my albino axolatol has not been eating for the past week. i noticed a slight bump on his head yesterday, and today its even bigger. the bump looks like a really bad pimple. he looks skinnier than normal. i just did a 50% water change. he lives in a planted 10gallon with no othere inhabitants, and ADA soil for substrate.
axolatol help
- Thread starter rey420
- Start date
Whats the temperature of the tank? What is ADA?
Also a pic would be helpful in diagnosing the problem.
Mitch
Also a pic would be helpful in diagnosing the problem.
Mitch
temperature is 76. will try to get a pic....
looks like the bump is smaller today, but still hasn't eaten. ive been feeding him nothing but redworms. he usually gulps them down with no hesitation, now he shys away from them. he has gotten much skinnier.
what else do they eat???????????
looks like the bump is smaller today, but still hasn't eaten. ive been feeding him nothing but redworms. he usually gulps them down with no hesitation, now he shys away from them. he has gotten much skinnier.
what else do they eat???????????
76 is WAY too warm for him. Your tank should be 60-64 degrees and should NEVER go over 70 degrees. That's probably not causing the bump, but it's definitely not helping any- warm temps really stress our axolotls and make a LOT of things worse for them. It'll be a lot harder for him to heal. Also, the temperature may be the reason he's not eating.
A lot of people refrigerate caudates to fix all kinds of problems, and it's a really commonly suggested solution for axolotl health problems. Put him in a LARGE plastic container, like a 1 gallon ice cream tub. Fill it about half way with water (at LEAST 1/2 gallon of water for an adult axolotl) from his tank, and put the whole thing in the fridge. The cold temps will slow down his metabolism, slow down the growth of any bacteria, viruses, fungus, etc. . . on them, but doesn't slow down their immune system. Change the water once a day, and don't worry about aeration or filtration for it. When you change the water, use pre-chilled, dechlorinated water. To do this- dechlorinate a gallon of water & keep it in the fridge with the axolotl. You can feed the axolotl after 3-4 days of this, but it may not want to eat. I've always heard of keeping the axolotl like this for at least 3-4 days, lots of time a week, but I've heard of people keeping axolotls in the fridge for weeks at a time. I've never had to refrigerate any of my axies, though, so I can't speak first hand. This is just a solution I've heard of, and that I'm prepared to try for my axolotls if they have health problems.
A lot of people refrigerate caudates to fix all kinds of problems, and it's a really commonly suggested solution for axolotl health problems. Put him in a LARGE plastic container, like a 1 gallon ice cream tub. Fill it about half way with water (at LEAST 1/2 gallon of water for an adult axolotl) from his tank, and put the whole thing in the fridge. The cold temps will slow down his metabolism, slow down the growth of any bacteria, viruses, fungus, etc. . . on them, but doesn't slow down their immune system. Change the water once a day, and don't worry about aeration or filtration for it. When you change the water, use pre-chilled, dechlorinated water. To do this- dechlorinate a gallon of water & keep it in the fridge with the axolotl. You can feed the axolotl after 3-4 days of this, but it may not want to eat. I've always heard of keeping the axolotl like this for at least 3-4 days, lots of time a week, but I've heard of people keeping axolotls in the fridge for weeks at a time. I've never had to refrigerate any of my axies, though, so I can't speak first hand. This is just a solution I've heard of, and that I'm prepared to try for my axolotls if they have health problems.
If it's red/ulcerated in color it could be a bacterial infection - Dr. Turtle triple sulfa medication may or may not help.