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Gills became really giant and Loopy (pic)

J

jennifer

Guest
recently in the last couple of weeks i have noticed that Big Ben's gills were getting really thick and LOOPY?? in parts. it has gotten colder and then warmer and i dunno if that has anything to do with it.. but i am wondering if anyone has seen this before because i didnt seem to see anything else on the site about it. thanks!
71314.jpg
 
E

emily

Guest
Sometimes the gills will loop because of the strength of your filter. If it's too strong then the axie is probably being affected by it. Axie's don't like a lot of water movement or circulation.

Other than that, if the water is warm-ish throw a few frozen ice-blocks in there to bring it down a little.

Good luck,
-Em.
 
kapo

kapo

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I've never seen loopy gills, but have you added anything recently to your tank over the last few weeks? Is he behaving anything out of the ordinary or looking ill apart from this?

Also, don't use ice blocks as they can cause fluctuating temperatures which in turn stresses your axie. Better to use fan/s blowing across the surface of the tankwater (pedestal fans are great if you have one, they can be adjusted by height and angle). Alternatively, the use of ice bottles of dechlorinated water rotated before ice completely melts so as not to cause fluctuating temps. (dechlorinated because if the bottle bursts it the water could kill your axies).
 
J

joan

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Looks like bloodworms or a parasite in the gills to me. *shrug* I've never seen anything like it.
 
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andrew

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Im still only a newb compared to half the people on this forum, but I agree with Joan. I didnt want to say anything unless I got knocked down. But It does look like bloodworms in the gills.
 
D

denise

Guest
i think they also look like bloodworms, what do you feed your axie and did they suddenly happen or have you watched them slowly grow. they look really thick.
emily were did you get the info about the gills looping due to the filter.
 
T

teesha

Guest
they look like worms, not exactly like blood worm though, they aren't that smooth, they are segmented and the "loops" are not, it also doesn't ook lik ethe sape of a bloodworm, the way it bends...definately looks like a parasite though, there is were most of the blood goes so it would make sence! I put dibs on parasite.
 
J

jennifer

Guest
Is it possible that it has a parasite, though, if all i have ever fed it are those little pellets (i got them from the indiana university axolotl colony)? also the tank is basically empty. i recently changed the filter/cleaned the tank and the gills have gotten a little smaller. i also have a question about its Cloaca that I will post in a new thread.
 
J

jennifer

Guest
also could you give advice in how to help treat the condition if there is some kind of parasite in the gills. i have never really had to treat him for anything in the last 2 years so any and all advice/instructions you could give i would appreciate! thanks again

p.s. i want to say that the gills have changed in the last couple months since I have moved to a new city .. so maybe something in the water?
 
J

jennifer

Guest
To me, they don't look like parasites or worms. They are exactly the same color as the gills. I think your original description of "loopy" may be correct. I've never seen anything like this, but it looks to me like an outgrowth of the gills themselves.

The gills of an axolotl are capable of growing larger when they are in an environment with less oxygen. I'm wondering if maybe this is the first stage of that kind of outgrowth... and maybe these extensions will become frilly after a while. I'm just making a speculation here. What kind of filter, or oxygenation do you have in the tank? And what kind of lid?
 
J

jennifer

Guest
i have him in just a normal tank with the screen lid.. and the filter is this --> http://www.tetra-fish.com/catalog/product.aspx?id=281

is there any way to improve oxygen level? like those aeration systems that put bubbles in the tank? i have noticed that his gills get kinda big and fluffy probably trying to get more Oxygen. never knew how to fix the problem though
 
J

jennifer

Guest
If you have a screen lid, I wouldn't worry about oxygen, unless you have a very deep tank (not much surface area). The type of filter you have should do a pretty good job of oxygenating the water. If you are concerned, you can get an air pump and an airstone.
 
A

annmarie

Guest
You know what? My 3+ year old axolotl get that from time to time. Sometimes it is there sometimes it is not. I do regular water changes and i even have living plants and normal paramaters. I too would also know if this is something "normal" or something bad.
 
N

natashja

Guest
my axie baby has gills like that too but as annmarie writes it comes and goes ??
 
P

peter

Guest
they're normal and part of the gill structure a bit like blood veins, cooling the water should cause them to regress again
 
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