My axolotl has recurring fungus!!

Question

He has had fungus for over a week now. When i first saw it, i gave him a saltbath in a separate bucket (just over one teaspoon of salt per litre), two days in a row, and it went away. However, i checked on him a few days ago, and it has returned. I gave him a salt bath on Monday, Wednesday and today.... will it ever go away?? am i doing something wrong?

I hate giving him salt baths because i hate to impose stress upon him. His water is clear, pH is good and i have been doing partial water changes several times/week as the tank in still cycling (about 5weeks in) and adding beneficial bacteria.

Is there anything available in Australia to treat fungus, that wont harm the beneficial bacteria and is safe for amphibians?

P.S for salt i have been using aquarium salt.

Thanks

Answer 1

if its on his head and brown its normal

Answer 2

I would say you just need to do the salt baths more often, and stick with them for a while even after the fungus seems to have gone. Sometimes there can be traces left, even when it seems to have gone. Also, you need to put him in the fridge so the fungus doesn't start to 'fight back' between salt baths. I understand what you mean about the salt baths stressing him, but this is usually unavoidable. Two tips that might help are to make sure the temperature is as close as possible to the water he is living in, and to cover the bucket with a towel or something, as they like it nice and dark.

The following is an answer I have just given to a very similar question, which I have copied and pasted, to avoid me having to type out the same advice again. Hope it helps!:

The first thing you need to do is put your axolotl in the fridge. Use dechlorinated water - just enough to cover her - and change the water every day. Make sure she doesn't go under 5 degrees C. Put a lid on the container so she doesn't jump out. Don't worry about air holes as colder water has more oxygen in it.

Colder temperatures help axolotls to heal better, de-stress them and slow the growth of the fungus. While in the fridge, your axolotl will probably not eat, and will evacuate her bowels. This is normal. She'll be fine in the fridge for a couple of weeks if that's how long she needs to stay there. She should stay in for a while after the fungus is gone, to make sure it doesn't come back and regrow any gill filaments that have been destroyed.

You also need to give her a salt bath once or twice every day, This is the most effective way to kill fungus on axolotls. It is best to avoid chemical treatments designed for fish, as axolotls are far more sensitive and these treatments are often toxic to them. You need to mix 2 to 3 teaspoons of salt with every litre/2 pints of water you use. Table salt or cooking salt is best.Put the axolotl in for 10 minutes at a time. Much longer and the salt will start to destroy her skin and gills.

Don't worry if the fungus takes a few days to go. Keep up the salt baths, and it WILL go eventually. If you really want to add something to the water to help, I have used methylene blue in the past, in addition to the salt baths. Only use about a third of the recommended dose though - remember axolotls are more sensitive than fish. And don't put it directly into the aquarium as it will dye everything blue and could upset the friendly bacteria that have built up.

Finally, you need to make sure the water in your aquarium is fine, as fungus is usually a sign something is wrong.

This website gives more detailed information on axoltls, including fungus, water quality, temperature, etc: http://www.axolotl.org

There is an excellent forum where people who know what they are talking about can answer any questions you have. There are a lot of well meaning people on Answers who seem to think axolotls and fish are the same thing, and as a result often give very bad advice!