HELP!!

[awatson]

Pearl was moving and looked fine other than her gills were a little curled. My daughter just checked on her and she looks like this! She is heart broken. Water levels are darn near perfect (pH is 7.0ppm, nitrite 0ppm, ammonia 0ppm, nitrate 5.0-0ppm. Temperature is 65-66 degrees Fahrenheit. I’m at a total loss here. Picture one was last night, second picture was 10 minutes ago.

 

[wolfen]

your ph is low which means your kh and possibly gh are also low, ph ideally should be 7.4-7.6 for axolotls, kh 3°-8° (54-143),gh 7°-14° (125-251).
your temperature is on the warm side, ideally needs to be 59°f-64°f (15°c-18°c) closer to 59°f (15°c) the better.
at this point I am very sorry to say that she is beyond help.
my condolences.

 

[awatson]

your ph is low which means your kh and possibly gh are also low, ph ideally should be 7.4-7.6 for axolotls, kh 3°-8° (54-143),gh 7°-14° (125-251).
your temperature is on the warm side, ideally needs to be 59°f-64°f (15°c-18°c) closer to 59°f (15°c) the better.
at this point I am very sorry to say that she is beyond help.
my condolences.

My daughter is going to be devastated. She did start to pink up a little when we put her In the fridge with a 1tsp of aquarium salt, per the breeder we got her from. Im trying to stay optimistic for my daughter.

 

[wolfen]

glad to hear that there has been some change.
to try and give her a chance to survive, use enough bicarbonate of soda to bring the ph up to 7.4-7.6 (if the ph straight from the tap is low) in any water that your axolotl will be in.
increase the salt level to 2g/l.
whilst she is being tubbed if possible use bottled mineral water.
try and get the ingredients to make 100% holtfreters + 0.2g/l magnesium sulphate, info here... Axolotls - Requirements & Water Conditions in Captivity.
holtfreters will correct the water chemistry and aid in healing although not as strong as amphibians ringers solution it will be less stressful
for her to have gone so pale means she is suffering anaemia (correcting water chemistry will help).
make sure her diet is balanced and varied (when she will eat)
need to find if the cause is external, has anything been added to the tank recently, has any medications been used recently, has anything changed ie.. dechlorinater etc.. has there been any cleaning of the tank or filter recently.
have you noticed any cuts/bleeding, has there been a sudden change in her size.
DO NOT USE METHYLENE BLUE may make condition worse.
ensure that the water is oxygenated.

 

[Autistic Catholic]

She could either be anemic or have an advanced bacterial infection.

 

[awatson]

She could either be anemic or have an advanced bacterial infection.

Vet said it was a bacterial infection. We are currently treating but are pretty sure she is gone. We take her back to the vet in the morning to confirm. Sad day we will miss her silly smile and greeting us at the front of the tank at meal time.

 

[Autistic Catholic]

Vet said it was a bacterial infection. We are currently treating but are pretty sure she is gone. We take her back to the vet in the morning to confirm. Sad day we will miss her silly smile and greeting us at the front of the tank at meal time.

Awwww...I'm sorry to hear that...it sounds like she is a very beloved pet and you did good for her as long as you had her.

 

[wolfen]

sorry for your loss

 

[awatson]

Awwww...I'm sorry to hear that...it sounds like she is a very beloved pet and you did good for her as long as you had her.

She is my daughters but I think I got a little attached too.

 

[awatson]

sorry for your loss

Thank you, I did get our water tested and apparently my test kit was giving a lower reading on the ph. He said our ph was about a 7.2-7.4 so a little better but he said it was a little lower then what it should be like you had said as well. I was able to raise it slightly and bought a new kit. ph is now between 7.4 and 7.6. It just kills me though that I didn't get it double checked. I do appreciate your response though and will pay closer attention to ph.

 

[wolfen]

unfortunately axolotls are touted as easy beginner pets, but without being informed of the conditions required they can be very hard to keep and very stressful to care for.
I've been keeping axolotls for over two decades but I still fiddle with the tank to ensure everything is ok.
because of how long they live for and watching them grow it is tough and strange not to grow attached.