Is my Axolotl okay?

[haz.s]

Hello, sorry if this post is sort of wordy or confusing. I have an axolotl and recently I've noticed that below his gills and behind his jaw on both sides are pink openings. Is this normal? I haven't noticed it before and I assume these are internal gills but I'm not sure? I know his gills are really small, he's been having gill shrinkage for a while (I'm not exactly sure why but I think it's due to tank oxidation? I've been trying to fix or at least manage it for a while too without luck. If anyone has any suggestions on this too it'd be much appreciated) but he luckily doesn't seem be stressed or having breathing issues. If this isn't normal, is there anything I can do to help?
(Sorry for poor picture quality)

 

[wolfen]

axolotls have slits behind its gill stalks, these are for respiration.
if you have oxidation which is a high amount of oxygen in the water your axolotls gills wouldn't be regressed.
what are your water parameters temp/ph/ammonia/nitrites/nitrates?.
what made you think it was oxidation?.

 

[Autistic Catholic]

Check your water parameters. The gill shrinkage could be an early sign of ammonia burns.

 

[Autistic Catholic]

Please compare this axolotl's floofy gills as she enjoys her oxygen rich airstone to your own axolotl's gills. This is a healthy axolotl. Your axolotl is not a healthy axolotl. His gills are receding, there is something wrong with the water, I suspect ammonia burns. Please correct your problems sooner rather than later. We just had two people on this forum lose their axolotl's this month - one to long-term deliberate abuse as they refused to acknowledge there was a problem until it was too late, and the other to ignorance and poor education. We want this trend to stop immediately.

 

[haz.s]

Thank you both very much for replying. I guess I received faulty information from the person I asked about this problem. It's my fault for not researching this further sooner. I'll check my tank levels and try to correct anything wrong as soon as possible.

 

[Autistic Catholic]

You might be able to restore the floof but it may depend on whether it is ammonia and how long he's been exposed.

Axolotl Gills: Forwarding the Floof • Fantaxies

For many axolotl enthusiasts, full, fluffy gills are not just […]

fantaxies.com

 

[haz.s]

Got to test my tank parameters
Temp is 19 C, pH is a bit below 7.0, Ammonia is 0 ppm, Nitrates and Nitrites are both also 0 ppm. I'm going to try and up the pH a bit, any suggestions as to whether or not I should do extra ammonia treatment just in case?

 

[Autistic Catholic]

Got to test my tank parameters
Temp is 19 C, pH is a bit below 7.0, Ammonia is 0 ppm, Nitrates and Nitrites are both also 0 ppm. I'm going to try and up the pH a bit, any suggestions as to whether or not I should do extra ammonia treatment just in case?

How do you have ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates all at 0?

 

[haz.s]

How do you have ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates all at 0

That's what the tests say. One multiple-test strip and one liquid ammonia test is what I'm doing.

 

[Autistic Catholic]

"A reading of 0 Nitrate means either the tank is extremely clean, or completely without a functional cycle. Or maybe a tank without any live animals. If you want a cycle you need someone pooing in there. If you don't have build-up of the toxic ones, Nitrite and Ammonia, you should not worry too much."

Why does my nitrate level always read 0?

I have the following tanks: 5 gallon, 2 months old - housed betta and shrimp 10 gallon, 2 weeks old - used established media to seed aquarium alongside cycle and beneficial bacteria 3.5 gallon -

pets.stackexchange.com

Sir, I doubt the accuracy of your readings and why did you do test strips for one and liquid for the others?

 

[JM29]

A reading of 0 (or near 0) ammonia, 0 nitrites and 0 (or near 0) nitrates is possible with animals in the tank if there is a huge amount of fast-growing aquatic plants and, of course, a good light.
Is it the case here ?

 

[wolfen]

you need to get liquid tests for all the parameters.
zero nitrates either means a uncycled/cycling aquarium, very large water changes, very large aquarium, a large amount of plants, oxygen free/dead zone with substrate.
strip test are ok to make you aware of problems but are no accurate enough to give proper readings.
was the aquarium cycled before adding your axolotl.