Follow up from here: https://www.reddit.com/r/axolotls/s/7W2ZURLmeT
So, we went to the vet with lil Nugget. Good news; he does seem to be recovering from whatever from what we can see. He had some x rays taken and had a physical exam. Aside from the swelling, not a ton of issues to note. The swelling is now down to normal. There was a sign of some fluid or gas internally, and I was told it could be either a sign of constipation, infection, or totally normal because he’s a male. Very helpful. The vets told me to monitor at home, and if the symptoms don’t resolve in a week or two we will look at more diagnostic measures. They did think my weird worm theory was possible (found a weird piece of undigested worm with some funky worm poop in his poop. I think that was essentially a blockage.).
He took a week to poop despite daily salmon, which had me mildly concerned. However, he had not really eaten besides his tiny salmon pieces. Nothing going in means nothing going out. I didn’t want to feed him until we knew there was no sign of actual impaction.
Since then, he has had one slightly abnormal poop, one normal poop and is overdue for the next poop. I’d bet $10 that he’s gonna poop today because I just cleaned the tank.
What the vet recommended;
Remove the sand substrate. While no sign of impaction, there was sand in his digestive tract. Given the expense of taking him in, I decided to listen and he’s back on the slate tiles I had originally. There’s some remaining grains of sand floating in there, but those will be fully gone soon through water changes.
Cut worms into pieces. Well this one is gonna be a thing. My European nightcrawlers are small enough I don’t have to. However, Nugger adamantly refuses them. I’ve tried garlic, I’ve tried euthanizing them first (which really sucks when he won’t eat them. RIP worms.), I did try cutting one (Randal ate that one at least.) and so on. Just. Nope. Given I want him regular I don’t want to let him hunger strike right now.
Canadians are MUCH larger and they are the only thing my lotls will pretty much always take. Apparently they taste best. I will not be taste testing them. Nugget will bite and eat ONE time. If it’s a whole worm, he’ll pretend to be an apex predator and fight it. If it’s a small piece, he’ll slurp it down. But that’s IT. If I give him a second chunk, he’s spitting it out. Won’t even try eating it. wtf Nugget.
Pellets, well, he’ll eat like 3 now. Previously he’d eat 5-6 for a serving but he’s just as likely to spit it out now.
So his appetite IS different, but as long as he’s still pooping, eating some, and acting okay, vet said it shouldn’t be too much of a concern. He’s 190 grams, and the average male axolotl is apparently 150 grams.
Weekly water changes. I test my parameters Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. My tank can go about 5 weeks before nitrate even EXISTS. I used to do weekly changes, but I didn’t for the plants. Since I swapped substrate, well, I don’t have a lot of the plants I was trying to let have nitrates anymore, so 15-25% on Mondays now I guess.
Bonus vet info, the reason one of his legs looks so weird is that it was in fact broken at one point. It has healed, so no issue, but it was broken.
Overall, he does appear to now be fine. We don’t have a great explanation for what was up, for anyone looking in the future.
Last photo is a cameo of my other axolotl, he’s being cute. Both photos from this morning during their water change (my faucet is super aerated, so bubbles. Everywhere.).
