Question: Axolotl growth

[Icarez]

Hi there,

I was wondering if anybody could fill me in on some information on growing.

When an axolotl hasn't been properly taken care of (like in a pet shop) and after 4/5 months they are nowhere near the avarage, will good care make the axolotl complete his full growth?
Or is the wasted time just lost and they will never be as big as if they were taken care of properly from when they were very small?

In other words, I have a small axolotl about 4 months old, he is the last one I took away from the pet shop.
I bought his siblings a few months earlier, and they have grown a lot, they now are almost 17cm
However this one has been at the shop for a way longer time, and he is only about 10cm
Any chance he is gonna catch up? or am I bound to take care of a midget axolotl?

Thanks in advance

 

[melfly]

Only time will tell.

My boyfriends axolotls are tiny compared to mine, no idea why. They were kept properly.
They have bred at this small size also, I dont think they will get any bigger.

Mine grew for a good 18 months so there is still plenty of time for yours to grow.

Mel

 

[Icarez]

Allright thanks I thought they could sexually mature during 18 months and only grew for like 6

 

[melfly]

I had one sexually mature at 10 months and one didn't sexually mature til 19 months.
I think they make their own rules.

Mine definitely grew past a year right up until about 18 months.

Mel

 

[iSuzie]

All axolotls grow at different rates. I have heard of story's of other breeders having a few grow huge and another from the same parents only a third of their size still after months and months. This is normal and he/she might just take a while to grow! Don't worry im sure he/she will get there in the end!

 

[Loobylou]

Axolotls will always continue to grow. When they reach adulthood it slows considerably, but they never stop!

Poor husbandry does affect the speed they grow at, so does the size of the tank they are housed in.

He should catch up on size, if kept properly they do tend to grow like weeds!