Dark spots on axolotl

[munchbunch]

Hi, i'm a newbie to keeping Axolotls so I keep getting very worried about small things. I have two Leucistic axolotls and they're very young - they're about 3 inches long. I've noticed in the last couple of days that they have developed lots of tiny little dark dots all accross their heads and down their backs. Is this just pigment developing or do they have a fungal infection? I can't upload a photo as my axies are too small for my camera to pick up the dots. Thanks for any help.

Also* On another note, one of my axolotls has forward turned gills - the other one's is fine. I have a spray bar so i'm not sure what's wrong?

 

[ashmac5]

Hi,
Both of my Leucistics have very dark splodges on their heads and backs, I actually wondered if it was because I keep them on black sand as they were not there when I got them.......Maybe it is just pigment!

I'm a microbiologist so I'm hoping I will be able to catch any possible fungus FAST. Fungus is like fluff/fake spider webs at halloween kinda wispy when it is underwater (from what I have seen). Although it is not my area of expertise I would hazard a guess that your axies are just developing dark dots as a result of pigment, but I'm sure you will get much better info from more experienced axolotl keepers :happy:

 

[ZoeT94]

It might just be pigmentation. What substrate are they on?

With the gills, how fast is the water flow, it might have effected the direction in which the gills grow, if they are constantly being pushed back/forward to prevent getting damaged. Adjust the output/flow.

 

[munchbunch]

They're on large stones - much too big to ingest. I hope that it is pigmentation - i'd love some freckley axies!

As for the water flow, I consider it to be quite fast but my filter is set to the lowest and I have a spray bar. I'm consider changing the spray bar for a longer one though as it's quite short. I'm just a bit confused to how one of them has forward turned gills and the other doesn't and they're in the same conditions.

 

[Kaysie]

Leucistic axolotls often develop 'freckles' on their face and back. The gene that causes leucism dictates that melanophores (or dark colored cells) are completely functional, but do not migrate off the neural crest. So they show up as spots, rather than creating a dark-colored axolotl, such as a wildtype.

Gills can turn for a variety of reasons: water quality, water flow, and age. Younger axolotls will often have gills that are more forward than older axolotls. Many people often confuse gills that stand straight up with 'forward facing' gills.

 

[mewsie]

Yup - my Roscoe has always had very very curled gills (see pic) and he's now a full adult, I think its being aware of changes thats the key thing

 

[Kaysie]

Mewsie, there is NO doubt that you have a pair of males, huh? lol

 

[mewsie]

Well, they never load (or unload for that matter) the dishwasher, and are always leaving the toilet seat up... I guess that's how you could tell, huh?

 

[ZoeT94]

Men eh?!

Freckled axie's are cool, but my baby is fully pinky-fied!

 

[Kaysie]

Many develop spots as they age.

 

[munchbunch]

Thanks for all your help. I'd love it if they developed freckles, that would be the cutest thing! Does gill colouration have any meaning towards it? My axies are complete opposites in gills as well as behaviour.

 

[Kaysie]

Gills are usually darker when the animals are active, and pale when they're at rest.