While axolotls are generally strong to slight variances in their condition, they likewise have sensitive, delicate bodies with porous skin. Indeed, the greater part of their body is made of ligament instead of bone. That implies they ought not be dealt with except if completely important. Also, on the off chance that you do need to move them out of their tank, do as such with a fine work net that won't ensnare any of their body parts.
When you have their lodging arrangement right, you by and large just need to put in a couple of hours out of each week on taking care of and cleaning. The rest is essentially appreciating them as a peaceful, oceanic friend. Axolotls will in general be genuinely intense and are entirely substance to move about their tank as they're being viewed by their people. Some will come up to the side of their tank when an individual is there watching them.
Be that as it may, they aren't especially social creatures and don't need any tank sidekicks. They ought not be kept with different species as axolotls would attempt to eat pet fish, and the fish now and again nip at them, also. You even ought to be careful about lodging them with different axolotls. Adolescent axolotls can be primative toward each other, so they are best brought up in isolated nooks. Grown-ups can possibly be housed together, yet at the same time, look out for savage propensities. In the event that a body part gets gnawed off by a tank mate, an axolotl really can recover it after some time. Notwithstanding, it's despite everything best to dodge this circumstance out and out.
The best way to keep your animals free of disease is to prevent it. Most terrarium and aquarium animals, when they are not victims of diseases contracted before their arrival, are victims of the negligence or incompetence of their caretaker who does not provide them with the appropriate living conditions. A suitable environment and careful maintenance are sufficient to prevent most diseases in axolotls. However, once a disease is declared, the prospects are not good, because amphibians react very badly to chemicals.
The diseases associated with these symptoms can have a wide variety of causes and non-specific agents: dietary deficiencies, viruses, fungal infections, bacteria, aquatic parasites (protozoa, nematodes, Trichodina, Aemonas, Saprolegnia). As our axolotls were born in captivity, aquatic parasites are rare. They can hardly come from food or from "crossbreeding" with the natural environment. Opportunistic diseases that occur on wounds are much more common. The "axolotl plague" manifests itself by reddish abscesses followed by fungal attacks. It kills animals rapidly. It is probably a "combined attack" of several agents, fungi and bacteria and requires rapid treatment (salt at low temperature 13-15° if possible).
BD (chytridiomycosis)
Axolotls should be tested for BD ( Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis ) at least once a year. The disease, also called chytridiomycosis, is often undetectable for months, but is very damaging to the axolotl's immune system and makes them more susceptible to further diseases. BD is a fungal disease. The chytridiomycosis fungus originates from Africa and causes an outbreak of chytridiomycosis in the tank. A few decades ago, the fungus found its way to Europe. It is considered the most common and dangerous disease for domesticated amphibians!
This fungus is extremely aggressive and causes mass amphibian mortality all over the world. Therefore, this disease is to be taken very seriously. The fungus is often transmitted via plants and other objects in the tank, especially if they have been taken over second-hand. Therefore, all plants and objects should be disinfected before use. However, BD can also be transmitted by fish, snails and other animals that may be placed in the axolotl's home (not recommended). If the keeping conditions are also not optimal, the chytrid fungus has an even easier game; for this reason, too, adequate water values and sufficient hygiene should always be ensured.
Symptoms of BD are, for example, black discoloured areas on the body of the axolotl - often on the lips or toes, but also in the area of the cloaca, the belly and the tail. One problem, however, is that black spots can also result from reproductive maturity. Therefore, this is somewhat difficult to distinguish - especially for a layperson. The fungus also likes to stay in the mucous membranes of the axolotl. It uses the animal as a host to multiply on.
BD can also be asymptomatic, especially in the beginning, so prevention is important. BD not only weakens the immune system and makes the axolotl more susceptible to further diseases, but in the worst case it can lead to the death of the animal, even if no symptoms are visible.
Another symptom of BD can be slimy gill hairs. A change in the animal's behaviour can also be a sign of BD, for example if the animal does not feel like eating or seems apathetic.
In case of a suspected case, a BD test should be carried out immediately, but even for animals without suspicion, an annual test is recommended to be on the safe side. Visibly ill animals should of course be taken to the vet immediately!
However, the animal does not necessarily have to be taken to the vet for the test. In many countries it is possible to take a swab at home and then take it to the vet or send it to the laboratory.
In case of an infestation or a positive test result, the entire tank and all furnishings must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. The pathogens are not visible to the naked eye as they only measure about 5 µm. It is therefore important to disinfect every area very thoroughly, for example with high-percentage alcohol (at least seventy percent).
Such intensive cleaning naturally also has the effect of removing the valuable bacteria cultures from the tank. Unfortunately, this cannot be avoided. Therefore, the bacteria have to re-colonise after the cleaning, which takes some time. For this reason, the water values should be kept well under control.
If a new axolotl is brought from the breeder or taken over from another owner, they should ideally provide an up-to-date BD test.
Fungal infections
Fungal infections can be recognised relatively well by the fact that they cause white spots on the axolotl's body or even white "fungal tufts". These can often be treated relatively well with salt baths. However, it is important to note that the salt used must not contain iodine.
For treatment, the animal is placed in a separate box filled with salt water. Approximately one teaspoon of salt is used per ten litres of water ( approx . 2.5 gallons ). The animal should spend several hours or at best even a whole day in the box. With this method, the salt content of the water is therefore low and the treatment time relatively long.
Another possibility is to intensify the salt bath. With this method, one teaspoon of salt per 1 litre ( per 0.25 gallons ) is added to the water in the box; however, the treatment time should then only be ten minutes!
Ideally, the axolotl should be kept in quarantine for about a week afterwards, so that it can be observed further, and it can be determined whether the fungal infection disappears completely.
To remove the fungal bacteria in the tank, it is a good idea to use sea almond leaves. Two leaves of the sea/tropical almond tree ( Terminalia catappa ) are added to 100 litres ( approx. 26 gallons ) of tank water. These have an antibacterial effect and also promote skin regeneration. The leaves do not have to be removed, but slowly decompose themselves.
Axolotl pest
Axolotl pest is a serious disease that leads very quickly to a deterioration in health, is quite aggressive and can cause the death of the animal if not treated. Therefore, the disease should be treated as soon as possible (within 24 hours!) by a competent veterinarian. It should not be confused with a simple fungal infection!
Axolotl pest is an infectious disease caused by mycobacteria. It is a mixture of bacteria and fungi. The pathogens are found in the soil as well as in the water and on their hosts, where they feed on dead biomass.
This disease also enjoys poor husbandry conditions such as poor water quality. Most dramatic here is water contamination by chlorine, nitrogen compounds and heavy metals. They occur, for example, when food remains are not removed and these slowly decompose. Inadequate and too infrequent water changes also favour this.
Symptoms of axolotl pest are, for example, changes in the skin, refusal of food up to emaciation, frayed fin areas and general reddening or bleeding on the animal's body. The spread of the disease over the whole body is extremely rapid in most cases and very large wound areas often develop. Home remedies do not help here; the diseases must be fought with suitable medication, which the veterinarian will prescribe. Treatment should not be delayed, as the disease unfortunately spreads very quickly and will most likely lead to the death of the animal. Often a vet will also prescribe healing baths with gentamycin or amphotericin, but this will be carefully investigated and prescribed by the expert vet.
Even with this infection, the entire tank including glass, objects and plants must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected (ethanol/alcohol 70%). Many keepers even replace the entire equipment to be on the safe side. As with fungal infections, sea almond leaves can be added to the pathogen-free tank as a preventive measure.
(Bite) Injuries
Due to the axolotl's special ability to regenerate, minor injuries are often not a big problem. Many injuries, even slight bite wounds, heal by themselves. However, it is important to examine and observe the injury.
Unfortunately, sometimes an injury becomes infected or a fungal infection develops on the injured area. In such cases, the animal should of course be presented to a competent veterinarian. In the worst case, the vet may have to amputate one of the limbs.
However, in order for the limb to grow back, it is important that the respective area is not sewn up. This is another reason why it is essential that the vet treating the animal is well acquainted with axolotls. After treatment, the animal should first be kept in quarantine until the wound has largely closed.
After an amputation, wound healing first begins, the wound closes. This is followed by blastema formation and then blastema cell proliferation. Once this process is complete, new limb tissue is formed until, in the best case, a regenerated limb has emerged. However, the older the animal, the more difficult regeneration can be. If the animal is already of advanced age, it is also possible that the limb will only regenerate in a mutilated way.
Obesity
Adult axolotls need to be fed less frequently than many other popular pets - therefore it happens that some owners "mean too well with their animals" and overfeed them. Overfeeding is quite common and should be avoided at all costs.
In order to determine the optimal food dose and the optimal intervals, the animals must be well observed. An axolotl should always maintain its normal weight. Of course, it should not lose weight, but weight problems are usually due to the fact that axolotls get too much food instead of too little.
An overweight axolotl is prone to organ fatty degeneration. This primarily affects the liver. Fatty organs and general overweight also provide ideal circumstances for other diseases.
Overweight is indeed a frequent cause of death in domesticated amphibians. Therefore, if weight gain occurs, more fasting days should be taken. If the axolotl still does not lose weight or if the overweight affects only one axolotl in the group, it is likely that the weight gain is due to other diseases. Research into the causes should be carried out by an experienced vet.
It is not only too frequent feeding that can cause overweight, but also too much food and, above all, food that is too rich in fat.
Sometimes other circumstances are mistaken for obesity. This happens, for example, when an axolotl has eaten (many) stones and these accumulate in the abdomen. In the worst case, these stones cannot be excreted and cause - sometimes fatal - blockages. Therefore, it is essential that the substrate consists of very small stones or, at best, fine sand, so that accidentally eaten substrate can be excreted again. Larger stones that fit into the mouth of the axolotl should be strictly avoided.
Abdominal dropsy (ascites) is sometimes mistaken for obesity. Dropsy is quite common in amphibians - and also in fish - and is strictly speaking not a disease in itself, but the symptom or consequence of an organ disease.
If an animal is affected by dropsy, a lot of water sometimes accumulates throughout the body - mainly in the abdominal cavity, of course. There are many reasons for this; for example, a bacterial infection can trigger dropsy. The organs no longer work properly and, in some cases, if the disease is far advanced, have even given up (kidney failure / kidney hypofunction). It is imperative that dropsy is examined and treated by a veterinarian who knows amphibians. Usually antibiotics are necessary, sometimes drainage tablets are also used. Nevertheless, it is essential not only to treat the dropsy itself, but primarily to get to the bottom of the cause.
Axolotls readily accept the food offered and, in most cases, do not regulate their food intake independently in the home tank. It is therefore the owner's responsibility to regulate the food intake and to ensure that the animals do not become too fat. Being overweight can cause fatty degeneration of the liver and other organs. At first it may seem strange that adult axolotls go through such long periods of fasting (more on this in the diet chapter); however, overfeeding can have serious consequences and should therefore be avoided. Liver fatty degeneration can also impair osmosis, for example, and the likelihood of kidney failure is greatly increased.
The older an axolotl is, the slower its metabolism usually becomes. It is therefore a good idea to constantly monitor the animals and to react to impending obesity at an early stage in order to meet the individual needs of the animals.
Axolotl Plague
Axolotl-Pestis is a serious disease that leads very quickly to a deterioration of health, is quite aggressive and can cause the death of the animal if left untreated. Therefore, the disease must be treated as soon as possible (within 24 hours!) by a competent veterinarian. It should not be confused with a simple fungal infection!
This disease is an infectious disease caused by mycobacteria. It is a mixture of bacteria and fungi. The pathogens are found in both soil and water and on their hosts, where they feed on dead biomass.
Most dramatic is water contamination by chlorine, nitrogen compounds and heavy metals. They occur, for example, when food remains are not removed and these slowly decompose. Inadequate and too infrequent water changes also promote this phenomenon.
Symptoms of this disease are, for example, changes in the skin, refusal of food to the point of cachexia, areas of frayed fins, and general redness or bleeding on the animal's body. The spread of the disease throughout the body is extremely rapid in most cases, and very large areas of wounds often develop. Home remedies do not help in this case; disease must be fought with appropriate medications, which your veterinarian will prescribe. Treatment should not be delayed, because the disease unfortunately spreads very quickly and will most likely lead to the death of the animal. Often the veterinarian will also prescribe curative baths with gentamicin or amphotericin, but this will be carefully studied and prescribed by the experienced veterinarian.
Even with this infection, the entire aquarium, including glassware, objects, and plants, must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected (ethanol/alcohol 70%). Many breeders even replace the entire equipment to be on the safe side. As with fungal infections, sea almond leaves can be added to the pathogen-free aquarium as a preventative measure.
Treatment Options
For opportunistic diseases with cutaneous symptoms, we have disinfectants, which can also be used to clean the tanks after an infectious episode. The affected animal must be isolated in a small separate tank, naked, without decoration, without light, without filter, to administer the product. One can use a 1% copper sulfate solution (2 milliliters per ten liters of water for 24 hours), a general antiseptic such as Ethacridine lactate (marketed under the name Rivanol, 1% solution), or the good old methylene blue (3 milliliters of a 1% solution per ten liters of water), or even salt (non-iodized salt, without additives, in pharmacies: 100% NaCl sodium chloride): a teaspoon for ten liters of water for a few days, then a spoon for 100 liters for one to two weeks against skin fungi. Among the antibiotics (against bacterial diseases, but not against fungus), gentamycin (used in eye drops) has proved its worth (1 milliliter of gentamycin solution per liter for a ten-minute bath as an attack treatment, then 0.25 milliliters per liter for several hours). A preparation for fish, Furamor, which is both antibacterial and antifungal, can be tried.
Chytridiomycosis A recently appeared disease, chytridiomycosis, strikes a great number of amphibian species, in the natural environment or in captivity. Many extinctions are to be feared. Moreover, some species seem to play a role of healthy carrier, not directly or immediately infected but serving as reservoir to the infectious agent. This is also the case for freshwater crayfish of the genus Procambarus. This disease due to pathogenic fungi (Batrachochytium dendrobatidis and Batrachochytium salamandrivorans) manifests itself initially by skin symptoms that are unfortunately not very specific: small brown spots that get bigger, scarring patches, blackening of the extremities.
Once the disease is declared, the outcome is fatal and the future of the whole collection is compromised. The germ will be transported from one aquarium to another with the material, the plants etc. It is absolutely necessary to avoid spreading it. It is absolutely necessary to avoid spreading it in nature by getting rid of corpses, material, plants or soiled water. The plague is not very mobile and man is probably its best vector!
The disease is not yet generally spread in Europe and it is urgent to try to contain it. It is a danger that will have to be reckoned with more and more. It has already been spotted in the wild in the Netherlands, Spain and France (Aspe Valley) at least. Animals coming from trade, which often live next to other species (Cynops newts, aquatic frogs of the genus Xenopus), or which follow them in the same installations are particularly exposed. It is therefore preferable to obtain axolotls from a healthy breeder or from a specialized breeding facility. It is also advisable to avoid "crossbreeding" between the environment of our aquariums and the natural environment of amphibians. The disease is particularly active in the temperature range suitable for the axolotl.
For all these reasons, it is prudent to put new animals that are to join an existing collection through a two week quarantine.
Treating multiple Axolotls together
Now that we’ve established that container cohabitants are a no-go in your Axolotl tank, you might be wondering whether it’s possible to treat multiple Axolotls together.
The answer here is ‘yes’, besides unfortunately it’s not a straightforward yes. You’ll have to treat few factors in mind to successfully combine Axies.
Excessively bit territory is able result in squabbles where limbs are frequently lost and the weaker specimen might not survive. This specifically applies at the period combining youthfuler Axolotls or Axolotls of different sizes, neither of that is something you must try to do.
Consistently be careful, make sure each Axie has at least one hiding area and treat an eye on your liquid condition.
Jack Nelson
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