Gill questions

So I originally bought my axies from a pet store (I know...bad Megan). There were probably 30+ juvies about 3 inches and under all kept in the same tank. All of them were missing legs and had gill damage. I know I shouldn't have bought them but I did.

Well they have more than doubled in size and have regrown their limbs. Their gill tissue still seem sparse and my gold albino still have a shriveled gill. Do you guys think that their gills will ever be 100% again?

I do regular water changes and beneficial bacteria levels are all in the green (no ammonia or nitrates). The water temp is kept at 69 degrees (I know a cooler tank will be better...working on that). There are live plants and they are fed a mixed diet of frozen foods (krill, mysis shrimp, silver sides and occasional live worms - the gold albino is picky and doesn't care much for the live food). I also just moved them into a larger enclosure today.

Firsttwo pictures are they day I brought them home and the other two pics were taken today. I took the pics in the middle of a feeding so they would photograph better, don't worry food isn't just left in the tank.

My wild type is always curious of what I'm doing so he always come up to greet me....or he just wants food.

No ammonia or NITRATES? or nitrites? Because if there are no nitrAtes the tank isn't cycled. But if you meant nitrites that's fine.

They are looking much better Their gill regrowth is really nice! They may never be as fluffy as some lotls, but already they're looking great.

I'm not sure about that diet...? Once they're big enough you should move them to a diet of earthworms You can chop the worms up if they're too big for the little dudes to swallow just yet.

Wow, they really looked terrible! Awesome how you managed to patch them up so well in such a short amount of time They are really amazing creatures.

Thats a really good recovery story - well done on their progress so far.

As for the deformed gills, it may never grow back properly. But thats OK, it adds character. My albino has 'ugly gills', it doesn't bother her so it doesn't bother me.

Kaini is right about the worms, they are big enough for small worms or larger ones cut up.

oppss sorry. Ammonia 0 ppm, Nitrites 0 ppm and Nitrates 15 ppm.

Thanks guys. =) It's been amazing watching them heal and grow. I was trying to feed them mainly earthworms for a couple of weeks but my picky albino would chomp on them and spit them back out. My wild is a aggressive eater and doesn't mind what I put in front of him/her. I was using tiny red wigglers.

I'll have to take video of it...it's kind of funny. My albino will slurp up the baby worm from the feeding tongs and the whole thing will be in her mouth. She'll sit there for a second and spit it right out...look at it moving and swim away. Then the wild piggy will see it moving and come over and gobble it up. There was actually an inch size difference between the two axies because he was eating all of the worms she was spitting back out. So I went back to mainly frozen.

That is an amazing transformation from when you first bought them. The first pictures were terrible to look at but you have done an amazing job with their recovery.

Feels awesome doesnt it!!! To watch those tiny axolotls transform into healthy ones! And to know that you have saved them.
I also saved 2 tiny axolotls just over 2 weeks ago. They had no limbs and their gills were missing. They were starving to death. They have grown about 2-3cm since i got them and their limbs and gills look amazing!
You are doing a great job looking after them. They are so lucky to have you!!

Really good that you took them! I can't believe pet shops allow them to get into that state. Fair enough some gill nibbling is gonna happen, but when they have no limbs at all, something needs to change!

Maybe try and blanch the earthworms for her?
Some of them dont like the wriggling.

You literally boil water, add the worm to the boiling water then take it out straight away and put it in cold water

leandrah said:

Maybe try and blanch the earthworms for her?
Some of them dont like the wriggling.

You literally boil water, add the worm to the boiling water then take it out straight away and put it in cold water

Click to expand...

I will have to try that!

lol I just poked my head over the side of the enclosure and my wild type (Fizz) comes swimming up to the corner and is just staring up at me. They were fed this morning...such a piggy. I love that little personality! My Albino (Kog'Maw) doesn't give a flip about me. lol