Question: Juvenile axie gills\\water current

[notaphrodite]

Hi! Water current question here..

I have a new juvenile axie (about 4-5 weeks old, new mom). The babe is currently in a 10gal tank, tested water levels are all perfect. I have a regular low-flow waterfall external canister and after realizing very quickly that the babe hated it I attached some mesh over the fall so the flow is super evenly and slowly distributed, barely any current at all. However, I can't shake the feeling that babes gills are a little too forward and still unhappy with it. It's really not drastic enough for me to be sure, though.. I know that I can always go back to a still tank but the babe loves clean water so much and still is such hard upkeep.. I am ordering an external canister filter w the lowest flow spray hose next week, but, yeah.. What angle are a healthy juvenile axolotl's gills supposed to be at?? The feathers look healthy and proper but are the gills themselves supposed to be more vertical or more angled flat towards the body?? Or am I just being a paranoid mother

Thank you!!

 

[KumquatSquats]

small juveniles often have gills that stick straight up or flop over. adults gills normally flow away from the face, the gill curl from stress is a tight curl towards the face but a better indication of stress is tail curling (which starts at the very tip)