Flapping gills??

[Dani_m1264]

A woman online was giving away baby axolotl‘s and my sister got one and ended up giving it to me, it’s about an inch long at most and has been doing really well in his tank and is eating swimming around playing and everything but today he’s slapping his gills I think? Or flaring them down really quick and doing it every so often, what could this be?

 

[axie owner]

that's what all axolotls do to bring fresh oxygen into their gills. its perfectly normal and safe.

 

[Dani_m1264]

Okay thank you so much! This woman was just handing out babies to random people on Facebook for 10 dollars and I made sure to get one to take care of it, his gills turn in some but not too much

Edit- he’s now swimming to the top every so often and is then going to lay in his plants

 

[GulfCoastAxolotls]

Okay thank you so much! This woman was just handing out babies to random people on Facebook for 10 dollars and I made sure to get one to take care of it, his gills turn in some but not too much

Edit- he’s now swimming to the top every so often and is then going to lay in his plants

swimming to the surface is also normal behavior. Be sure so do a lot of reading, if you haven't already, on proper care of these critters. This forum is a great resource as well, but axolotls are not a beginner pet and do require specialized care. The more reading you do about them, the more success and less frustration you will have in keeping that little guy.

 

[Chak]

Okay thank you so much! This woman was just handing out babies to random people on Facebook for 10 dollars and I made sure to get one to take care of it, his gills turn in some but not too much

Edit- he’s now swimming to the top every so often and is then going to lay in his plants

Is the tank you're keeping it in cycled?