My Black Axolotl

[msrenea]

Hello,
I am concerned about my black axolotl's feathery gills. The gills are disappearing each day, somewhat like growing into his head and it is being to forma lump where the gills were. Is this a problem? He swims to the top to get air then goes back down, like a betta fish. Otherwish he eats well and appears OK. His gills are not present anymore. Started happening 1 week ago.

Thank You.

[kapo]

How long have you had your axolotl and are there any tank companions? Have you tested your tankwater for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates? If not, I suggest you do so.

But first remove your axolotl from the tank and place it in a container/tub or bucket of dechlorinated water, enough to cover him and this will need to be changed almost completely daily.

If his gills are disappearing, it may very well be water quality, see: http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/waterquality.shtml, but if he has tank companions (ie: fish) then they may be nibbling his gills.

Did you cycle your tank before adding him, see: http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/cyclingEDK.shtml

How often do you regularly clean or waterchange his tank, and what is the tank temperature?

[msrenea]

Thank You,
I have had him for about 1 month given to me from family acquired from a bait shop.
Last week I just did a 50% water change. He is in a tank by himself. His head has lumps where the gills were.

[kapo]

Keep him in the bucket/tub until you work out what your tankwater parameters are - ie ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. It may very well be that the tank was and still is in the middle cycling. This is important as poor water quality can cause the gill filaments (feathery bits) to burn away leaving the gill stubs. The axolotl may then spend more time swimming to the top to get oxygen.

If you don't have test kits, take a sample of tankwater and get your petshop to test for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Do not buy anything, if they advise you to, to fix the ammonia or nitrite levels, which I suspect may be high. Anything for ammonia/nitrite over 0 is considered high/unsafe. The best thing to fix ammonia and/or nitrite levels is more reqular partial waterchanges - ie 20-30% minimum daily or every two days. This will keep the toxins down.

Don't be tempted to add any fish medicines, these can be toxic to axolotls.

Also, what size is the tank - length by width?

[terrytherat]

if your axie was obtained from a baitshop i think you will find that it is not an axolotyl at all it will be a lavea of a tiger salamander you will need to make a land area for it to climb out onto or it will drown because it is becoming terrestrial.

[Karrie Clinton]

Can you post a pic. Maybe we could tell if it is a tiger sal. pr a axolotl.

[click]

Hi It sounds like your Axie? is morphing.

This either means its not an axie but a Tiger Salamander as suggested or a rare turn of nature.

Either way the disappearing gills and the increased gulping of air are some of the indicators of imminent meatmorphisis. I would lower the water level and get something for it to climb out of the water onto very quickly if its gills have disappeared filaments and stubs it will be needing to use its lungs to breathe.

Good Luck