Question: Sick or dwarf/mini?

[Lunathelotl]

Hello. I’m new to Caudata and in search of some opinions.

My axolotl Rupert is over a year old and only 4.5 - 5 inches long. His gills are also quite short compared to my other axolotl. He has always been a good eater and will take chopped up wrigglers every day/every other day. He moves around his tank a decent amount (he’s in a 40 gallon breeder) and recognizes when I sit in front of the tank. I’m concearned I’ve done something to stunt his growth but I was also told that he could just be a mini/dwarf. I followed all of the instructions that the breeder gave me and when I got him he was maybe 2 inches long.

Any opinions/help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Hayleyy]

It's probably a genetic thing, the gills and the size. If this one is significantly smaller than your other you may want to keep them separate if you haven't already