New Axolotl, not in the best shape!

[njh36]

Hi everyone,

This is my first post on here, so I apologise if I miss any important info!

Unfortunately I lost my leucistic juvenile axolotl a couple of months ago due to a bad fungal infection... I have since bought a 65l new tank, which is now all completely cycled and running perfectly.

The other day I bought a new albino axolotl from a pet store where they were keeping five adult axolotls in a tiny, brightly lit, bare tank. Poor things

My new axolotl, (named Albie), has extremely poor gills but overall appears to okay - it is eating and happily exploring the hiding places in its new home. I was wondering if anyone could tell me the likelihood of the gills growing back, and whether this will impact on his health? Also, if anyone can identify the sex I would grateful!

Thank youuu :happy:

 

[Mortimer]

I bought Mortimer in a similar condition, thinking that his gills would grow back. I've had him for about a year now, and they haven't regenerated much at all. I think that the feathery parts have gotten a bit fuller, but the main parts have not lengthened/grown.

 

[Mortimer]

Oops.....I forgot the rest......

As far as sex goes, I can't really tell from these pictures. My guess from the last picture would be female, but I'd really need to see a more close up picture of the area just behind the back legs (a side view).

Also, s/he seems to be a bit thin to me. (I know that you just got him/her, so I'm definitely not insinuating that you have done anything wrong!) Do you know what they were feeding her/him at the pet store?

 

[njh36]

Thanks Sharon. From what I have read elsewhere other people seem to say they don't always grow back. Will this affect it in anyway do you think?

I have an inkling it might be a female as, although as you say it is a bit thin, it does still have a slightly rounded tum and only a tiny bump behind the legs.

In terms of what they were being fed, I have a feeling nothing nutritional and potentially some kind of floating pellet/flakes as the second I bring out food it hangs around the surface! I feed frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp etc. and took a long time for it to understand where to get the food (i use a turkey baster to put it all in a shallow reptile dish in the middle of the tank). But I'm sure this is something it will get used to in time!

x

 

[Mortimer]

You're welcome. She is definitely a cutie. I'm not sure about long-term adverse health effects related to damaged gills. I'd maybe keep an air stone in the tank in addition to whatever filtration you have.

What I'd be more concerned about, I guess, would be longer term effects of malnutrition. Mortimer has some problems that I think are related to malnutrition before I got him and also my not switching him to earthworms soon enough. :/ I fed him mostly live black worms for a few months after getting him, and he now shows some signs of metabolic bone disease (his mouth is always open). I was told by a number of members on here to switch him to earthworms, so I did. MBD is not reversible (as I understand it), but hopefully having earthworms as a staple will prevent him from getting worse. I get his earthworms at a local bait/hardware store and cut them to about the width of his head. I hate cutting them, but he can't get them down otherwise. I hope this is somewhat helpful. I know it's a bit of a tangent.

 

[auntiejude]

WORMS! Best food for axies, you can buy online and get them delivered:
worms direct
yorkshire worms

Set yourself up a worm farm, feed them plain mash, they breed like rabbits. Your axie will get nice and plump on one or 2 a day.

Gills may or may not grow back, my male has short gills with virtually no fronds - he'd been kept in a tropical tank when I got him. It doesn't affect his health at all.

How big is your axie? under 8" you can't be certain of gender, and even after that they can suddenly surprise you.

I woud also be a little worried about some of those stones - some look as if a fully grown axie could swallow them, you might want to remove the smaller ones.

 

[snuggly time]

I buy earthworms from Yorkshire Worms, they have an ebay store too. They're very reliable.

My axolotl had no gill frills when I got him. They grew within 2 months. He's never had long gills but they did grow a little.

This was him when I got him

And this is him now.

 

[njh36]

I will definitely be getting some earthworms then! Its about 6inches atm, so maybe too young to sex? My last axolotl was so tiny in comparison I think I forget that this new one is still young too!

Can you advise on how often to feed an axolotl of this size? I find such conflicting answers on the web! I know they say too little is better than too much but I also know they need more when they're still growing. Sorry for all the questions, but after the heartbreak of my last little guy I don't want to take any chances this time!

Yes thanks I have noticed the few smaller pebbles, I thought I had got them all but seem to still find the odd one to remove!

 

[snuggly time]

I'd be feeding small earthworms at that size. You may even need to cut them up.
Don't worry if your axie throws them up the first few times, they must be weird to eat as they will wriggle for a while in the stomach.

The general rule is their stomach should be as wide as their head.

 

[layna]

Yorkshire worms actually do small worms that are only 1" in length. If you order these you shouldn't need to cut them up at all.
At 6" id feed daily still but it will just entirely depend on your axie as to how many, as long as their tummy is as wide as their head then they are at a healthy weight

 

[auntiejude]

Daily, one or 2 small worms. You can adjust as your axie expands or shrinks. They need energy to grow at that size.