Illness in Young Axolotl

[mollythecow]

I got a 3 month old axolotl a month ago, she is a lavender axolotl. She is starting to change color her underside is turning white and I can see her veins in the front legs. She is very active. I have also been struggling with ammonia lately. I am a new axolotl owner.

-Give only nice criticism.

 

[Reveiled]

Cleaning out the feces and making sure water changes are done frequently can help with the struggle of ammonia. As for the white and veins I wished I could help you but I am in the lack of knowledge of that.

 

[mollythecow]

Thank you I will be on top of that.
Here are some photos

 

[AMurry24537]

Initially, I was simply going to say that many axolotls develop different coloring as the age, especially within the first year, but looking at the pictures, it does seem a bit odd, almost as if the bones/cartilage is showing through the skin. The limbs look a bit skinny as well. Could you add a top down photo so we can see the weight? It could be related to nutritional deficiencies or a genetic issue.

 

[axie owner]

Thank you I will be on top of that.
Here are some photos

she is very beautiful

 

[mollythecow]

Background info: Got her at an expo on may 1 from Awesome Axoltots.
She has been eating blood worms but has been struggling to keep on weight. Now that you mentioned that. I am think of switching to a bigger fatter food. She eats so any blood worms. She is quite skinny looking at the pic.
Sorry for the photo she would not stay still.

 

[mollythecow]

Update: I got some red wrigglers to feed her. I will get night crawlers when she is older and bigger. They seem to fill the her better compared to blood worms.

 

[AMurry24537]

Update: I got some red wrigglers to feed her. I will get night crawlers when she is older and bigger. They seem to fill the her better compared to blood worms.

Perfect! Bloodworms work alright while axolotls are too small to eat earthworms, but they're basically the potato chips of the axolotl world. They can be used as a snack, but are nutritionally deficient. In addition to Canadian nightcrawlers (which you can cut up into smaller pieces, by the way) I also personally use axolotl pellets from Invert Aquatics (got it on Amazon) which work well for me, but really you can use any axolotl pellets as long as they're at least 40% protein. Earthworms, especially nightcrawlers, are the ideal main food.

 

[AMurry24537]

Background info: Got her at an expo on may 1 from Awesome Axoltots.
She has been eating blood worms but has been struggling to keep on weight. Now that you mentioned that. I am think of switching to a bigger fatter food. She eats so any blood worms. She is quite skinny looking at the pic.
Sorry for the photo she would not stay still.

Also, the ideal weight for axolotls is where the widest part of its body is about the same width as its head. She definitely looks skinny here, so hopefully she'll fatten up a bit with the red wigglers

 

[mollythecow]

 

[mollythecow]

Update:
A lot of people probably won’t like this. I tried feed red wrigglers and she hated them so that was a bust. My local pet store was out of blood worms. So I grabbed brine shrimp, I didn’t love the idea at first but was all I had. I was running low on blood worms. I started small when feeding brine shrimp then more and more. She fattens up so much quicker and keep on the weight. I know this is not the ideal diet. I am a minor so I do not have has much money as an adult. I have a job and make quite a lot. I want to give my animals the best possible life. Thanks!
If you want updates or photos leave a reply.

 

[mollythecow]

The lavender morph is known to go lighter on the under belly.