Axolotl with one injured/infected gill?

[jsoravec]

I just recently got my first two axolotls they are each in their own 10 gallon tank. Recently, one of them has had what appears to be an injured gill, the tank is filtered with a sponge filter, the water conditions are usually good with no detectable ammonia and usually no detectable nitrite, although i am fighting occasional spikes. I am attaching a before and after picture its kinda hard to make out the gill that is damaged. I was wondering if this was an injury of an infection of some sort. I will try and get a better picture of the gill if she cooperates. It looks more like an injure as i do not see anything that looks cottony, but there isn't anything in the tank that I can think of that may have caused the injury. Thanks in advance for your responses.

 

[jsoravec]

Ok i got a better picture you can see the nub of the middle gill on the left side of the photo (the right side from the axolotl's perspective).

 

[Methodzki]

If you keep two together it might be the other axolotl nipping it of. How big are the fellas?

 

[jsoravec]

They are housed separately. They are about 3 inches.

 

[NeekaLovesYou]

Have you only just noticed it or has it always been like it? If it's always been like it, were the two axolotls housed together and/or in a group before you brought them home? If there anything the axolotl could have possibly nudged causing his gill to become trapped? I doubt it's a sign of anything sinister but does the tissue look sore or red? It could just be stunted growth. It's not unusual for axolotl gills to grow at slightly different rates.

 

[jsoravec]

When I first got it all 6 gills were intact. The tank just has 3 fake plants and a PVC , and a sponge filter, so i'm not sure what might have caused the injury. It looks more like an injury than disease to me from looking at other pics on theforums, I am just a little worried because I don't know how it might have happened. I noticed it a few days ago, maybe a week. It has not seemed to get better since then and i subjectively think its gotten a little smaller, although its hard to say. The end of the damaged gill doesn't look red. It is somewhat cloudy looking right at the end relative to the rest of the gill.

 

[NeekaLovesYou]

All I would suggest is keeping an eye on it for the time being. Like I said I doubt it's anything sinister and should regrow accordingly. Make sure their water is cool and clean. Did you ever notice it to look an odd or different color from the other gills?