# My axolotyls are sick - please help.



## kieva (Mar 9, 2010)

My three pet Axolotls are sick. They get wind and float to the surface of the tank. This doesn't happen quite as much now, but i want to help them to get better. I am assuming this is due to ammonia in the water. The PH of the water is quite high and there is ammonia in the tank. I have done a 50% water change and i keep doing a 25% water change every two days. The PH level hasn't reduced. The axolotl’s gills have burned in the acidic water and i really need to sort it out. I am assuming the filter is not doing its job properly. I have washed all of the pads but to no avail. I bought new ones today, the green and blue ones and a carbon one. I have also bought Fluval biomax filters to replace the current media in the tank. Is it okay to change all of this at once? I am assuming there is bacteria build up in the tank, there are occasionally red smears on the glass, and it looks like red algae. I have kept the tank clean but obviously something is amiss. I have bought API Proper P.H. 7.0 and Nutrafin Cycle Biological aquarium supplement. Can i add these to the tank with the axolotls? Will it make the water better? They still have an appetite but i want to get them better. 

In addition to this, two have lost weight and the one that is still big and fat keeps picking on them. Why is this? They have more than enough food.

Please help.

Kind regards

L


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## jaykickboxer (Feb 11, 2008)

I don't no anything about axies but whilst cycling my tropical tank I used to use ammonia remover from pets at home it's only 4quid and always removed it all


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## GemzD26 (Sep 22, 2009)

kieva said:


> My three pet Axolotls are sick. They get wind and float to the surface of the tank. This doesn't happen quite as much now, but i want to help them to get better. I am assuming this is due to ammonia in the water. The PH of the water is quite high and there is ammonia in the tank. I have done a 50% water change and i keep doing a 25% water change every two days. The PH level hasn't reduced. The axolotl’s gills have burned in the acidic water and i really need to sort it out. I am assuming the filter is not doing its job properly. I have washed all of the pads but to no avail. I bought new ones today, the green and blue ones and a carbon one. I have also bought Fluval biomax filters to replace the current media in the tank. Is it okay to change all of this at once? I am assuming there is bacteria build up in the tank, there are occasionally red smears on the glass, and it looks like red algae. I have kept the tank clean but obviously something is amiss. I have bought API Proper P.H. 7.0 and Nutrafin Cycle Biological aquarium supplement. Can i add these to the tank with the axolotls? Will it make the water better? They still have an appetite but i want to get them better.
> 
> In addition to this, two have lost weight and the one that is still big and fat keeps picking on them. Why is this? They have more than enough food.
> 
> ...


Hi,

Mabey i can help first off use your Freshwater test kit and post the readings.

In your tank what substrate is it sand,Bare bottom,Pebbles?

DO NOT use any fish medicines on Axolotls they dont take to well to chemicals being added to their water and these medicines are for fish not amphibians.

I think you need to stop doing such big water changes,all you are doing is more harm than good all you are doing is replacing the water and not allowing the tank to cycle properly.

What food do you feed them and how often.

If you are really concerned i would advise for you to fridge your poorly axolotls until the tank balance has been restored.

Let me find the link and all post it.:2thumb:


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## GemzD26 (Sep 22, 2009)

GemzD26 said:


> Hi,
> 
> Mabey i can help first off use your Freshwater test kit and post the readings.
> 
> ...


Here's the link.

Axolotl Sanctuary


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## jaykickboxer (Feb 11, 2008)

I don't no anything about axies as stated but that fridge thing sounds cold,is that what it sounds like? It's making me cold thinking about it


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## GemzD26 (Sep 22, 2009)

jaykickboxer said:


> I don't no anything about axies as stated but that fridge thing sounds cold,is that what it sounds like? It's making me cold thinking about it


Axolols like to live in naturally cold lakes in the wild hence why they live in cold water tanks like goldfish.

Putting your axolotls in the fridge slows down their system and allows your axolotls to recover from various things,like missing legs, damaged gills, stress related problems.

You could actually keep an axolotl in the for long periods of time and will not do any damage to hem.

Ive had a few of mines in at weeks at a time and seems to have done the trick!


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## kieva (Mar 9, 2010)

I have spoken with a vet who said not to put them in the fridge as fridge temperatures are too cold for them even though they come from cold water in Mexico. I was advised to do regular water changes to lower the ammonia in the water and to restore the PH levels. I have replaced all the filters. I do not have substrate anymore. The pet shop advised it was okay to have small stones, we soon found that the axolotls were digesting them and removed those and replaced them with pebbles. I have since removed the pebbles too. At present, i have only got ornaments in the tank so that they can hide to reduce the stress they must be experiencing. 

With so much conflicting information, i do not know what to do. I appreciate that lower temperatures reduce metabolism etc but i am not putting my axolotls in the fridge. It is the water i need to treat. I need to reduce the acidity and ammonia in the water and i do not know how to do that. I have put a new carbon filter into the tank along with a nitrate filter and another filter. This should remove some of the toxins in the water. We used Nutrafin Cycle when setting up the tank and the axolotls were fine. I am cautious about adding the ‘Proper ph 7.0’ as i am aware that axolotls are amphibians and not fish. I need to know if Proper ph 7.0 is axolotl friendly. I also need to know if i can use nutrafin cycle to restore the levels of safe bacteria in the tank.

I appreciate all help and advice.

I have my water tested at my local pet shop on a regular basis. It was them who identified that the water is acidic. I am not sure of the ph level though. I don't have a home testing kit yet. 

The axolotls belong to my husband who is away for a while, which leaves me looking after them. I have no local vet who can attend to amphibians. I need to treat the water but i only want to put safe products in there. 

Regards

L


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## jaykickboxer (Feb 11, 2008)

water change and reduced feeding should in theory sort it temporarily after a few water changes then the filters kicking in everything should be well.


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## waynenoonan1234 (Sep 11, 2009)

can you use PH Down? also off ebay you can buy something that you just put in the water its like a bag it removes ammonia.


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## GemzD26 (Sep 22, 2009)

kieva said:


> I have spoken with a vet who said not to put them in the fridge as fridge temperatures are too cold for them even though they come from cold water in Mexico. I was advised to do regular water changes to lower the ammonia in the water and to restore the PH levels. I have replaced all the filters. I do not have substrate anymore. The pet shop advised it was okay to have small stones, we soon found that the axolotls were digesting them and removed those and replaced them with pebbles. I have since removed the pebbles too. At present, i have only got ornaments in the tank so that they can hide to reduce the stress they must be experiencing.
> 
> With so much conflicting information, i do not know what to do. I appreciate that lower temperatures reduce metabolism etc but i am not putting my axolotls in the fridge. It is the water i need to treat. I need to reduce the acidity and ammonia in the water and i do not know how to do that. I have put a new carbon filter into the tank along with a nitrate filter and another filter. This should remove some of the toxins in the water. We used Nutrafin Cycle when setting up the tank and the axolotls were fine. I am cautious about adding the ‘Proper ph 7.0’ as i am aware that axolotls are amphibians and not fish. I need to know if Proper ph 7.0 is axolotl friendly. I also need to know if i can use nutrafin cycle to restore the levels of safe bacteria in the tank.
> 
> ...


Hi,

Just thought i woild let you know im registered to another website and it was an actual Amphibian vet who advised me to fridge one of my axolotls and gave me the link did the trick for my axie who had broke his toe,and another had damaged its gills.

The reason why i advised you to put your axolotls in the fridge as you said in your previous post that the gills were damaged.

When you get your water tested is it a full master test?,Ammonia,Nitrate,Nitrite,PH

I would advise buying one you can have to hand so you can check daily what the readings are sitting at and can give you a more accurate reading of your tank mines cost about £15 quid.

I personally would not add this nutrafin cycle as im very wary.But its really your choice.

I see what you are saying tho its a double edged sword your tank readings are high so your tank is un balanced,But im turm with you trying to get the readings back to normal you are having to remove the cycled water.

Whens your next reading being done,Can you compare your first reading and your last reading between your water changes?

Im not sure if i can give you anymore info.

I would say try this website it always helps me if i have a problem it has a whole topic dedicated to axolotls www.caudata.org.

Good luck.


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