Sick axolotl- PH was too low

[xxxxxxxx]

Hi everyone,
I need your help. I did a large water change due to high ammonia- come to find out it was because my PH was low (6.6). My axolotl is in really bad shape so I had to tub him. I use tap water (it doesn't have any chlorine in it) but my tap water is also low in PH as well. I used baking soda in the aquarium to help rise the PH, but in the meantime I'm really worried about my boy. His gill fragments are coming off and the tip of his tail started to curve. When I change his water, should I add baking soda in it and let it sit before I put him in? That way it will rise the PH? Any other helpful knowledge to help my boy out? Thank you very much!

 

[JM29]

Hi,
Difficult to help with such few informations.
What I understand :
- You had (still have ?) a high ammonia problem, But you don't tell the value and what is really measured (total ammonia or free ammonia ?)
- You consider tour pH is too low for an axolotl and you want to raise it. Although a pH around 7,5 is probably ideal, values between 6,5 and 8,0 are acceptable (see axolotl.org). Moreover, pH in the tank can vary a lot during the day.
- Your axolotl has a curved tail tip, which is a sign of stress. Are you sure the problem is chemical ? Seek for other possible sources of stress (water current, noise or vibrations in or near the tank, temperature too high ?)

Moreover, the toxicity of ammonia strongly depends on pH value.
For example, at pH 7,2, free ammonia (the toxic form) will be only 1/100th of total ammonia.
With your pH of 6,6 the ratio total ammonia / free ammonia is about 450.

The other missing informations are :
- Is your tank filtered ?
- If it is filtered, did you wait several weeks before introducing your axolotl in it ?
- Is your tank planted ? (I mean : densely planted)

 

[xxxxxxxx]

Hi,
Difficult to help with such few informations.
What I understand :
- You had (still have ?) a high ammonia problem, But you don't tell the value and what is really measured (total ammonia or free ammonia ?)
- You consider tour pH is too low for an axolotl and you want to raise it. Although a pH around 7,5 is probably ideal, values between 6,5 and 8,0 are acceptable (see axolotl.org). Moreover, pH in the tank can vary a lot during the day.
- Your axolotl has a curved tail tip, which is a sign of stress. Are you sure the problem is chemical ? Seek for other possible sources of stress (water current, noise or vibrations in or near the tank, temperature too high ?)

Moreover, the toxicity of ammonia strongly depends on pH value.
For example, at pH 7,2, free ammonia (the toxic form) will be only 1/100th of total ammonia.
With your pH of 6,6 the ratio total ammonia / free ammonia is about 450.

The other missing informations are :
- Is your tank filtered ?
- If it is filtered, did you wait several weeks before introducing your axolotl in it ?
- Is your tank planted ? (I mean : densely plan

Hi, yes I have a cycled tank with two plants in it. It has a filter and I waited until t was fully cycled to put him in. I tested the ammonia and PH. Ph is at 6.6 and Ammonia is at 1.0. My axolotl was swimming around frantically and scratching at it's gills so I had to take him out and tub him. I just checked on him today. He has fungus on him. I put in some almond leaves to help.