Help, my axolotl is losing it’s FEATHER GILLS!

[Natali]

I don’t know what’s happening. Before he became an adult and before winter begins his gills used to be fluffy and healthy. Now they’ve started to fall.
I read that it could be excessive ammonia in water, and that I should change 50% of it 2-3 times per week and 75%-80% once a week.
Before changing the water his skin wasn’t peeling. Yesterday I changed 50% of the water for the first time this week, I dechlorified it, but today his skin started to peel and I don’t know why! I always kept the water temperature between 18ºC - 20°C. I use an external thermometer. Never had a single problem beforewhile he was growing.
I’m attaching the dechlorifier photo, a photo of him yesterday, a photo of him today and a photo of him before his gills started to fall.

 

[GulfCoastAxolotls]

I don’t know what’s happening. Before he became an adult and before winter begins his gills used to be fluffy and healthy. Now they’ve started to fall.
I read that it could be excessive ammonia in water, and that I should change 50% of it 2-3 times per week and 75%-80% once a week.
Before changing the water his skin wasn’t peeling. Yesterday I changed 50% of the water for the first time this week, I dechlorified it, but today his skin started to peel and I don’t know why! I always kept the water temperature between 18ºC - 20°C. I use an external thermometer. Never had a single problem beforewhile he was growing.
I’m attaching the dechlorifier photo, a photo of him yesterday, a photo of him today and a photo of him before his gills started to fall.
View attachment 87082

What are your water parameters? Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates, and pH. From the photos, I suspect a serious water quality issue. He also looks quite thin.

As far as water conditioners go, Prime by Seachem is one of the only safe products for axolotls. Many "fish safe" water conditioner contain harmful ingredients for axolotls.

 

[EasternRomioi3]

@Natali

I second what @GulfCoastAxolotls said. I wouldn't use that water conditioner, if you can get Seachem Prime, a lot of people use it and swear by it. Second, yes, what are your water parameters? Do you own an API Fresh water master test kit? My axolotl's life depended on that kit. It helped us fix everything by telling us what was wrong with the water. I suspect high ammonia though. High nitrites make your axolotl lethargic and weak but ammonia causes visible damage.

Do you know the Ph levels? I wonder if that could be an issue.

 

[Salamanderman21]

It looks like it is metamorphosizing into a terrestrial salamander and I know what your thinking but it can happen people can make it happen and it shortens there lifespans

 

[EasternRomioi3]

@Salamanderman21

What makes you think he's turning into a land salamander? Just curious.

 

[Salamanderman21]

That's what my alarm will salamanders look like just before it happens

 

[Salamanderman21]

Sorry I meant larval I keep red salamanders I'm just saying that's what happens with my experience also if you go on Google and Google what does a terrestrial axolotl look like I don't know I could be wrong I'm just saying

 

[Salamanderman21]

But they're not falling off they're just being absorbed I'm just saying I could be wrong but people can actually Force this to happen but I'm not in axolotl guy so I wouldn't know but I do keep salamanders

 

[Salamanderman21]

Also if you look at it the skull and the head are starting to change a little the nostrils are more pronounced just saying

 

[Salamanderman21]

Oh and I meant to mention this but his dorsal fin move down from the back of his head to just about his tail

 

[EasternRomioi3]

I see, that's odd. I don't know how I feel about axolotls morphing into land salamanders.

 

[Salamanderman21]

I've heard that with some people that it shortens their lifespan they look something like tiger salamanders

 

[Salamanderman21]

But all I was saying that like if you look at the pictures you can see it's skull is changing a little the nostrils are more pronounced and the tail only used to come up to the head but now it goes down to somewhere on the back and when the gills were shortening

 

[Salamanderman21]

Google Image Result for https://i.redd.it/v8vmhzihvby31.png

 

[Salamanderman21]

Here's a picture of a terrestrial one and
an aquatic one

 

[GulfCoastAxolotls]

But all I was saying that like if you look at the pictures you can see it's skull is changing a little the nostrils are more pronounced and the tail only used to come up to the head but now it goes down to somewhere on the back and when the gills were shortening

I would suspect these things you are indicating are more due to malnourishment and poor water quality. It takes very special circumstances for an axolotl to morph naturally. More often then not, they will die before that happens. In the rare case that it does fully morph, its because of some hybridization somewhere in their genetic pool. This axolotl looks like many I've seen that are just the victim of poor water quality, high ammonia, and inadequate nutrition.

 

[Salamanderman21]

You're probably right I don't really mess with oxalo's that much but and I don't really know that much I'm just saying because I have a couple ambestoma but none of them are axolotls I have a marble salamander and I'm trying to get a spotted but most of mine are a plethodon species I have a red salamanders