Shriveled gill feathers

I don't know the proper tern, it's the fluffy bits on his gills.
They were fine yesterday, but I checked on him today and the feathers are curled inwards and clumpy. They look damaged and not fluffy at all.

Is this the start of fungus?

I change 30-40% of his water every 3-4 days. I do not use water dechlorinator most of the time (we do not have chloramines in our water). I fill up his bucket and let it sit in between each water change. Yesterday is actually the first time I've used dechlorinator in a few weeks. It had only sat for 24+ hours, but I just wanted to be sure there was no chlorine.

I will post water perimeters later today, I'm actually waiting on my api testing kit in the mail. It is supposed to get here this evening.

I will take another photo later, I'm waiting for my camera to charge. I can't get my point and shoot to sharply focus, so I'm going to use the dslr.

(older photo, but his gills have looked like this for a very long time)


(currently)


He is eating/pooping fine.
Thank you for your help. ;(

Re: Shrivled gill feathers

with a cycled tank you should not be changing that much water at a time. However I do not know if that would cause this. Your parameters would help greatly.

Re: Shrivled gill feathers

Yeah, I don't know if it is cycled or not, that is why I have been changing the water often.
My testing kit will be here later this afternoon when the mail comes.

From experience, they get fluffier when they're more active, as well as more flushed in colour.

To me he/she looks like a healthy little fellah ^^;
Do check your parameters though!


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Re: Shrivled gill feathers

Where does your tap water come from? Unless its well water it will contain chlorine as a minimum - all mains domestic water supplies in the civilised world have it added to prevent bacteria and algae growing.

How long have you had your axie?

I'm guessing this is a water quality issie and the sooner you can check you parameters the better.

Re: Shrivled gill feathers

Our water does have chlorine in it, but not chloramine. Chlorine evaporates within 48hrs, chloramine does not. I let my water normally sit out for a few days so I do not have to use un-needed chemicals.

My mail came earlier and I received my package from Dr Foster and Smith. (now he has more plants woo!)
Here are the api test kit results:

Ammonia = 0-0.25 ppm (it was yellow, but looked a teeny teeny green)
NitRITE = 0 ppm
Nitrate = 40 ppm

The booklet that came with the test said that 40ppm on nitrate was good, but I thought I had read on here it should be lower?

Water temp at 69F

I got him on May 15th of this year when he was just 3in. He eats a red wiggler everyday.

He is in a 10g right now, but I have a 40g that has been cycling for a while.

Your tank is cycled, congrats. I would do a water change - nitrate should be kept below 40ppm. All my tanks get a 50% water change if they reach that level of nitrate. but I try do smaller changes more often to keep it a lower more suitable level

OK, so it's not ammonia or chlorine. Your tank is cycled and the parameters look fine.
How are your O2 levels? Do you have a bubbler of any kind? And does your axie go to the surface for air?
Some axies have a change in their gills accoding to the oxygen levels in the water, some change as they get older. Sometimes it's just genetics. I wouldn't worry too much if he's otherwise healthy.

I have 4 axies in the same tank - 3 have lovely fluffy gills fronds, one has stubby stalks and tiny fronds, and they all have exactly the same conditions.

I have a 6in airstone and a sponge filter. It's just really weird that his gills just shrunk like that overnight. I've been changing the water, and I've up turned his hides and things in the tank. I found some java moss hidden that was deteriorating, so I took that out.

I think his gills look a little better, but they aren't fluffy. :/ Maybe the nitrates were too high for him.

His gills are fluffing out again, and they aren't clumped together. I would believe that it was the nitrates. Thank you guys for your help. : )