Question: White axolotl changed colour

[SloppyLizard]

Hey,
i have had a white axolotl since christmas. Everything has been going well up until today. It appears to have changed colour and is doing what appears to be a retching motion. When i bought it the colouring was pure white and its now turned a pale yellow colour. Gills are usually very pink in colour but they are currently really pale.
Any help would be very appreciated

 

[Donna001]

Hi there and welcome to the forum. :happy:

Would you be able to post any pictures of your axolotl? This would be very helpful.
Could you also post your water parameters.
Is your little one retching a lot? Mine sometimes do it if they have eaten too much, which can happen when introduced to a new food, or sometimes with prawns. It can also happen with very lively/wiggly earthworms, like they can't keep them down.
Sometimes axolotls lose colour, especially in their gills, when they are resting, as this reduces the blood flow.
I've only been keeping axolotls since March, but if you can post as much information as possible, and some pictures, the more experienced keepers and breeders on the forum can help to diagnose the problem.

 

[SloppyLizard]

I have checked both ammonia and nitrite and both are fine, the tank is sitting around 21 degree due to this horridly warm weather in the uk at the moment. Currently my axy is floating around at the top :S its been quite active this morning and gills were still very pale

 

[Donna001]

Does he often float upside down like this?

 

[SloppyLizard]

Oops my bad, that first photo has uploaded upside down he's swimming towards the bottom. still floating at the top, taking in gulps or air every 2-3 mins

 

[Donna001]

Can he return to the bottom of the tank, or does he try to swim down but just floats back up again?

 

[Donna001]

Can you also post a picture of your tank. Do you have a filter? Do you have an air stone.
Strange as it sounds, part of the problem could be low oxygen. As water gets warmer it required more surface movement to get the same amount of oxygen.
If you "scare" your axolotl, perhaps by touching him, does he swim to the bottom of the tank and stay there?

 

[SloppyLizard]

i have both and airstone as shown in the first picture and a juwel built in filter. Yeah if its startled it will swim down but thats when i'v noticed the retching, at the top its not doing it

 

[Donna001]

Sometimes a combination of reduced colour and floating can be a sign of a slight bacterial infection in the stomach that can lead to a build up of gas. If he has stomach problems that might also explain the retching.
Is he still eating and pooping normally? Is he constipated? Is he off his food?
Floating can also stress axolotls, if they can't get back to the bottom, and this can be dealt with by putting them in a smaller container with clean dechlorinated water, to a level that just covers their back.
Some bacterial infections can also be treated with a salt solution bath.
However (and this is a very big however) I've only been keeping axolotls since March and I think that we need to get the advice of some of the more experienced keepers before you do anything.
Hang on in there, keep checking on your axolotl, make sure he is comfortable, and the more experienced keepers will probably be around within a couple of hours.
I'll stay on the forum, so just post if anything changes. I'm also going to have a bit of a rummage around through the older messages to see if anyone else has had a similar problem.

 

[SloppyLizard]

Update, It has now been refusing food for the past 2 days. Gills are basically white now and has stopped being so mobile

 

[Donna001]

Floating can also be a sign of constipation. Has your axolotl been pooping normally?

I'm hoping that one of the experienced keepers will be around soon with some advice.

 

[SloppyLizard]

Not seen any poo for a couple days maybe a week now

 

[Cattlemedic]

Would maybe try doing tea baths and some fridge time?