Question: Is my new axolotl changing?

[Biga2003]

I currently have two axolotls and they are doing great. Today I decided to add to our family and brought home a new axie. He is smaller and looks very healthy. His gills aren't as large or fluffy as my others and I noticed he has yellow spots, which my others don't have. Is this a sign of metamorphosis? Please see attached photo. Thanks in advance for your replies...

 

[Dragonfire]

From what I can see he's not changing yet his gills look average size to me. The yellow spots are probably natural coloration he has but if you look at pictures of metamorphosed wild type axolotls they do have yellow spots along their sides

 

[Dragonfire]

Here's a picture of one as a point of reference as far as coloration.

 

[Biga2003]

Thanks! I prefer it stay an axolotl just haven't seen spots like that before... My other axies don't have them

 

[Dragonfire]

Also get your axolotls off that gravel it's too big to be passed through and small enough to be swallowed which would kill your axolotls through impaction. Use a fine or soft sand or large stones too big to be swallowed (bigger than an axolotls head)

 

[Dragonfire]

Thanks! I prefer it stay an axolotl just haven't seen spots like that before... My other axies don't have them

Yeah your axie just has nice coloration from what I can tell but your axolotls look very healthy too.

 

[Kaini]

It is highly, highly unlikely your Axolotl would go through metamorphosis. They just DON'T, unless forced or under very rare circumstances. (and never, NEVER force your lotl to do it - it will most likely kill them or dramatically shorten their lifespan).

Gill size varies quite a bit between animals, it's nothing to be worried about.

I do however second dragonfire - please remove those stones from the tank right away. They are small enough to be swallowed and can be deadly to your animals. Go bare-bottom on your tank or if you must have substrate, use fine grain sand.

 

[Boomsloth]

I bought 5 wild types from a reputable breeder and they all had cool colors/patterns and long fluffy gills. I bought another wildtype from a lfs and it was darker and has the same spots along the side as yours with shorter gills. I think we just got a more wild looking wildtype.