Melanoid High Dorsal

[Neotenic_Jaymes]

I have this Melanoid Axolotl with a very slow growth rate with an amazing dorsal fin. He's very much a runt but has a big appetite. At the 3 inches long he eats salmon pellets, brine shrimp, small earthworms, black worms and frozen bloodworms. I know that Axolotls with different color morphs have different growth rates and such so I'm not worried about his size. It doesn't matter to me if it doesn't grow anymore at all. The weird thing is that its' head is longer that the length of his body. Long gills and healthy girth along side having a high dorsal statement means "in very good condition". Check it out!

 

[Hayden]

He's awesome!

 

[dragonlady]

What a cool looking little guy! I hope you keep us updated as he grows - I'd be curious to see if that unusual coloration in his tail remains the same.

I know what you mean about not caring if he grows more or not - they are so amazing at this size!

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Jennewt]

Interesting. How long since he hatched? I'll be interested to see what he looks like after another 6 months or so.

 

[Greatwtehunter]

I've got a runt melanoid as well Jaymes! It is close to 2 yrs old and not much bigger than my index finger. I'll see if I can find a picture of it.

I found a picture of it. Mine doesn't have the extra high caudal fin.

 

[callina]

How old is your axie, Jaymes?
His tail fin looks bombastic.

Tina

 

[dazkeirle]

wow I love them both.

The OP's is amazing though, his legs even look different, long and very thin.

The dorsal fin coming from his head like that is wicked, almost like a new breed.

I hope he remains healthy and grows to full maturity, perhaps he could be bread to see if this mutation is genetic and can be inherited (in a controlled manner of course).

It's bizarre but all Axies seem to have some quirky mutation, from fused toes to odd gills to tail differences. Is there now such thing a pure, genetically complete axie? Or have they all been loss due to the instability in breeding etc.

Keep us updated on the little fellas progress.

 

[sek]

Impressive! I haven't seen anything quite like that little fellow.
I've had huge melanoids bigger than my forearm, they both had a high-ish dorsal fin (not as high as that, but more than normal) they were about 15 then.

Is it just me or is it a melanoid thing??

 

[ted22]

Like sek my melanoid has a very high dorsal (not quite as big as yours, but definately higher than most ive seen) but he is certainly not a runt, quite the opposite!

And Greatwtehunter that is sooo cute a dwarf axie! Maybe you can start a new strain of dwarf axies from him so people that dont have the space for 3-4ft tanks can still enjoy axolotl ownership! I wonder if the mini axie trait can be passed on through breeding?

Id love a mini axie hehe! I never knew they could stay so small!

 

[Azhael]

Daz...you would have a very hard time finding a pure axolotl...
Most bloodlines are corrupted and they are not even real axolotls (although we keep calling them that because it´s very convenient).
The problem not only lies in the severe inbreeding and the genetic introgression, but also heavily in the fact that there is very little, if any, possitive selection of the offspring. People select for mutations instead of selecting for health. The result is what we see today...i personally find it very sad, though most people don´t care at all..well, each one with his circumstances...

 

[Neotenic_Jaymes]

WOW! So many replies so fast! Nice little guy you have there Justin. Seems like you have a dwarf like mine. I'm sure Justin agrees with what I'm about to say. Melanoids seem to have a slower growth rate than other axolotls. Sometimes they're even smaller, smaller more oftenly. I've seen other axolotls like albinos and wildtypes that have high a dorsal so, I don't think its just melanoids.

50 percent water change every 2-3 days. Feedings every 2-3 days. Kept at temps between 60-65. Java moss and other low light plants even duck weed. This winter the water should freeze over just like every other tank in my basement. Keep you guys updated! Thanks!

 

[melfly]

I found my melanoids are not as strong as my usual axolotls. They dont seem to be any smaller than the others upto now. In fact I have a tub of runts that are mainly gold albino and one white albino.


Mel

 

[Neotenic_Jaymes]

Here is a photo update on my axolotl. It might have grown 1 inch since last time. Its almost 4 inches now. Hasn't grown at all in a couple months.

 

[Neil C]

What a great little axolotl. Sure looks like it likes it's food in photo 1. Glad to see the high dorsal fin is still present.



Regards Neil

 

[Niels D]

Little Quasimodo's looking really great! That's probably the coolest axie I've ever seen. Cherish it!

 

[Neotenic_Jaymes]

Little Quasimodo's looking really great! That's probably the coolest axie I've ever seen. Cherish it!

Yea I love her. Can't believe she is more than a year old and so small. The curly gills and Quasi looking features make her 1 of a kind.

 

[yellowpebble]

I have a tub of dwarves from my last batch. They eat and have never grown past 1cm. Maybe they will turn out to be the legth of this beautiful girl. Did she grow steadily to this size, or did she grow as fast as the others and just stop?

 

[Neotenic_Jaymes]

I have a tub of dwarves from my last batch. They eat and have never grown past 1cm. Maybe they will turn out to be the legth of this beautiful girl. Did she grow steadily to this size, or did she grow as fast as the others and just stop?

My girl grow slowly and just stopped. I think she has completely stopped growing. You should try to keep all the dwarfs and breed them together. You might get a lot of dwarfs, that'll be cool.

 

[SanderB]

Dwarf axolotls would be realy cool. It is true, if there where dwarfs I think more people would by and keep axolotls. On the other hand I hope that there will always be breeders of the 'normal' axolotl. I only raise the strong ones. nI 1 tank I had like 50 axolotls and after a while there where only 4. But 1 was more then dubbel the size of the others, he is now in my big tank so I can breed with him. I also like the special colours and so. But it would be realy nice if I could purchase a pure wild type.

 

[Neotenic_Jaymes]

Dwarf axolotls would be realy cool. It is true, if there where dwarfs I think more people would by and keep axolotls. On the other hand I hope that there will always be breeders of the 'normal' axolotl. I only raise the strong ones. nI 1 tank I had like 50 axolotls and after a while there where only 4. But 1 was more then dubbel the size of the others, he is now in my big tank so I can breed with him. I also like the special colours and so. But it would be realy nice if I could purchase a pure wild type.

Its true most store owners only want albino and gold Axolotls. I like keeping Wildtypes for the sake of original and natural looks. In a lot of instances breeding Axolotls produce a lot of Wildtypes regardless of the color of the mating pair. My Albino and Leucistic Axolotl produced plenty wildtypes and Melanoids. Sometimes whatever the mixture of color there is decent turn out of Wildtype/normals. But finding a pure Wildtype/normal is impossible in the pet trade.

I know there a couple people out there trying to establish a dwarf Axolotl breeding project. I wish them luck. I know my adult pair of Melanoid Axolotls put out a couple dwarf or smaller Axolotls. Hopefully if I breed a dwarf back to its parent or the dwarf to a dwarf I can get a good outcome.