Question: My axie has no gills!!!

Mark1987

Mark1987

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Hi I was wondering if anybody could help, I got my first axie but the poor thing has not got any red frills, I think it's old tank mates may have nipped at them.

He seems fine, eating blood worms and earth worms, walking about. I have read they swim up to get some air but he only does this once an hour or less so I think he is still breathing through the red frills left under the stumps on the side of he head.

Does anybody know how long they may take to grow back or if that is even the problem?

Cheers
 

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If i was you, i would have only about 11 inches of water in the tank so he doesn't have to go so far up when he gets air.
Also, it takes quite a few months before you'll see a significant change, if you see one at all. Sometimes their gills will grow back just fine, sometimes they barely do! I'm sure he'll have nice gills in no time :) Make sure the flow of your tank is very low, too, and you might want to invest in a sponge filter since everyone believes that's what gives their axies such beautiful fluffy looking gills :) He looks pretty happy for the most part, though.
 
Last edited:
hannahll said:
If i was you, i would have only about 11 inches of water in the tank so he doesn't have to go so far up when he gets air.
Also, it takes quite a few months before you'll see a significant change, if you see one at all. Sometimes their gills will grow back just fine, sometimes they barely do! I'm sure he'll have nice gills in no time :) Make sure the flow of your tank is very low, too, and you might want to invest in a sponge filter since everyone believes that's what gives their axies such beautiful fluffy looking gills :) He looks pretty happy for the most part, though.
Click to expand...

ONE LAST THING THOUGH! THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT...
get rid of your gravel and switch to sand or leave the bottom bare :) you don't want him accidentally swallowing a piece!
 
Thanks for your help, I do have some small goldfish but they are not small enough to be eaten yet not big or bold enough to go near my axie, I have a 20l hospital tank that I can put him in for the time being while my other planted tank cycles even though it was going to be for an iwagami!! Oh well, must buy yet another tank!
 
My fish do not do that, I think the ones in the shop did the damage
 
doesn't matter. axolotls should only be kept with other axolotls
 
Please read above forum, he is on his own in a hospital tank now while another planted tank is cycling, I have even sacrificed a goldfish to speed up the process
 
I honestly don't see the issue with keeping axxies and fish together... I keep my three in a 55 with a small school of rosy red minnows, and the only time the fish get close they get eaten. Lol!
 
I feed guppies sometimes, but they're small and they get eaten.

Goldfish are one of the worst waste producers you can have. They're also notorious for eating gills more so than other fish.

I would stick to white cloud minnows or guppies, but assume they will be eaten. Axolotls can sleep like rocks and not even be woken when bumped or jostled - the bigger fish aren't going to just stay away forever.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
 
My axies are only juvies still, around 5-6 inches, one of them had all his gills bitten off by his tank buddy. they werent bitten off to the stump though, its been around 5 weeks and they are halfway back to full length now :)

spot 1.jpg
 
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