Different Axolotl Gills

[mikeg]

Hey guy, i don't think it is anything to be concerned about but i want to make sure. my golden albino is about a year and a half now. iv noticed one side of his gills are alot shorter and not as full as the other side of his gills. why is this?

 

[auntiejude]

Most likely an old injury. One of mine has one short gill from an old nibble,
If your axie isn't worried neither should you be.

 

[mikeg]

Hes never been injured before, i got him when his back legs where growing and have had him separated until he was a year and a bit old then he was placed with my melaniod which is when he bred. his gills were the same but as he started to grow only one side got longer.

 

[Elise]

The tips of all the gill stocks are white which suggests both sides are reducing and being reabsorbed. It could be atrophy from an abundance of oxygen and is a normal process, or it could be a water quality issue which is more insidious. Do you test your water quality?

 

[Alkylhalide]

Are you serious? Is this what causes gills stocks to turn white!? I have riped hairs out trying to figure this out when my water quLity was perfect! Fjsjxjrjfjs That makes me feel a bit better.. The gills stoped turning white and on both effected they are slowly growing back though i am sure it will never be perfect.

Soooo... What you are saying is it is caused be a abundance of oxygen in the water? Or? Is it something you can prevent or is it just a natural process?

 

[mikeg]

The water quality is fine, i test it before every water change. i did however notice that about the Golden Axolotls gills. i have a filter in the tank with a few plants. if it was a water quality problem the other axies gills would be doing the same right? the melaniod gills look normal and i recently added a Albino to the tank almost 4 months ago and her gills are phenomenal not compared to what they were before she went in, il post a before and after shot.

 

[Alkylhalide]

That is absolutely magnificient! They are so fluffy!

 

[Kaysie]

If you have an air stone or a lot of plants, gills will generally be smaller because less surface area is needed to absorb oxygen (since it's at a higher concentration). If you want to encourage big, fluffy gills, eliminate mechanical means of gas exchange, like air stones.

Don't forget that genetics will play into gill size as well. Some animals will never have huge, luscious gills.

 

[zombieaddict]

The water quality is fine, i test it before every water change. i did however notice that about the Golden Axolotls gills. i have a filter in the tank with a few plants. if it was a water quality problem the other axies gills would be doing the same right? the melaniod gills look normal and i recently added a Albino to the tank almost 4 months ago and her gills are phenomenal not compared to what they were before she went in, il post a before and after shot.

Gorgeous! I don't really have much to add but I just had to get it in that those gills are absolutely beautiful!

 

[mikeg]

Alkylhalide & zombieaddict: Thank you :happy:

Kaysie : Okay thanks Yeah this albino and all its babies always come out with the best gills compared to the other babies my axies lay.


Just wanted to be sure that it was nothing to be concerned about, sometimes you think things are fine when in fact they could be symptoms of something serious.