vak14
New member
Alright, buckle up because this one is a doozy.
I have owned my axolotl since December of 2019. For about 3 years, we had no problems. She was happy and healthy in her 20 gallon long aquarium living her best life. I don't know why or what happened, but one day her tank crashed and she became very very ill. She was all bloated, gasping for air, I thought she was going to die. She was tubbed and with some careful TLC she recovered beautifully. In that time, I corrected the parameters in her tank and she was able to return uneventfully.
Since that first event, however, she has had to have been tubbed SEVERAL times for one reason or another. Once her nitrites were high. Another time she developed a severe fungal infection. Etc etc.
I feel like I have tried everything. More filters, less filters, new filters, sand, no sand, river rocks, live plants, bubblers, cattappa leaves, all to no avail. I have recently put her back in her tank after being tubbed for MONTHS due to an ammonia/nitrite spike. The first couple days we were okay, but now I notice her developing a white fuzzy fungus on her gills and along her body. I know that fungus can be a factor of stress and of course she isn't eating since being put back in her tank. Her parameters are ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 5-10 ppm. Her temperature is in the low to mid 50s. I have tried doing large water changes, and it appeared to resolve the fungus initially but it is now returned. She has fuzzy white growths on her gills and also white raised bumps in various locations on her body, especially her ventrum and arms and tail.
I feel like I am at my wits end with this creature. I am a veterinary student, I have consulted with a NUMBER of exotic veterinarians, axolotl breeders, zookeepers, aquarists. Everyone seems stumped.
The only thing I haven't tried is Holtfreter's, which I am really hesitant to try due to mixed opinions on the addition of salt and due to the fact that she was originally fine for years without the addition of any salt or chemicals besides Prime water dechlorinator for water changes.
The way I see it I pretty much have two options right now. I can
(a) continue to monitor her closely and administer heavy water changes and hope that the fungus passes on its own.
(b) remove her from her tank, tub her again, COMPLETELY empty and sanitize her tank with boiling water, get new filters, and start from scratch.
I feel terrible. I don't want her to live in a box anymore. It's no quality of life. Of course I want her to be healthy too so I don't know what to do anymore. If anyone has any advice please let me know.
I have owned my axolotl since December of 2019. For about 3 years, we had no problems. She was happy and healthy in her 20 gallon long aquarium living her best life. I don't know why or what happened, but one day her tank crashed and she became very very ill. She was all bloated, gasping for air, I thought she was going to die. She was tubbed and with some careful TLC she recovered beautifully. In that time, I corrected the parameters in her tank and she was able to return uneventfully.
Since that first event, however, she has had to have been tubbed SEVERAL times for one reason or another. Once her nitrites were high. Another time she developed a severe fungal infection. Etc etc.
I feel like I have tried everything. More filters, less filters, new filters, sand, no sand, river rocks, live plants, bubblers, cattappa leaves, all to no avail. I have recently put her back in her tank after being tubbed for MONTHS due to an ammonia/nitrite spike. The first couple days we were okay, but now I notice her developing a white fuzzy fungus on her gills and along her body. I know that fungus can be a factor of stress and of course she isn't eating since being put back in her tank. Her parameters are ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 5-10 ppm. Her temperature is in the low to mid 50s. I have tried doing large water changes, and it appeared to resolve the fungus initially but it is now returned. She has fuzzy white growths on her gills and also white raised bumps in various locations on her body, especially her ventrum and arms and tail.
I feel like I am at my wits end with this creature. I am a veterinary student, I have consulted with a NUMBER of exotic veterinarians, axolotl breeders, zookeepers, aquarists. Everyone seems stumped.
The only thing I haven't tried is Holtfreter's, which I am really hesitant to try due to mixed opinions on the addition of salt and due to the fact that she was originally fine for years without the addition of any salt or chemicals besides Prime water dechlorinator for water changes.
The way I see it I pretty much have two options right now. I can
(a) continue to monitor her closely and administer heavy water changes and hope that the fungus passes on its own.
(b) remove her from her tank, tub her again, COMPLETELY empty and sanitize her tank with boiling water, get new filters, and start from scratch.
I feel terrible. I don't want her to live in a box anymore. It's no quality of life. Of course I want her to be healthy too so I don't know what to do anymore. If anyone has any advice please let me know.
