Question: Axolotl losing color?

My "pink" axolotl has lost all of it's pink...

I'm wondering if it's stress related, or just something that sometimes happens? Or could it be because of the white substrate?

I personally don't see any visible signs of stress, no turned gills, no curving of the tail, eating as "it" has been, no fungus.

Current:
20gL tank,
sand substrate,
penguin 150 filter dispersed by a turtle shelf (any other ideas for this would be fabulous also, as I'm not sure the turtle shelf is doing it's job),
0ppm ammonia, 0ppm nitrites, 5-10ppm nitrates,
2 young axolotls (don't bother each other at all).

I really want to help my axolotl if "it" is stressed, so all opinions are greatly appreciated!

I also tried to attach 2 photos, 1 before (the day they went into the tank) and (1) after from last night, but I haven't figured out how to attach multiple photos yet...

Sorry for the double post, but here is the picture "before"

The ligting is different in the photos, so it's hard to make a comparison.

Leucistic axies go pink when they are active and after feeding, and pale when they are quiet or asleep. You may observe this slight change regularly.

I would also say your axie is too small to be on sand. I would remove it until your axies reaches at least 5". Sand is as bad as gravel for causing impaction in smaller axies.

auntiejude said:

The ligting is different in the photos, so it's hard to make a comparison.

Leucistic axies go pink when they are active and after feeding, and pale when they are quiet or asleep. You may observe this slight change regularly.

I would also say your axie is too small to be on sand. I would remove it until your axies reaches at least 5". Sand is as bad as gravel for causing impaction in smaller axies.

Click to expand...

The lighting is the exact same light in both pictures... Not sure why it looks different...

The leucistic axolotl has not changed pink at all since about 2 days ago...
Even after feeding...

Thanks for the advice about the sand, but at this point I have no other tank, and I'm not sure how to remove the sand? Oy! :dizzy:

How old do you think they are judging by the pictures?
The store I got them from had no idea how to care for them besides to feed them black worms, they are awesome with fish, but seemed lacking knowledge about axolotls... (they said they can be in 60 degree-80 degree temps because they are from Mexico... NO.) Which is exactly how I ended up bringing 2 home, I've wanted them for years, and couldn't resist them knowing they needed better living conditions than what was provided...

I hand feed them, either lead them to the large flat rock in their tank, or they swim and take the food...
Would that help prevent impaction?

Scoop the sand out or use a siphon to remove sand.

As a general rule axies grow at about an inch per month for the first 6 months, then slower to full size.

If you're sure your axie has paled it may be anaemic - what are you feeding it?

auntiejude said:

Scoop the sand out or use a siphon to remove sand.

As a general rule axies grow at about an inch per month for the first 6 months, then slower to full size.

If you're sure your axie has paled it may be anaemic - what are you feeding it?

Click to expand...

I've been feeding it brine shrimp by hand.
I'm going today to get bloodworms or black worms.

The store was out when I got them and said that brine shrimp should be okay...
They seem to love it.

Okay, so today after I did a ~50% w/c on their tank yesterday afternoon (nitrates were at about 20-40ppm so I knew it was time for a change - readings now at 5-10ppm), and stirring up the sand and siphoning the sand to make sure it was clean, the little leucistic has regained some coloring in it's gills, and it's brown markings have gotten darker.

Going to get a feeding jar/bowl today, and some bloodworms, and see if (s)he gains more color back