New axolotl health check please

[TrizzyB]

Hi all! We’ve had Cooper since the end of December and I’m hoping you experienced owners can give me feed back if he looks healthy. He’s grown about triple in size! But I don’t know if the gills look they way they are supposed to!

 

[TrizzyB]

One more profile photo

 

[EasternRomioi3]

Gills look good but he's throwing them forward, that's a defensive posture. When did you get him and how old is he? Be careful with those stones, if you have any that are too small, he may suck them up. If the stones are entirely too large, even for an adult axolotl, then they're relatively safe.

He eating, your water quality good? Looks healthy, just grumpy.

 

[TrizzyB]

Gills look good but he's throwing them forward, that's a defensive posture. When did you get him and how old is he? Be careful with those stones, if you have any that are too small, he may suck them up. If the stones are entirely too large, even for an adult axolotl, then they're relatively safe.

He eating, your water quality good? Looks healthy, just grumpy.

Thanks for the info. I’m not sure the age, we got him at the end of December and he was only about 2” long. We did make sure and use only big rock.
All he wants to do is eat, and water quality had been good. Have a new hose to really suck the bottom at water changes. I take him out for that, maybe that stresses him once a week. Also I turned the filter flow down to make sure it’s not too much current.

 

[EasternRomioi3]

He should eat every day till he's like 6ish-9ish inches long, if my info is correct. Good job on turning the filter current down, they don't like moving water. And yeah, I'm sure he's not used to you yet, in time he will be. He's still VERY much a baby.

Also, get a turkey baster, like a brand new one from the grocery store, use it to suck up poo and left over food. It's SUCH a quality and ease of life tool. You could also get a second one and use it for feeding. Don't mix the two lol.