Question: Metamorphsis

[Fairies]

Hello, I have already posted about my golden axolotl having trouble eating, and I was also concerned about stumpy gills. I have spoken to about this with my local aquarium, unfortunatly although he has kept his own axolotl for years he doesnt know a great deal about the metamorphing stages, he told me not to worry because he has never seen one morph before. Yet I have still been worried. So I rang my other fish shop up (the place where I got him from) and asked about it, they said not to worry about it, they never morph.

Its been a month and a half since I got him, and i am starting to worry. Although I cant find alot to do with the morphing process, written or pictures. I think my boy is morphing. I dont actually want him to do this.

I have been keeping him in a fridge. This fridge does not contain food or anything else except two tanks. about 30L each. He gets a water change every day, the water is pre cooled, no chamicals where used to clean the fridge. The only other thing that is in the fridge door is his different types of food. I only open the fridge every six hours or so to check on him so he is kept out of the light and in a constant temp.

I did think he was a little stressed out in the tank. But since being in the fridge he is relaxed and I think morphing quicker. Today, I noticed his Gills (not the furry bits, the three skin bits that the furry bits hang off) are shrinking, I knew they where small when i got him, but now theyer shrinking way to much, and on one side the third gill is curling into his body and shrinking back into his body. His skull has also changed. We have very clean water here in australia, and I treat everything including the water that goes into their tank.

I thought this is a stressful process but he seems very relaxed and happy. I think I am the only one really stressed out as I wasnt prepared for a morphing, if thats what he is doing.

I willtake some photos, I would really like some feed back because its really upsetting me. If its not morphing, what am I doing wrong that would cause his skull shape and gills to dissapear?

 

[axolotlgangster]

I saw the pics on you page i think he is morphing?

 

[Fairies]

here are a few pictures, I hope this works, If not I will try again.

The picture with the blue water is a week after I got him, and he has gills and fluffy stuff there.

a month and a half later its all shrinking away!


Edit: okay, I fail at linking photos, are you able to look up my albums? or could someone explain how to link photos?

 

[axolotlgangster]

Yup he is i wish you luck. Just put hum back in his tank and lower the water levels and put some land in there that should help and feed him.

 

[Fairies]

This is not ment to happen to my first axolotl

 

[Darkmaverick]

On the contrary, i don't think he is morphing. The chances of spontaneous morphing is very low in axolotls.

Your axie however does appear to have shrunken gills and is a bit on the thin side. Have you checked water temperature and parameters? What are you currently feeding your axie? Offer plenty of chopped earthworms and blackworms. Sometimes severely malnourished axies can take on this appearance.

Axies that are morphing will display both physical and behavioural signs. Behaviour wise, they will go off food, and may struggle to get out of the water. They might cling on to filters, plants or rock to try expose as much of themselves out of the water (not floating though).

Physical changes include shrinking gills, receding fins, a change in skin texture, eyelids forming, limbs becoming more muscular, conformation changes to look more terrestrial (head shape etc).

 

[Fairies]

I am aware he is thin, and have been trying very hard to get him to eat, but most of the time he just isnt interested. I guess time will tell, If you have any suggestions on what to do with him, that would be great, I am still fridging him and his water quality is good, its getting changed every day.

 

[Nathan050793]

I agree with Rayson, your axolotl is not undergoing metamorphosis. It appears to be ill/malnourished. Keeping it in the fridge and doing daily water changes is a good start; perhaps someone more knowledgeable about axolotls can give you more advice on what to do.

 

[Daniel]

The signs to me look like a metamorphosis (retracting gills, bulging eyes, retracting skin), but there is one thing that does not fit to all the cases I know: The Axolotl has dark toes, meaning that it (almost) reached adulthood. And all the cases of successful metamorphoses that I know were before that stage. Can you tell us its size?

On the other hand - I also know a case where an Axolotl had a partial metamorphosis, still keeping stumps of its gills and bulged eyes without lids.
If it really is morphing (and I am not sure about this), it will not eat during this time, since its tongue is developing.

The Axolotl really looks thin. Do you know what it was fed on before you got it?

 

[Fairies]

No, I am not sure what was fed before I got him. He was dropped off at the pet shop maybe 10 mins before i took him home. Now that I'm learning about them more, he was thin when I got him. And he is prolly one that shouldnt even been taken to the petshop for selling. but oh well.

As advised by the petshop I have put him on a broad spectrum anibiotic. They dont know what fridging is and suggested I take him out. But I will continue the fridging as he is alot more settled in there. I stripped their tank and have spent this week letting it re-establish itself so its ready for when I put them back in. But atm I might even keep them in the fridge for the summer.

He is spot on 8inches

 

[Darkmaverick]

What type of broad spectrum antibiotics are you using? I hope its not one that requires you to add the medication directly into the tank water. Those are usually ineffective, cause microbial resistance and kill off the beneficial bacteria in the tank. It often cause more harm than good by messing up water parameters and in wrong doses, becoming toxic to the axies.

Fridging is a safe method and should be continued.

 

[Fairies]

More pictures.

 

[Darkmaverick]

Have you tried offering live blackworms, earthworms and bits of prawn? The goal now is to ensure it eats something.

 

[Fairies]

Each tablet contains:
375mg TERACYCLINE HYDROCHLORIDE
equivalebt to 346mg/kg of Tetracycline

Its one tablet per 20L, the containers I am keeping him in the fridge are about 30L, I change the water every day so there is not much in the way of good bacteria happening anyway. I have had to treat him with something because I rang the petshop for some advice, they asked me to send them some pictures, and now they are treating me like I am abusing him. Which I really dont think I am.

I am not going to treat my tank with the tablets. Just the fridging tank.

I have two tanks the same size, One is always preped with fresh water and declorinizer and chilling ready for the swap.


I have tried him on live blackworm, earthworm, frozen beef heart, strips of beef heart wriggling infront of his nose, pawn, he just isnt interested

 

[Darkmaverick]

I would not recommend using tetracyclines on axies. Axies unlike fish react quite strongly to tetracyclines in bath solution. Tetracylines are a very potent skin irritant in axies and can cause severe skin peeling, mucus production and skin damage resulting in sloughing skin.

Sometimes less is more. Just fridge the axie for now and its best to make an appointment with a vet.

 

[blabberwort]

I would do as Rayson suggested and ignore what the petshop says. The way I see it is if they sold him in this condition then theyre hardly the best people to ask for advice. Hope you get him sorted soon

 

[dodgy]

is it just mine that has short stumpy toes or has this one got really long one's, not webbed at all either.
do all axies have 5 toes on their back legs like this one? i never really noticed on mine just 4 on the front.

 

[Darkmaverick]

Yeps all axies have 4 digits and 5 digits on their fore and hind feet respectively. The length of the toes themselves can vary. Some are longer, some are shorter. It depends on the genetics.

 

[Fairies]

I will wash out all the antibiotics today, it was a low dose i gave him, now I am worried. he look perfectly fine though.

 

[Blaze]

With the toe thing, Sunny from feet, one hand is majorly larger than the other hehehehe same with one of his eyes.

I hope your axie gets well Fairies =]