axolotl green gills-infection?

[cherryscented]

Some of my leucistic 3 month old axolotls seem to have darker colouration on their gills which looks just like this one (not my own picture, one found on google images), however my axolotls gills are a lot fuller and feathery than this. They have always had this speckled coloured, as I hatched them from eggs. However more recently, one of my axolotls gills have gone totally dark all over(more like the second picture, which i also found on google images). Was just wondering whether it was some sort of fungus or bacterial infection, or even parasites. I have searched hundreds of threads in the forum to see if anyone else has had this problem, but i cant find anything. I dont know whether its just me worrying, or there is actually something wrong. It just doesnt seem like colouration, as it is only on the gills following what seems to be "veins".
I do nearly 100% water change every day or two days, so the water is always very clean.

Another good example of what it looks like. Sorry that I was unable to post my own pictures, my camera is not working at the moment and my phone camera is useless.

Thanks
Alice

 

[flan123]

Hi

I personally wouldn't see that as a problem but some very 'good looking' gills. Gills can darken in colour with increased activity (eating, swimming...) as the blood flow is increased.

I'm sure one of the Pro's will appear soon...

Cheers.

 

[big a little a]

On those two pictures, it doesn't look like they are darker due to increased blood flow, the way it is speckled, it looks more like a darker pigmentation, like the "freckles" that a lot of leucistics have.

Out of curiousity, why such large water changes?

Zoe x

 

[Kerry1968]

Exactly what I was going to say Zoe!

I agree the gills definately look like heavy pigmentation, I've seen this before in leucistic axies, I wouldn't worry.

But the water changes, those kind of changes will be seriously messing with your water chemistry.

 

[cherryscented]

I have 12 juvenile axolotls, which i now keep separately due to them nipping at each other a lot at feeding time. Therefore They are each in individual 12" x 12" or 14" x 12" containers. Every time they poo, once a day or every 2 days, when they swoosh around swimming or get excited when someone goes in the room, almost every time they manage to break up their poo into millions of little pieces, so they're basically surrounded in little bits. Sometimes I'm lucky and manage to scoop them out whole. As it would not be possible for me to have a filter in each container, I have to suck up all the little bits and add fresh water. However this is only a temporary solution until I have sold them as I have been doing this for 3 months, and they take up a big chunk of my time. Not that I really mind though , because i love the little guys roud:. They don't seemed to be stressed by anything I do, as they never have curled gills or bent tails, they always seem very content and happy. I wish that i could keep them all, but i only have enough room for one tank. So I can only keep a few of them
Alice

 

[ianclick]

Hi Alice,

If your axolotls are in small containers then you need to be doing daily 100% water changes.

From your description I would agree that it is likely pigmentation and no big deal.

 

[cherryscented]

Thanks....i thought I'd just be worrying about nothing.

 

[ianclick]

Your welcome,

I think what Kerry was referring to was 100% water changes in a cycled tank in which case he would be correct.

 

[Kerry1968]

Thanks Ian, that's what I meant. By the way 'he' is a she!

 

[Zolotl]

They look like venous vessels (like veins) in the gill branch. I had a leucistic that had the same vessels, it depends on the anatomy of the gills and the environment they live in. It doesn't look like an infection that's usually a white fungal or bacterial growth.

 

[ianclick]

Thanks Ian, that's what I meant. By the way 'he' is a she!

Most sincere and humble apologies Kerry. In that case she would be correct

 

[Kerry1968]

No problem Ian, apology accepted!