Illness/Sickness: Shrinking Gills?

A

achiinto

Guest
Hi, I just noticed that my healthiest albino juvenile axolotl has a much smaller gills than the other two. It is healthiest because it eats the most and is the largest. It also attacked and ate the limbs of the other two axolotls a month ago. When I compare this axolotl with the others, its gill filaments are not as long or thick. From my memory, I don't recall it being so thin, so I am concerned.

The aquarium temperature is around 68F. All axolotls are eating well. This particular axolotl is still very active. Other than that, all axolotls are showing signs that they are reaching adulthood (black at the finger tips). Is it possible that the growth of the gills stops earlier than the grow of the body, so that when the body grew up, the gill is noticeably thinner? Should I be concerned with the temperature being at this degree? Watch action would you suggest me to do?
 
hi achiinto

what are the water parameters????im not sure what 68F is in degrees but the tank temp is best around 18-22 degrees.......is there someone else in the tank having a nibble on your axies gills????

lea
 
lea said:
hi achiinto

what are the water parameters????im not sure what 68F is in degrees but the tank temp is best around 18-22 degrees.......is there someone else in the tank having a nibble on your axies gills????

lea
Click to expand...

Hi Lea, thanks for the reply. The temperature should be fine. Other axolotls are doing fine as well. Just that this axolotl's gills seems smaller than I can recall from memory. I dont' think other axolotls would nibble the gills as the gill is rather WHOLE (no damage), just simply smaller. There is no sign of other parasites. I have been changing water very frequently and regularly as these axolotls are very expensive to me (seldom come across to this species in Canada). I guess I can only observe and hope that nothing go wrong???
 
Hi,

The shrinking might just be genetic because i started an almost identical thread last week because i was worried and it seemed to be the response by everyone and my axolotl is health still even though he has small gills.

My axolotl that had shrinking gills was juvenile ( All of mine are ) so maybe its something to do with sexual maturity?

Mine is now roughly 8months old and started shrinking gills a month ago.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
  • Shane douglas:
    with axolotls would I basically have to keep buying and buying new axolotls to prevent inbred breeding which costs a lot of money??
     +1
    Unlike
  • Thorninmyside:
    Not necessarily but if you’re wanting to continue to grow your breeding capacity then yes. Breeding axolotls isn’t a cheap hobby nor is it a get rich quick scheme. It costs a lot of money and time and deditcation
     +1
    Unlike
  • stanleyc:
    @Thorninmyside, I Lauren chen
     +1
    Unlike
  • Clareclare:
    Would Chinese fire belly newts be more or less inclined towards an aquatic eft set up versus Japanese . I'm raising them and have abandoned the terrarium at about 5 months old and switched to the aquatic setups you describe. I'm wondering if I could do this as soon as they morph?
     +1
    Unlike
    Clareclare: Would Chinese fire belly newts be more or less inclined towards an aquatic eft set up versus... +1
    Back
    Top