Help Axolotl hasnt eaten in over a month

[marisa]

Hi
My axolotl's tank crashed while I was out of town over Christmas. As soon as I got back I had a new filter up and running and began following an in tank cycling guide. My parameters were high in nitrites. When the water wasn't improving i took her out and began tubbing her for the last 2 weeks (switching tubs every 12 hours). We went to an exotic vet and had x-rays done and a physical exam. we tried a 5-day trial of antibiotics in case there was a bacterial infection. She still has not eaten, is not interested in food, and even sometimes begins gagging/gulping when i put any food near her. She has not pooped since before christmas. I have offered her nightcrawlers, salmon, brine shrimp, bloodworms, and pellets. I have tried using garlic guard. Nothing seems to entice her. She still looks relatively healthy. Gills are normal, coloring is normal, and she hasn't lost weight. She is also not getting bigger or bloating. I am stumped. Please let me know what i can do next.

 

[marisa]

This is the gagging/gulping. She has only done it twice. Also there is no substrate in her tank only a cave and slate and small plant. Nothing she could have swallowed

@wolfen Do you have any clue what could be going on?

 

[wolfen]

daily methyline blue baths, this is due to her being in water with high nitrites, use 100% holtfreters + 0.2g/l magnesium sulphate, this will correct the waters chemistry as well as help with any effects from raised ammonia.
test your tank and tap waters kh gh.
did the vet test for fluid build up?
the gagging seems like trying to bring food back up, even if she hasn't eaten it might be a reflex to try to make room by regurgitating.

 

[marisa]

daily methyline blue baths, this is due to her being in water with high nitrites, use 100% holtfreters + 0.2g/l magnesium sulphate, this will correct the waters chemistry as well as help with any effects from raised ammonia.
test your tank and tap waters kh gh.
did the vet test for fluid build up?
the gagging seems like trying to bring food back up, even if she hasn't eaten it might be a reflex to try to make room by regurgitating.

Thank you so much!!! I am a new owner so sorry if any of these questions are dumb. Is there another option for the holtfreters? I am not sure how to get it. The GH on the API test strips is the maximum (180ppm) and the KH is between 80-120ppm. Those are the same for the tap and tank. I am not sure if she checked for fluid buildup but the x-ray was clear and she said there was no bloating.

 

[wolfen]

your kh is between 4 and 7 (if 4 ok, if 7 very good, ideal if 3-8) although might need to keep an eye on it as kh buffers ph helping prevent crashes, your gh is good at 10 (ideal being 7-14), because your kh and gh is good full holtfreters may not be required, use 3.5g/l non-iodised salt also 0.2g/l magnesium sulphate (epsom salt) if possible.
keep an eye on her size, as is she looks either gravid or slight edema (both will cause lack of appetite), as her size reduces her appetite and ability to eat should return, if her size does not reduce or increases she will need to be vet tested, the waters salt content (3.5g/l can be increased to 6g/l under vets direction) should reduce/prevent additional edema via osmosis but wont prevent edema via organ damage.

 

[marisa]

your kh is between 4 and 7 (if 4 ok, if 7 very good, ideal if 3-8) although might need to keep an eye on it as kh buffers ph helping prevent crashes, your gh is good at 10 (ideal being 7-14), because your kh and gh is good full holtfreters may not be required, use 3.5g/l non-iodised salt also 0.2g/l magnesium sulphate (epsom salt) if possible.
keep an eye on her size, as is she looks either gravid or slight edema (both will cause lack of appetite), as her size reduces her appetite and ability to eat should return, if her size does not reduce or increases she will need to be vet tested, the waters salt content (3.5g/l can be increased to 6g/l under vets direction) should reduce/prevent additional edema via osmosis but wont prevent edema via organ damage.

Thank you so much!! you are so kind fo answering all these questions. Sorry, i have a couple more. Do i make a bath with the salt, magnesium sulfate, and methylene blue at the same time? how should I dose the methylene blue? how long should she stay in these baths? Currently, I have been tubbing her in a 12 qt container and switching her between them every 12 hours.

 

[wolfen]

the salt and magnesium sulphate is added to any water she is in, the methylene blue baths are at half fish dose (colour similar to 0 nitrite test) for 10-15 mins daily.

 

[marisa]

the salt and magnesium sulphate is added to any water she is in, the methylene blue baths are at half fish dose (colour similar to 0 nitrite test) for 10-15 mins daily.

I have been doing the daily methylene blue baths and they seem to be going well. However, yesterday I tried the salt and magnesium sulphate in her water and she freaked out. She kept swimming around, gulping, and blinking. I was nervous to leave her in it overnight so after about an hour I took her out and put her back in regular water. This morning it looks like her skin is peeling a little. There were lots of pieces of what looked like skin in the tank. Should I continue adding salt, or should I do less? She still has not eaten.

 

[wolfen]

do a water change, add only 1g/l salt, next water change increase level to 2g/l, then 3g/l, then 3.5g/l, this is to acclimatise her to the salt level.
make sure to use no more than 3.5g/l non-iodised salt unless told to do so by the vet, if need be the magnesium sulphate can be left out.
if possible use tape measure to measure her width/girth, this will make it easier to see if her size is reducing or increasing.