colour change in a leucistic axolotl.

Hey,

I recently purchased my first axolotl and following what i later found to be some bad advice we've had a rough couple of weeks.
Firstly i was told to keep him at 24 degrees, the temperature he'd been at in the store.
I was also told to give him a nice gravel bed to dig about in.
On returning home to his preheated, and gravel lined tank he proceeded to immediately eat a belly full of small stones.
I removed all the gravel straight away replacing it with big smooth pebbles all larger than an inch and then set about researching online to see what i'd done wrong. On learning that the temperature was far to high i reduced it gradually before removing the heater all together.
the tank is now sitting at about 17 degrees and my axolotl has passed several of the stones but judging by the dark shapes visable through his sides there are still some left inside.
I'm feeding him brine shrimp, daphnia and bloodworms on rotation and he tucks in with gusto and he seems quite active.
I caught him floating once but he buzzed back down immediately and he's not done it again( although he's popped up for air once or twice)
However now he's changing colour, he's leucistic and was very pale pink/white when i got him but now he's developed black/grey freckles on his head and in a stripe down his back. The spots aren't raised and don't look sore, they just look like markings but since they're new i'm a bit worried.
I don't know his age but he's about 3.5 - 4 inches long.
I know we didn't get off to a brilliant start but i want to do everything i can to do it right for him and keep him happy and well so if anyone can offer any advice i'd be over the moon and thanks to anyone who had the patience to read that lengthy passage.

Sharnax

hi,
its not really your fault that the pet shop gave you bad information!
if he looks ok then there should be no problem, but posting a picture might helps us see whats happening. i copied this off of axolotl.org

1. Assuming your axolotl isn't albino as well as white (if it has pink eyes it's also albino), then it is quite normal for a white axolotl to have a few spots on the top of its body. Look at the Cover Page of my web site and scroll down to the white axolotl on the right to see an example. This is because the "white" mutation prevents pigment cells moving over the body when the animal begins to develop. Pigment cells form along the back and the top/middle of the head, but since the mutation stops them spreading over the body, they just stay where, or near where, they form, and most white animals have only a few spots or "smudges".

does this answer any of your questions?

Blackhawk

Hi Sharna,

I would put him in the fridge. The cold will help him pass the remaining gravel. Set the fridge to over 5 degrees celcius, place your axie in a plastic tub of fresh dechlorinated water, cover the top with the lid of the tub or a tea towel will do, and pop him in the fridge. Also place bottles of fresh dechlorinated water in the fridge as you will use these for water changes which must be done daily.

For a leucistic the markings you mention are perfectly normal.

At 3.5 to 4 inches he is a juvenile axolotl.

While your axie is enjoying a holiday in the fridge, if you could post your water parameters (Ammonia/Nitrite/Nitrate/PH) we may be able to ascertain if it is the water quality that is making your axie float.

Cheers Jacq.

it may be tempreture of the tank or a change in its envirment
:violent::blush::shocked::kiss:

Hey again,

Thanks for the prompt replies everyone, i know a lot of this is repeated on the site elswhere and i've seen pictures of axolotls with similar colouration to mine but hadn't heard mention of any changes so wanted to check.
I had also read about putting him into the fridge but didn't know for how long it would be safe to do so.
I was also a bit worried as i'm out at work all day and wasn't sure how long the oxygen in the water would last.
As for testing the water chemistry do i have to buy individual kits from the petshop? i had a quick look and it was going to tot up well over £25 and the pH kit was only for four uses.
Is that the only way to do it or is there a simpler DIY approach, if that's the only way i dont mind the expense but can't afford to spend money unnecessarily.

Thanks again, Sharnax

If you put it in the fridge with a vented lid (I take food storage and just poke holes in the lid), it will be fine for a couple of weeks. You will need to do daily (or near daily) water changes with water of the same temperature though.

If you are buying test kits, go with liquid drop or dry-tab test kits. The 'strips' are not accurate.

hey again,

thanks a bundle to you guys for the help, he seems to have passed the bulk of the gravel, there's a small shady spot but it's hard to tell what's a wee pebble and what's his dinner as he's wolfing down his food everytime i feed him. iIguess a healthy appatite is always a good sign but you know you need help when you shout your boyfriend through from the next room to see the massive poo your axolotl's just done!
Anyway thanks again, hopefully i won't come across too many problems that can't be solved by lurking about on this forum.

SharnaX (and Pebble the spotty axolotl)

The high temp causes them to be more i guess you can say hungry or gives them a bigger appitite thats probably why he ate gravel. Sand is the best substrate because rocks allows debree and extra food to get stuck and rot and can cause lots of problems for your axie. putting him in the fridge will help keep his appitite down and help him pass the exstra pebbles or gravel and releave stress from all that. If your axie is an leusistic(black eyes) and not an albino(red/pink eyes) then it is normal for them to have black spot like freckles on their face and back but i have never heard of an albino with those but im not saying its not possiable either.