Photo: Is this guy ok?

[Hood]

Hi
i got given this guy (im assuming its a guy) as a present, he came from a pet shop in the city. so he had a 3 hour drive back to his new home, i expected him to be a bit stressed.

but he dosent look that healthy,
he has dry looking white patches all over him and his gills are really thin and droopy, some parts of the gills look like they are missing or very short

other than that he is fine, swimming happily and eating, wish i had more notice that he was coming i still need to add caves and plants to his home, so the tank looks pretty bare at the moment xD

please let me know what you guys and gals think
thanks

 

[Quentari]

Pretty sure that's just normal colouring there. His gills will improve with a little TLC

 

[HayleyK]

He looks okay it does look like the coloring. When I first got my axie two years ago (from a pet shop with snails AND a heater) she had no frilly parts of the gill AT all. She's a leucistic and her gills were blue. After a while from good care taking they grew nice and red but the actual "stems" of her gills won't grow long and lush unfortunately but very fluffy

 

[Hood]

thankyou, that is a relief, i was a little concerned.
ill be getting him a house tomorrow so he can hide till he gets comfortable in his new tank

 

[auntiejude]

The white bits are natural iridophores - reflective spots - that many axolotls have. My albino looks much the same, my black wildtype has golden spots on black skin.

If you need emergency decoration or hides you could always make a little hide out of rocks - get a couple of sturdy rocks and place a flat one (e.g. slate) across the top. Or use a terracotta pot with the bottom removed and sharp edges filed down.

Gills will 'fluff up' once he has decent oxygenated water - my smallest came to me with little stumpy gills and she beautifully fluffy now.

 

[snuggly time]

It looks quite good considering the state some pet shops keep them in. Some fresh cool water and plenty of food and the gills will be great. Mine arrived with no gills at all and his are getting longer and fluffy now.

 

[Jen10s]

The guys have it all covered above ...... Coffee cups make a good emergency cave/hide until you can get more decorations

Looks fine and should look fab with some TLC.