Sick Axolotl

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froggygirl37

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Feb 19, 2012
Messages
79
Hey guys.. I'm really hoping someone can help me out since I don't have a vet in my area who will see my Axolotl.

I noticed about a week ago he was missing some toes.. The tips were all red where they were missing. Now he is missing almost all toes, some shorter than others, all are red at the tips. His gills are also getting shorter and less fluffy.

Here's some info on him and my tank:
- 36gal with sponge filter
- 16-18 degrees Celsius
- 0 ammonia and normal nitrite/nitrate
- pH 8
- large, smooth river stones (too big to ingest), drift wood, fake plants, slate. Lots of hiding space
- he is 5inches, leucistic albino
- eats mysis shrimp M,W,F and blood worms Sunday. Eats guppy fry on the last Friday of every month.
- I catch him in a breeder to eat. He swims into the net readily.
- alone in tank
- have had him 5 months, purchased him with no feet as his siblings chewed them off. (Or so I was told. The toes weren't red then either). They fully grew back 3 months ago and were perfect.

Any ideas as to what could be making him sick are appreciated as well as possible solutions. Thanks!

**Ishould add any guppies I fed were bred in my own community tank
 
I forgot what it is called, but there are chemicals in guppies that make them poor feeders. I don't remember what it is called or how it affects the predator, but I know it has ill effects. I read it somewhere but don't remember where. Hopefully someone else can shed more light on this.

How are your params?
 
Him really? I've only given them to him a few times in his life.. And water is fine. I've been doing bi-weekly 10% W/C, it's always ammonia and nitrite 0, nitrate 11, pH 8
 
Admittedly, amphibians fall between the cracks of my fish knowledge and reptile knowledge. But I did a little checking around anyway, and it sounds like a bacterial or fungal infection. Any white fuzziness around the gills and toes?
 
Admittedly, amphibians fall between the cracks of my fish knowledge and reptile knowledge. But I did a little checking around anyway, and it sounds like a bacterial or fungal infection. Any white fuzziness around the gills and toes?


It's hard to say since he is white.. It doesn't appear so, just the redness. His gills almost look a little slicked down in areas
 
The only other thing I'm finding is something called 'red leg', which is septicemia. :( Doesn't look like it usually presents with missing toes though, just redness of the limbs.
 
If you don't feed guppies often, it is probably not the problem.. I am doing some research to help but haven't found anything yet.
 
Thanks guys. I gave him a salt bath today and the redness has subsided.. i think I will do it again tomorrow

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Glad he is getting better! Just a tip, make sure the salt is fully dissolved, the undissolved salt is a gill irritant, and when the gills are out like that, I imagine it would hurt like a mother
 
Dont worry i made sure, and a low concentration :)

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