@shetlandaxolotls: Gill health = health check cheat code 🩷🦎🫧 If you want ONE place to look first when checking your axolotl… look at the gills 👀✨ In most cases, gills are the first indicator that something isn’t right — whether that’s water quality, stress, or illness. 💖 What healthy gills should look like: • Fluffy, full filaments (little frills on each stalk) • Even shape and length on both sides • Good colour for their morph (pinks in leucistics, darker tones in melanoids, etc.) • Gills relaxed not tightly curled forward 🚩 Early warning signs: • Shrinking or shortening filaments (frilly bits) • Gills curled tightly forward • Pale or greyed-out colour • Patchy loss of filaments • Shortening of the stalks (3 on each side) 💧 What can cause gill issues? • Ammonia or nitrite present (even small amounts) • Nitrate too high long term • Temperature creeping up • Strong flow stressing them • Sudden parameter swings • Bacterial or fungal infections • Chronic stress Experienced keepers with consistently thriving animals will tell you the same thing — stable, clean, cool water is EVERYTHING. Most “mystery” gill problems trace back to water quality or instability. Now let’s talk genetics 🧬 Some axolotls naturally have shorter gill stalks or less dramatic fluff. That’s normal. But before blaming genetics, ask yourself: ✔️ Is the ph between 7.2-7.8? ✔️ Are ammonia and nitrite always zero? ✔️ Are nitrates controlled with regular water changes? ✔️ Is my temperature stable and cool? 16-18 degrees ✔️ Is my flow gentle? ✔️ Do I have a good quality liquid test kit? (Strips are not reliable nor accurate) If the water is perfect and consistent, then yes — it may just be their genetic structure. But don’t assume. Test. Research. Learn. Adjust. The best keepers are the ones who never stop asking questions and never stop learning 📚🫶 Gill health is one of your best early-warning systems. Watch them. Know your baseline. Act early. We never stop learning in this hobby 💧🩷🦎 #AxolotlCare #AxolotlHealth #AquariumLife #ExoticPets #AquaticPets

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Monday 23 February 2026 18:40:09 GMT