What does a healthy axolotl look like?

[elHaylio]

Hi there,

I'm kind of a beginner axie owner and I see plenty of threads about things wrong with people's axolotls but I am having trouble finding out what a healthy one looks like!

So pretty much, how do I make sure that my axolotl is healthy? What are the signs of a healthy, happy axolotl? Also are their gills supposed to get really huge because mine don't have gills that big

Cheers
Hayley

 

[hacelepues]

An axie can be healthy if it has small gills. As long as the gills aren't SHRINKING, it's fine. Very small gills tend to be a sign that it was kept in sub par conditions, but it's current conditions are adequate, it should be fine.

Here's a basic list of signs of an unhappy axolotl.
-Gills curved forward (constantly. Sometimes during feeding axolotls will curve their gills forward, but will go back to normal soon after.)

-Tail curved in a "U" shape back towards it's head.

-Floating and not being able to stay on the bottom for extended amounts of time (sometimes they will hold a little air in their mouths to float, if they release the air and get back to the bottom, they are fine)

-And unusually large stomach

-Redness on their skin, fungus on their gills, or their slime coat coming off.

-Being overly active.

-Eyes popping from their faces (a sign of morphing)


Here's a good website that goes into more detail... Axolotls: The Fascinating Mexican Axolotl and the Tiger Salamander

 

[elHaylio]

thanks a lot