gill fungus???

[yager]

Take a look at this little guys gills, does he look stressed??? Also on the tip of his left top gill I keep seeing this mucus trailing off of it. It is clear and looks like he's shedding his gill skin. I pull it off with tweezers very carefully making sure not to clip his gill and it reappears the very next day. I believe it is a fungus. He is eating good but his tail is always rippled down the middle like a wave. Does that mean anything?

[Rayson]

Hi Yager,

Your axie looks fine to me.

Cheers.

[click]

Hi Vager,

I agree with Rayson, the gills are slightly forward but that is likely due to being moved for the photos. I am assuming that the picture is not your normal habitat

[yager]

he has been in that tub since he was 2 inches, i do water changes everyday. I am assuming the reason his gills are so big is because there really is no oxygen in there. He is only 4 inches now and i don't want to put him in a tank until he gets bigger. Do you have any suggestions on the gills trailing mucus or a shedded skin maybe because they keep growing larger? You can't see it in the photos because the light has to hit it just right. But there is something def trailing off one of his gills.

[Rayson]

Hi Yager,

I strongly suspect the 'trailing mucus' is just tank detritus or perhaps shedded skin. I really do not see any obvious pathology. Its alright to be cautious and try nip any problems in the bud though.

Young juveniles tend to look like they have longer gills. This is relative to body size. As the axie matures into adulthood, the proportions will even out and take on the more characteristic look.

Cheers.

[yager]

Thanx darkmaverick, so axies do shed their skin like terrestrial salamanders, and shed gill skin???

[Rayson]

Hi Yager,

Axolotls do shed skin. You can occasionally see patches of skin flaking off. It tends to be more apparent in dark coloured axies.

Cheers.