Black sand for leucistic axolotl

[potato]

Hi, I read somewhere that putting a leuctic on black sand would cause it to get freckles. I noticed when I got my juvenile axolotl it was solid white now it's starting to freckle up around the gills and his face and body is gething the tinyest of spots. Is it because of genetics or the black sand has something to do with it.

also, I can see that his tummy is black, I can literally see his degestive track. I'm not sure if he's eating sand or if that's the bloodworms turning to poop lol.

 

[Astrolotl]

Black sand does not cause leucistics to freckle according to this thread: http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-beginner-newt-salamander-axolotl-help-topics/f48-axolotls-ambystoma-mexicanum/f59-axolotl-tank-set-ups-filters-substrate/73712-does-substrate-color-affect-axolotl-color.html

Axolotls young enough to be eating blood worms are usually kind of transparent but you haven't given a whole lot of info here so its hard to say.

 

[potato]

he's a little less than 4 inchs and i feed him and his 2 other buddies (which are wild and golden) bloodworms twice a day and get rid of the food that they don't eat. I just thought that the idea of them getting darker because of the black sand to blend in with their environment was logical, somewhat. had to make sure. yea, he's definitely transparent in his belly area. Would he always be like that or would it be less recognizable as he grows (at what age/size if so?).

 

[Astrolotl]

They become less transparent as they age but I couldn't tell you exactly when since I came to own my axolotl when he was an adult already.
I think I read on Wikipedia that they are somewhat able to control the amount of melanin in their skin (but dont quote me on that), but in this case leucistics just get more freckly as they grow.

 

[cabbysarus]

Your little one will get less transparent as he gets older and yes, I have noticed that the color changes a smidgen based on the substrate. My melanoids tend to be lighter when on the white sand, but I had them on a dark substrate for a while and they were noticeably darker. The speckles on the leucistic probably aren't because of that though they are just like that sometimes