someone on another forum was advising dosing her with methylene blue in her iso bin, 2 drops per gallon for 12 hours and then switch to just fresh water for 12 hours to help with the bloat. do you think this is advisable or should i just leave her in the clean water to see if her condition improves? she is no longer gasping for air and has been sitting at the bottom of her tank/not floating since this morning. her bloat appears unchanged.

methylene blue is normally used for fungal issues, at low doses it is considered non-toxic so it is safe to try it although I have no idea whether it will do anything about bloating though it will help towards any gill fungus.
what level was your ph at?
if you can find out try to get your kh and gh levels.
I think modified holtfreters solution would be the best bet as axolotls are a slightly brackish moderate to hard water animals, by adding salts and minerals to the water should stabilise the bloating issue.

 

[vak14]

methylene blue is normally used for fungal issues, at low doses it is considered non-toxic so it is safe to try it although I have no idea whether it will do anything about bloating though it will help towards any gill fungus.
what level was your ph at?
if you can find out try to get your kh and gh levels.
I think modified holtfreters solution would be the best bet as axolotls are a slightly brackish moderate to hard water animals, by adding salts and minerals to the water should stabilise the bloating issue.

Thank you. I will try leaving her in the methylene blue overnight then just in case to see if it does any good. My pH was around 7. Do you know of any test I can get that would test kh and gh levels? Also, would a holtfreters solution be used in her main tank or the hospital tank she is in now? When you say "modified" holtfreters solution, what do you mean? I'm really concerned about the nitrite and nitrate levels in her main tank. Do you have any advice on how to lower them?

 

[wolfen]

Thank you. I will try leaving her in the methylene blue overnight then just in case to see if it does any good. My pH was around 7. Do you know of any test I can get that would test kh and gh levels? Also, would a holtfreters solution be used in her main tank or the hospital tank she is in now? When you say "modified" holtfreters solution, what do you mean? I'm really concerned about the nitrite and nitrate levels in her main tank. Do you have any advice on how to lower them?

the original solution that was created to keep axolotls healthy and provide them with the minerals and salts was called holtfreters solution after the scientist who created it.
because holtfreters solution is best used in a lab situation modified solutions were created for the aquarium use instead. the link I put up earlier has the details on the solutions. modified holtfreter is used in the tank and is added every water change.
api do a kh gh test although because it doesn't need to be so accurate strip tests will also do.
provided your bio-media filtration is large enough rinsing the media in old tank water should be enough to reduce nitrites although adding bottled bacteria wouldn't hurt.

 

[vak14]

the original solution that was created to keep axolotls healthy and provide them with the minerals and salts was called holtfreters solution after the scientist who created it.
because holtfreters solution is best used in a lab situation modified solutions were created for the aquarium use instead. the link I put up earlier has the details on the solutions. modified holtfreter is used in the tank and is added every water change.
api do a kh gh test although because it doesn't need to be so accurate strip tests will also do.
provided your bio-media filtration is large enough rinsing the media in old tank water should be enough to reduce nitrites although adding bottled bacteria wouldn't hurt.

Thank you for all your advice. She soaked in MB overnight yesterday and the night before and she seems a little better. She pooped the first night and she is no longer floating and no longer gasping for air. I would like to see her a bit more active however and she seems still bloated (although less so than Thursday- there has been a definite improvement). I am working on correcting her main tank parameters and getting ahold of some Holtfreters for her main tank. Is there anything I can do to help her bloat while she is in the iso tank? I am wondering if almond leaves or salt or tea baths would be beneficial or I should just let her rest in clean fresh water. I have also been recommended using Kanaplex and Furan-2 but I am not sure if this would be helpful to her.

 

[wolfen]

Thank you for all your advice. She soaked in MB overnight yesterday and the night before and she seems a little better. She pooped the first night and she is no longer floating and no longer gasping for air. I would like to see her a bit more active however and she seems still bloated (although less so than Thursday- there has been a definite improvement). I am working on correcting her main tank parameters and getting ahold of some Holtfreters for her main tank. Is there anything I can do to help her bloat while she is in the iso tank? I am wondering if almond leaves or salt or tea baths would be beneficial or I should just let her rest in clean fresh water. I have also been recommended using Kanaplex and Furan-2 but I am not sure if this would be helpful to her.

because it's not a fungal or bacterial issue I don't think kanaplex or furan-2 will be effective.
almond leaves can be good for stress relief, are anti-bacterial and leach beneficial tannins into the water, so yes they are a good idea just remove them when they start to break down.
salt is anti-fungal and will balance the bodies natural levels and reduce osmosis in aquatic animals, so adding salt is a good idea but only low levels 2g per litre.
black tea produces higher amounts of tannins which although aren't as effective as almond/catappa leaves are still beneficial and will help, only use tea for baths only as it contains caffeine and there is no information on the effects on amphibians.

 

[vak14]

because it's not a fungal or bacterial issue I don't think kanaplex or furan-2 will be effective.
almond leaves can be good for stress relief, are anti-bacterial and leach beneficial tannins into the water, so yes they are a good idea just remove them when they start to break down.
salt is anti-fungal and will balance the bodies natural levels and reduce osmosis in aquatic animals, so adding salt is a good idea but only low levels 2g per litre.
black tea produces higher amounts of tannins which although aren't as effective as almond/catappa leaves are still beneficial and will help, only use tea for baths only as it contains caffeine and there is no information on the effects on amphibians.

Thank you. I will pick up some almond leaves tomorrow. Should I do the salt in small bursts (10-15 min) or just leave her sitting in it all the time? Also, I know the salt should be non-iodized, but all I have is epsom salt (magnesium sulfate). Would this be alright or should I pick up some aquarium salt instead?

 

[wolfen]

Thank you. I will pick up some almond leaves tomorrow. Should I do the salt in small bursts (10-15 min) or just leave her sitting in it all the time? Also, I know the salt should be non-iodized, but all I have is epsom salt (magnesium sulfate). Would this be alright or should I pick up some aquarium salt instead?

epsom salt would be 0.1g per litre. although it is used in axolotl aquariums and is part of holtfreters solution salt is the main chemical required. aquarium salt is fine and at 2g per litre is fine her to be kept in all the time.