Will gill feathers grow back?

[Jgrang]

For about a year I had and happy healthy axolotl. It was excited to me when I came to eat it. It ate well, pooped great, and had the fluffiest gill feathers I’ve ever seen. About a month ago I be grudgingly agreed to let my children bring it to their dads. I sent set up/care instructions. After a week they change their mind and it was sent back to my house. There he had been kept in a jug with no filter. At this time he looked still healthy but over the next few days his gills shrunk and lost all feathery to gills and they shrunk a bit. I’m heartbroken. He doesn’t eat regularly either. Is this something that will grow back?

 

[wolfen]

yes they will grow back, put a air stone in the water to allow him to absorb the dissolved oxygen (which is done through his skin and gills) this will also encourage them to grow so he can remove co2 as well (hence the flicking), make sure all the water parameters are correct and the water is cold enough. (axolotl gills are fluffy so as to maximise gas exchange, the red colouration being blood flow, they reduce them in poor condition so that they don't absorb harmful pollutants)

 

[Jgrang]

yes they will grow back, put a air stone in the water to allow him to absorb the dissolved oxygen (which is done through his skin and gills) this will also encourage them to grow so he can remove co2 as well (hence the flicking), make sure all the water parameters are correct and the water is cold enough. (axolotl gills are fluffy so as to maximise gas exchange, the red colouration being blood flow, they reduce them in poor condition so that they don't absorb harmful pollutants)

 

[Jgrang]

Thank you so much! I am continuing to check water parameters and will add the air stone.

 

[WaterLily05]

I kept my axolotl just a little too warm the first month I had her. Her gills slowly shrunk, until she looked like she does here

I corrected the issue, and gradually it got to growing back, until it was like this

And now, 4 or so months later, this is her today. I’m struggling with the sand, I didn’t rinse it well enough, so excuse the dust on the plants and the glass

 

[Jgrang]

Thank you so much for you guys taking the time to reply. This is yet another reason I love this form and recommend it to anybody even thinking about getting an axolotl as a pet. I beg them to do their research