I think my axolotl may be a salamander

[Aguescar]

Hello friends

I'm new here and I wonder if I could get some help.

I got two axolotls a month ago. they were a gift but I'm in love with them.

A few days ago one of them started to lose his gills and I don't know it its going through metamorphosis or if it's not an a plot and it's a tiger salamander.

Please help!!!

 

[sully]

Well I'm going to bet it's not An axolotl. The colouring looks a little different for a wild type. It's also a big no no to keep them on gravel as they can swallow it and it can cause a lot of serious problems. Wait for a second opinion from a senior forum member but in the mean time you should remove the gravel and keep them on either sand or a bare bottom tank.

 

[Donna001]

I'd say it was some sort of salamander too.
I have attached links to threads where other people have had their little ones go through metamorphosis.

http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-...ortium-spp-etc/106240-so-far-no-morphing.html

http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-be...already-beginning-metamorph-what-do-i-do.html

I'm sure that some of the more experienced keepers will be able to give you more detailed information, but I thought that the other threads would be quite useful for now.
Best of luck and please keep us posted on your progress.

 

[Sarramy]

Looks like a salamander to me. I had the same thing happen to me (I'm the one that started the first link in Donna's post). Good luck!

 

[auntiejude]

That is most definitely a tiger salamander. Have a look at the caudata culture website for care info.

 

[Aguescar]

Yes I know. I originally had them with some riverbed sand but then I met a vet in PetCo and he basically armed my aquarium, with that substrate and everything. I was a bit doubtful but I thought ok he's supposed to be the pro here. Sadly I think I was wrong to trust him

 

[Aguescar]

I'd say it was some sort of salamander too.
I have attached links to threads where other people have had their little ones go through metamorphosis.

http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-...ortium-spp-etc/106240-so-far-no-morphing.html

http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-be...already-beginning-metamorph-what-do-i-do.html

I'm sure that some of the more experienced keepers will be able to give you more detailed information, but I thought that the other threads would be quite useful for now.
Best of luck and please keep us posted on your progress.

Hey Donna and Sarramy, thanks for your replies. It's 3:36 local time and I cannot go to bed because of my anguish ����.

The problem is I don't know it he's the only one or my other one may turn up,to be a salamander as well

 

[Bellabelloo]

Neither are Axolotl, but are most likely some type of Tiger salamander.

It is a shame that they have not been given to you with their correct identity, but watching these change from their aquatic larval state is really interesting...they can also be rather entertaining pets They are also quite easy to keep, I personally prefer them as land dwellers.

The second one will probably also start to loose its gills quite quickly. I lower the water to two or three inches in depth and have a couple of stones/ bricks so they can haul out onto when they are ready.

 

[Donna001]

Try not to worry, they are both salamanders and both going to be fine.
You can see on the second one that it is already losing the feathery bits on his gills, and as Julia says, his gills will probably start shrinking soon.
Salamanders are brilliant. If it wasn't for the fact that I'm renting a property that has a no pets rule (my landlord agreed to aquatic pets, but no non-aquatic) I would absolutely have some.