Burnt gills

[lauren]

i often here talk about axies with "burnt gills" and i think maybe my axie has gills that were "burnt". Can someone post a pic of what this looks like? Is that like ammonia burns?

 

[lauren]

does my axie have burnt gills? whats wrong with them i really cant tell i need some help

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a87/chinchillachic18/ah6.jpg

 

[alex]

yea i think they are ammonia burns. have u tested your water for ammonia because that will tell you for sure. his right foot looks a bit mutated lol.

 

[edward]

People also often forget that the size of the gills can be related to oxygen content of the water as well as other factors.
Attempting to look at the gills on a animal and determine if the animal has ammonia burns based on the size of the gills is useless unless the test kit supports the possible diagnosis.
Often in aquatic animals, ammonia burns are seen as a redding of the skin and you could also see damage in other areas of the tissues.

Ed

 

[lauren]

i dont think they are ammonia burns though, as my other axie was in the same tank and was fine.

 

[joan]

Also, if you look on the first gill stalk on the left, it definately looks like it has been bitten off, not burnt.

 

[lauren]

ok that sounds more reasonable. I think thats what happened because they had to travel side by side in a bucket to get here. How do i fix the gills?

 

[lauren]

generally, how long does it take for an axies gills to grow back?

 

[joan]

They'll grow back usually around a few weeks to a few months. Mine didn't regain a full 'normal' looking gill stalk until 6 months later, and it's still a little stubby. As long as it seems to be getting enough air, don't worry about it. If it is surfacing an excessive amount, you may try adding an airstone.