Leviathan-41 Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 I just bought a new axy off a girl on Trademe yesterday. She'd had him for five years, and from what she told me it sounds as though he hasn't been fed the healthiest of diets or kept in the best of conditions. She'd been keeping his tank outside her back door since the earthquake, and when I got it home I could see that it's quite dirty and probably hasn't been cleaned that often. The girl said she'd never had a filter for his tank and that he seemed ok without one, as he's stayed alive for five years without a filter. She also said his normal diet was sausage, mince, ham etc. The axy's lower belly appears to have a nasty and painful looking bulge in it - it just doesn't look natural. I'm not sure if this is a result of his diet, or something else, and I'm not sure what to do to make it better. I'm worried it might be cancer (I have no idea if axies can get cancer??) and might not be curable. I'll try to get a photo posted on here so people can see what I'm talking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ichthus Posted March 29, 2011 Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 Unfortunately it sounds like he's still in an unfiltered/uncycled tank? Poor water quality won't help him, whatever else his problem may be. I'd get the guy a filter, and in the mean time give him regular water changes to keep on top of the pollution. Many cold water fish also survive without a filter (goldfish in bowls, etc) - but it still seems like we'd want to do the best we can for their water quality. Plus, it'll make the cleaning easier for you! All the best - hope someone can help you diagnose... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leviathan-41 Posted March 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 These are some photos of the wee guy - "Aristotle" as we've named him. His belly's not as easy to see in the photos as when viewing him in real life, but it's about the best I can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted March 29, 2011 Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 Axy's should be kept with sand; massive stones they cannot swallow or nothing at all. Remove what's in there with him. He's probably eaten one of those stones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshlikesfish Posted March 29, 2011 Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 Stones will do it. Probably want to feed him blood worms, frozen brine shrimp, axolotl pellets etc. Proper axolotl food. From what I know, sausage etc isn't that good for them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted March 30, 2011 Report Share Posted March 30, 2011 Can he pass the stone eventually with a good diet and care? That is a sad photo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
repto Posted March 30, 2011 Report Share Posted March 30, 2011 the sad thing about that photo is not his fat belly but the size of the goldfish in there with him and the state of his gills? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leviathan-41 Posted March 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2011 Yeah, we had noticed his gills are quite stubby. The goldfish came with him when we bought him off his previous owner - they've apparently been "mates" for several years. Is it not recommended for fish and axies to live together in the same tank? (I'm a newbie when it comes to fish, never having had a fish before - only axies.) We reckon that the lump in his belly is the same size/shape as the blue glass stones in his tank, and think he may have ingested one of them. If this is the case, apart from removing the glass stones, I don't know what to do for him as there's no way he'll be able to pass it and I don't like to see him with it stuck in there for the rest his life Is there any way I can get him to regurgitate it? As far as the other stones in his tank are concerned, the stones he came with (apart from the glass ones) were much smaller and gravel-like. We removed them and put in some larger ones from our other axies' tank. We've never really had an issue with having stones in our axy tanks - they do ingest the smaller ones sometimes, but manage to poop them out again. According to other websites I've read on axy care, they say it's normal for axies to ingest the stones in their tank sometimes, and it shouldn't harm them as long as they can pass them again. I'm really pleased I've acquired this axy off his previous owner, as I could tell her attitude towards caring for him properly wasn't the best, and I think I'll be able to give him better care than he's had. Should I start by taking the goldfish out of his tank?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
repto Posted March 30, 2011 Report Share Posted March 30, 2011 look at one with healthy frilly gills and consider that is what they use for oxegen exchange.you should be able to answer your question yourself from there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlos Posted March 31, 2011 Report Share Posted March 31, 2011 Goldfish can nip at the gills of the axie, Im surprised the axie hasnt tried to eat the fish. You could try putting the axie in the fridge, make sure the fridge dosnt go colder than 4 degrees though. He wont eat while in there, the cold slows their metabolisum and helps them pass whatever might be stuck in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leviathan-41 Posted March 31, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2011 Thanks Carlos - the axie does have a snap at the fish sometimes. His previous owner said he'd eaten two other smaller fish she'd had in there with him. I haven't seen the fish have a go at the axie yet, it just seems oblivious to him, but then I've only had them for four days so far. What about keeping axies together? I have four other axies in another tank and sometimes they nip at each others' gills, legs, toes etc, and as a result some of them have shorter gills now. They grow toes back, but don't seem able to grow gills back that I've seen. Obviously people keep axies together in the same tank, especially to breed them, and one axie in a tank by itself seems so lonely. I'll have a go at fridging him to see if he passes anything, but if he has ingested one of those big glass stones as I suspect, I really doubt he'll be able to pass it as it looks way too big for him to pass. The only way to get rid of it that I can think of is to have it surgically removed - but I strongly doubt that axies can have surgery done on them or that I could find a vet who would do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted March 31, 2011 Report Share Posted March 31, 2011 best to take the stones out if you havent already. then you can tell if the axie is passing anything, including stones. fish are known to nibble on the gills. best to separate them asap aswel. the gills do look terrible: could be poor water quality prohibiting the regeneration. I use to notice with my golden axies: if i didn't do atleast a weekly water change, the red frilly bits would fade considerably; if did 1-2 wcs a week, they would be vibrant red. That's with having either a sump or canister filter on the tank/s aswel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leviathan-41 Posted March 31, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2011 Have separated them - the axie is in another container with no stones. I've put ice packs in his water rather than putting him in our fridge, as I'm not sure where the temp control is for it or it's actual temp and I don't want to risk it getting lower than 4 degrees. Hopefully he'll pass anything he needs to now, and at least he's not with the fish anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlos Posted April 3, 2011 Report Share Posted April 3, 2011 I always keep a thermometer in the fridge, just on that you normaly have in a tank. The back of the fridge is the coldest so I put them at the front. I have got two seperate tanks with four axolotls in each. They are fine together if they are simalar in size. Gills will grow back if nipped at. Poor water quality causes gills like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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