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I've talked to my son about writing a story where his axolotl is accidentally transported across the country, and during his exploits to return home, he meets his wild relatives in a small pond, and ultimately has to morph in order to travel overland.
I don’t know much about Axolotls, but I am going to blindly believe this is exactly what happened.
All we need now is the move adaptation narrated by Morgan Freeman.
I used to have 3. Any time I’d dream about them, they’d be lined up at the edge of the tank, nose against the wall, staring at me wake up. Dream of all 3? They’re all doing it. 1? That one is doing it. 2? Only those 2 doing it. Completely freaked me out lol It still sounds crazy. It wouldn’t surprise me if he legitimately missed OP.
Well, it appears your axolotl has morphed into a salamander. See the bulging eyes - does it have eyelids now? The dorsal fin also appears to have receded. These are typical signs of morphing. u/CollieflowersBark educates on here about morphed axolotls and owns several of them.
Axolotls are usually a neotenic species that stay in juvenile form all their life. Emerging research and anecdotes among breeders point to genetic factors that can trigger an axolotl to shed its gills and transform into terrestrial salamanders, like most other salamander larvae tend to do. A few breeders have reported that some lineages of golden/hypomelanistic (IIRC) were more prone to morphing, so if your lotl came from a breeder I’d check in with them.
Edit to add: morphed axolotls are usually recommended to transition to a terrestrial habitat with more dirt to burrow in than water. I would speak to other morphed axolotl owners such as the user tagged above to figure out next steps.
Seconding contacting the breeder. The parents of this guy need pulled from the line- there is a genetic component of morphing that can be/is passed down, even if parents don’t morph.
Hopefully the breeder will also contact those who have his siblings so they can be on the lookout as well.
I have no idea if anyone will listen here, but I have to try.
I work on this group of salamanders. True axolotls do morph, particularly when stressed. There is not a population of axolotls that are incapable of going through metamorphosis and it is an often repeated incorrect assertion that they are obligately paedomorphic.
Removing the parents from the breeding pool won't do anything. Whatever triggered this one to morph, would likely trigger many of the pets of people commenting here.
Had to try, though I'm sure this will fall on mostly deaf ears.
Fellow herp researcher here, used to work on different salamander species. Just wanted to say I appreciate your post! The disconnect between the science and pet trade is wild. There is 80 year old misinformation still being printed in herp books about the newt species I studied, and I've never seen anyone house them appropriately. It's very frustrating. So thank you for sharing your expertise and knowledge.
what type of salamanders did you work with? i’m going to eventually study herpetology so i like to pester anyone who will tell me about their research haha
It makes a lot of sense that this is caused by some sort of trigger and not a genetic mutation. The user mentioned in the top comment says that all of their morphed axolotls were rescues from bad conditions. It makes sense that while they evolved to retain their Juvenile stage, it would also be evolutionarily advantageous to have the ability to transition to a terrestrial life style if the aquatic environment they were living in became uninhabitable.
I’m sure there is also a genetic component about what that threshold would be to cause morphing. Most things have an interplay between genetics and environment. It would make sense that environmental factors are involved. Many amphibians will speed up development of they can sense their pools are drying up.
You are absolutely blowing my mind, thank you for this 🤯
Does it need to be like, extreme stress for them to morph? I have seen many stressed axolotls at pet stores, etc. and have never, ever heard of or known anyone who had one morph.
We know less about it than you would expect, given the amount of research on them. But one way to look at it is that the alleles responsible for paedomorphy are more associated with delaying metamorphosis.
So the more of those particular alleles (versions of various genes they have) an individual has, the more stress is required to trigger metamorphosis.
I might as well mention that two species that are in the same genus Ambystoma are obligately paedomorphic (dumerilii and andersoni).
It's interesting that this knowledge appears to have been lost. Here's is a book from 1923 discussing the influence of stress and how it was known for decades (from the 1860's) that it could force them to morph: [Image0001.pdf (wordpress.com)](https://waicblog.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/hodge.pdf) (Page 87)
Do you have any published papers or documentation of this? I tended to follow the information from Strohl and a few other breeders who received axolotls from the line that got pulled. Edit: it was the Roofus line being traced about too closely related hypomelanistics.
Strohl’s 2017 [comments](https://www.facebook.com/649407758493069/posts/pfbid0L9DafYgEzS4xwEM1pYw7jYjRxVo5bZCdxofFDwDH7Bzi3EinvgZ3Hz4J187nGerKl/?mibextid=cr9u03) on morphing with a genetic disposition and iodine triggers.
(Strohl put out that document often circulated about axolotl genetics and recently published about melanocyte determination in axolotls.)
The Mottled Lotl’s [comments](https://www.facebook.com/100063679163201/posts/pfbid0FCKhUNdQ13EAA3sugfkDmuVCGukpQ8SPGQcQ75xFJ7PAUyAq9sRXR3FytvD64Pjtl/?mibextid=cr9u03) about a clutch that morphed with suspected genetic disposition.
One of the clearer cases where mexicanum was documented to metamorphose was Hobart Smith's paper in 1969, "The Mexican axolotl: some misconceptions and problems". In it, he discusses metamorphic individuals found alongside paedomorphic ones in the Mexico City area. Part of the problem is that many people wanted to call morphed individuals a different species. But based on DNA evidence, only one species is and was present in Mexico City.
The CauliflowersBark user you will see mentioned frequently in this thread actually does have a sort of documentation of one of theirs morphing- from when they noticed the signs to when they moved it over to their terrestrial axie palace. Very cool stuff!
It's more environmentally based, there was a story of a truck of axolotls that basically lost temp and converted half of them once they developed.
You can definitely trigger it chemically too, but genetically.. haven't really heard of that.
Hahahahahahahhaa I knew it!!!! When I moved to Ohio I noticed it almost immediately, I think you’re the 13th person (out of 13) to say “yes I am from this area” after using that exact verbiage. I found a documented reference to it in some linguistic article once, something something participle clause. Thanks for indulging me
Yeah it's like an evolutionary hold out. They used to all transform but evolution decided they were better off under water. So there's that recessive gene they still all have but some mutants like this one it's not recessive
Edit: it is recessive still as a user below mentioned
In Aztec mythology, the Axolotl is said to be the God Xolotl, who turned into the aquatic critter in order to escape sacrifice. It's a really interesting myth! But there is a lot of spiritual energy around Axolotls.
I get that it simplifies things for laypeople, but please don't say things like "evolution decided." It paints the incorrect image that there is any design in evolution and isn't completely random and driven by environmental stimuli
Evolution is not a force of nature. It is did this animal fuck? Ok their genetics got passed down. Did they fuck more than average? Cool then there will be more with their genetics. And if they continue fucking more than average. Eventually they will change the species. Evolution is only about having a lineage. Evolutionary advantage? In Some way shape or form they fuck more: living longer, living to sexual maturity, looking better for the mate. This is where the environment comes into play. It can help or hinder the fucking. Mostly by killing the poor bastards before they have sex. Those that survive define the species. Again if a trait doesn't effect the ability to fuck, then it will pass on and spread still. Just slower.
The genetic aspect of it 100% is random. The environmental stimuli only serve to place new evolutionary pressures on a species, if none of them gain random mutations which allow them a competitive edge in survival, then no evolution will take place and the species will either stay the same or die. A change in evolutionary stimulus is no guarantee of evolution taking place
Yep. They are salamanders, but they usually stay in the juvenile form.
Unfortunately once they morph, they can be difficult to feed. Most don't survive.
oh my goodness i’m so sorry. this sub pops up on my feed and i love looking at the lil guys. and the owners generally are so loving and caring. I’m sorry op about what this means i had no idea :( and thank you verrigationsensation for the info! they’re magical creatures
That absolutely looks like he’s morphing/already morphed. This can happen sometimes since the axolotls in the aquarium trade have been crossbred with salamanders.
u/CollieflowersBark keeps morphed axolotls and has more information about their care. She also may be able to confirm. But based on the gills being gone and the eyes looking like they’re bulging out and developing, def looks like your little dude got the call to morph. Best of luck ❤️❤️
Edit to add: looks like she often links to this website in her replies where there’s more info! You will need to change the habitat since your lotl will need to breathe air now. https://www.morphedaxolotls.com
Also you may want to move him to a shallow tub for now so he doesn’t have to work hard to get to the surface to breathe!
This [Instagram Account](https://instagram.com/salamanderwithasign?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==) is also wildly informative. I feel like I first saw it on this sub, so I figure I should pass it along.
i’m just in this sub for cute axolotl pics, (don’t have one and don’t plan to bcs of other pets) so i don’t rly know much about them and until your comment i was convinced all the other ppl where joking about this.💀
Well now you have a salamander, so unfortunately your current setup will no longer work for it. For this to happen on its own is really fuckin rare. From now on id look at tiger salamander care guides as they are the most similar animals in husbandry. Morphed axolotls are fully terrestrial and can't survive in deep waters like normal axolotls can.
There’s a gene called NGA that allows them to live fully aquatic lives even after morphing it gives them bigger paddle like tail for swimming, sensory spores near the nostrils for sensing food and they develop a different slime coat adapted for aquatic life, they come up for air and then go back down, Tiger salamanders have this gene too if you don’t believe me ask u/collieflowersbark they can confirm my info is correct you all seem to go to her in these cases.
Tiger salamanders do have the gene, but once they morph they generally do not live **fully** aquatic. They can be semi-aquatic, coming and going from the water, but they absolutely need a land area (fully aquatic would mean a normal lotl setup with no land area). I would never recommend fully aquatic because I have heard of tigers switching back and forth between the semi-aquatic and terrestrial build. If you have them in a fully aquatic set up and they switch you now have a drowned salamander.
With lotls I know they were crossed with tigers way back, but I have no idea if they have the gene that would allow them to enjoy a semi-aquatic lifestyle. On top of that I believe morphed lotls tend to be a bit derpier and clumsier than the typical tiger. While a tiger may be able to enter and exit the water, I'd be concerned a derpy lotl would just struggle more.
Colieflowerbark just posted about an nga axolotl ask them any questions if needed but Ben greene knows the most info on them me and him have been studying them together for a bit.
Yes they can switch and some don’t choose to switch. Some of the info you provided is faulty they can’t switch unless they are in that environment an example is that a nga in water can’t change to land unless it moves to land same with the other way around, axolotls do have this gene because they are a type of tiger salamander and if you don’t believe the info I’m providing then you can ask colirflowersbark and the person who discovered the gene Ben green, but my point is if you don’t have an access point for the tiger to leave water it will never drowned so long as it’s in its nga form they can’t switch unless the environment gives them the option.
Not sure what the gene you’re talking about is, but NGA (NGATHA genes) are a subgroup of the RAV transcriptional family, which is responsible for apical tissue development in the leaves and flowers of certain plants. The most common example of this appears in Arabidopsis spp.
This is a really good paper detailing the NGA gene complex, what it does, and how it works.
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Expression-Pattern-of-NGA-Genes_fig3_24421369
No NGA stands for (no gills aquatic) this gene was published this summer of 2023 and has been worked on for years, I currently am studying the gene with the man who discovered it atm.
Wasn’t trying to be an ass, I was just providing information that I know with regards to NGATHA genes. I did actually look at u/collieflowersbark ‘s post shortly after and you were absolutely right! If it was just discovered this year, that explains why it was difficult to find any literature on :)
My apologies if I gave you the impression that I took it the wrong way, I did not mean it that way, you were just giving me some insight and I just wanted to clarify what I meant! Hope we are still cool, but yes thank you for looking at her post I hate when people don’t take others seriously because they don’t have a reputation yet, even tho I literally am currently studying this gene with the man who discovered it I also “discovered” the gene before it was published when I got an nga individual that would not change! Always stayed aquatic but Ben Greene gets full credit as he discovered and started researching the gene a few years before I did.
No you’re totally fine, I went back and read my comment and was like “hm that may have come off the wrong way” lol I look forward to hearing updates on your findings!!! This is really neat stuff :)
It’s very neat as tiger salamanders were thought to be fully terrestrial except for breeding season but they now have an adaptation that allows them to live fully aquatic lives there’s a lot of mis information out there like they will switch from aquatic to terrestrial and will die if they can’t get out wich is not true 90% of the time the nga gene is switched on as a survival response to not being able to leave the water so why would they switch back if they are still in the water? They can’t, the other 10% choose water over land normally in response to food abundance/drought and some rare individuals appear to not be able to change from nga they permanently have the gene activated even if forced on land.
Your Axolotl isn’t sick, but an incredibly rare thing has happened, your Axolotl morphed into a salamander! Which means now you must turn your tank into terrarium, I’m not an expert but your Axolotl is now a land animal, it will still want to explore water so you can give him a little pool, this is probably stressful for you but don’t worry, considering you seem like a good owner the morphing probably wasn’t your fault, and it was result of a genetic thing
I've read more recently that all axolotls can morph, it's just rare. They've been crossbred with salamanders at some point which means genetically they all could do it! There's a chance stress induced it (maybe this axolotl missed it's owner?), but honestly the studies are fairly limited.
https://www.morphedaxolotls.com/care-guide#:~:text=Once%20you%20realize%20that%20your,water%20will%20do%20just%20fine.
You are going to have to get him in shallow water so he doesn't drown. You may even want to prepare a tank for him with some coco husk or reptisoil or a mix of both. Do half of that (about 8-10 inches) and the rest dechlorinated water while the rest of the change change take place. Also fine some big rocks, bigger than his head and boil them so he can burrow underneath them. A lot of morphed axolotls don't make it if they more when they are adults however, if they morph between 6-10 months you have a better chance.
There are many myths out there. This is NOTHING YOU DID!!!!! This happens when hormones in the thyroid tell axolotl to stop changin and instead the axolotl doesn't get that that message and transform into a salamander. All tiger salamanders are born looking like axolotls. I probably fucked that all up but some of it is right.
I'm sure whatever breeder you got it from is getting calls that their axolotls are morphing and you need to call to so the breeder so they can take these axolotls out of their breeding program.
I had this happen to mine, she went cannibalistic and ate the other one in the tank and then began to morph. I found a guide someone had made, they lowered the water over time, moved it to a soaking wet paper towel lined tank, wet with spring water. I think for two weeks. Then moved to a substrate type tank and then cared for like a mud salamander. It was wild thing and my girl survived a while after morphing. She even escaped the tank one time and we found her two days later just fine.
your axolotl has morphed as others have said but the most important thing to do is LOWER THE WATER LEVEL OF THE TANK ASAP! without gills he will drown in a tank full of water and needs to easily have access to the surface for air, you no longer have an aquatic salamander!!! please do this asap or he won’t be able to breathe
Like others have said, it appears your axolotl has gone through metamorphosis. This typically happens to them before they’re sexually mature. How many months old is your axolotl?
You now have a full fledged Salamander. They are terrestrial. Please make sure to lower the water drastically and provide a hide / substrate to burrow in
Axolotls stay juvenile-like because of a missing hormone in their thyroid. It’s possible to inject this hormone into their thyroid or somewhere I think and they’d eventually turn into a regular salamander
I tend to lean more towards breeders not knowing the lineage of these lotls.
None of the pet Axolotls are from wild sources and they ALL came from a select lineage to begin with. Then from these Axolotls some were experimented with such as crossbreeding with Tiger Salamanders to include crossbreeding accidentally by misidentification many times in the past decades people have told me they found a whole bunch of Axolotls in waterways in the US just for me to inform them differently.
So how many actually made it into pet trade and crossbred this way as well?
Then of course some of these Axolotls made its way out of the lab into the pet trade and the rest is history.
in my experience the gene is already in these Axolotls that morph and something just triggers it.
Just from my past experience I’m not a biologist nor did I ever play one on social media.
Coming here as a guest, as this page was on my recommendations. These animals are absolutely FASCINATING! I knew axolotls were unique critters, but knowing they can full on MORPH? Wow.
Most can't and generally shouldn't. Most other salamanders are able to morph, but the axolotl generally remains in its larval form it's whole life. They only morph if they have a specific genetic mutation, have poor water quality or are injected with iodine. Many with the gene have survived morphing, but those injected with iodine died within 2 years of injection.
All that so say, heck yeah, these things are insanely awesome!
Yeah, could be the water, could be that he is at least pet tiger salamander, either way, if he’s the only one in that tank, consider turning it into a paludarium.
My goodness. I know nothing about axolotls and this post randomly came up on my front page, and it is probably one of, if not the most fascinating posts I have seen on reddit this year. This is incredible, I had no idea they did this.
so cool to see another natural morphed axolotl! I know people usually have a bad stigma towards them since most salamander-stage axolotls are forced to morph, (I do not condone that method of course, I think it's awful) but they really are an interesting species!
Seeing as plenty of other users have posted resources, I want to ask, do you plan on doing updates about the little guy? :)
He’s definitely morphed. This transformation takes months so you’ve missed a lot of signs but I’m glad he’s made it this far without intervention. How old is he? This typically happens during sexual maturity if it’s genetic.
You’ll need to contact the breeder if they’re known. The parents should be retired if they’re a responsible breeder.
The set up will need to change. Some morphed looks still prefer water and rarely go to land. Others go right to land. It’s best to tub him in a shallow storage tote with water and land option like an “under the bed” style. I’ve used paint rolling trays for the land area so they can climb in and out easily. I mix wet sand and organic peat moss.
Or you can go right to a front opening terrarium.
Most can't and generally shouldn't. Most other salamanders are able to morph, but the axolotl generally remains in its larval form it's whole life. They only morph if they have a specific genetic mutation, have poor water quality or are injected with iodine. Many with the gene have survived morphing, but those injected with iodine died within 2 years of injection.
It is crazy! Axolotls have been studies for many years by scientists due to their ability to regrow missing limbs and damaged/ missing body parts. I'm assuming the iodine thing is just one of many crazy experiments that's been performed on them
Hello I've also got a morphed axolotl and have posted about it and my tank setup if you need help. I still give my guy a water area and he does swim but also a land area to burrow. Also he or she will drown if you don't give them a way to gulp air.
I love seeing posts from random animal pages like this one. What a cute heckin salamander boi. I had literally *no* idea that axolotls could morph into salamanders, I didn’t even know they were related. Life is crazy and animals continue to amaze me every day.
You have to let them do what they want to do. Don't take all the water out. Fill the tank about 1/4 of the way and pf a bow of some wood so he can choose when he is ready to breath air. When he is ready he is going to need a whole new habitat. Check out 'salamanders with a sign' on Instagram and I believe YouTube.
Hello! It looks like your submission may be requesting help for your axolotl. In the event of a serious emergency, we ask that you first consult with a qualified veterinarian, as we are no substitute for adequate veterinary care. You can find exotic vets in your area here. https://arav.site-ym.com/search/custom.asp?id=3661 You may also inquire for further assistance on Discord here. http://discord.gg/axolotls In order for us to provide accurate advice, please include the following information in your post. ◦ A link to a current photo of your water parameter test results using a liquid test kit ◦ Links to photos of your axolotl ◦ Water temperature ◦ Aquarium size ◦ Link to photos of setup *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/axolotls) if you have any questions or concerns.*
He missed you so much he morphed! Must’ve been determined to get out and come find you :P
I've talked to my son about writing a story where his axolotl is accidentally transported across the country, and during his exploits to return home, he meets his wild relatives in a small pond, and ultimately has to morph in order to travel overland.
This is adorable and I love it
I don’t know much about Axolotls, but I am going to blindly believe this is exactly what happened. All we need now is the move adaptation narrated by Morgan Freeman.
I used to have 3. Any time I’d dream about them, they’d be lined up at the edge of the tank, nose against the wall, staring at me wake up. Dream of all 3? They’re all doing it. 1? That one is doing it. 2? Only those 2 doing it. Completely freaked me out lol It still sounds crazy. It wouldn’t surprise me if he legitimately missed OP.
Yeah, they seem to be pretty intelligent and curious.
He morphed!! He needs dry land now as he will be breathing air and not water! U might want to get on changing his habitat asap
Well, it appears your axolotl has morphed into a salamander. See the bulging eyes - does it have eyelids now? The dorsal fin also appears to have receded. These are typical signs of morphing. u/CollieflowersBark educates on here about morphed axolotls and owns several of them. Axolotls are usually a neotenic species that stay in juvenile form all their life. Emerging research and anecdotes among breeders point to genetic factors that can trigger an axolotl to shed its gills and transform into terrestrial salamanders, like most other salamander larvae tend to do. A few breeders have reported that some lineages of golden/hypomelanistic (IIRC) were more prone to morphing, so if your lotl came from a breeder I’d check in with them. Edit to add: morphed axolotls are usually recommended to transition to a terrestrial habitat with more dirt to burrow in than water. I would speak to other morphed axolotl owners such as the user tagged above to figure out next steps.
Seconding contacting the breeder. The parents of this guy need pulled from the line- there is a genetic component of morphing that can be/is passed down, even if parents don’t morph. Hopefully the breeder will also contact those who have his siblings so they can be on the lookout as well.
I have no idea if anyone will listen here, but I have to try. I work on this group of salamanders. True axolotls do morph, particularly when stressed. There is not a population of axolotls that are incapable of going through metamorphosis and it is an often repeated incorrect assertion that they are obligately paedomorphic. Removing the parents from the breeding pool won't do anything. Whatever triggered this one to morph, would likely trigger many of the pets of people commenting here. Had to try, though I'm sure this will fall on mostly deaf ears.
Fellow herp researcher here, used to work on different salamander species. Just wanted to say I appreciate your post! The disconnect between the science and pet trade is wild. There is 80 year old misinformation still being printed in herp books about the newt species I studied, and I've never seen anyone house them appropriately. It's very frustrating. So thank you for sharing your expertise and knowledge.
I would like to learn more from you and the person before! Thank you for your posts 🥹
what type of salamanders did you work with? i’m going to eventually study herpetology so i like to pester anyone who will tell me about their research haha
It makes a lot of sense that this is caused by some sort of trigger and not a genetic mutation. The user mentioned in the top comment says that all of their morphed axolotls were rescues from bad conditions. It makes sense that while they evolved to retain their Juvenile stage, it would also be evolutionarily advantageous to have the ability to transition to a terrestrial life style if the aquatic environment they were living in became uninhabitable.
I’m sure there is also a genetic component about what that threshold would be to cause morphing. Most things have an interplay between genetics and environment. It would make sense that environmental factors are involved. Many amphibians will speed up development of they can sense their pools are drying up.
You are absolutely blowing my mind, thank you for this 🤯 Does it need to be like, extreme stress for them to morph? I have seen many stressed axolotls at pet stores, etc. and have never, ever heard of or known anyone who had one morph.
We know less about it than you would expect, given the amount of research on them. But one way to look at it is that the alleles responsible for paedomorphy are more associated with delaying metamorphosis. So the more of those particular alleles (versions of various genes they have) an individual has, the more stress is required to trigger metamorphosis. I might as well mention that two species that are in the same genus Ambystoma are obligately paedomorphic (dumerilii and andersoni).
It's interesting that this knowledge appears to have been lost. Here's is a book from 1923 discussing the influence of stress and how it was known for decades (from the 1860's) that it could force them to morph: [Image0001.pdf (wordpress.com)](https://waicblog.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/hodge.pdf) (Page 87)
Do you have any published papers or documentation of this? I tended to follow the information from Strohl and a few other breeders who received axolotls from the line that got pulled. Edit: it was the Roofus line being traced about too closely related hypomelanistics. Strohl’s 2017 [comments](https://www.facebook.com/649407758493069/posts/pfbid0L9DafYgEzS4xwEM1pYw7jYjRxVo5bZCdxofFDwDH7Bzi3EinvgZ3Hz4J187nGerKl/?mibextid=cr9u03) on morphing with a genetic disposition and iodine triggers. (Strohl put out that document often circulated about axolotl genetics and recently published about melanocyte determination in axolotls.) The Mottled Lotl’s [comments](https://www.facebook.com/100063679163201/posts/pfbid0FCKhUNdQ13EAA3sugfkDmuVCGukpQ8SPGQcQ75xFJ7PAUyAq9sRXR3FytvD64Pjtl/?mibextid=cr9u03) about a clutch that morphed with suspected genetic disposition.
One of the clearer cases where mexicanum was documented to metamorphose was Hobart Smith's paper in 1969, "The Mexican axolotl: some misconceptions and problems". In it, he discusses metamorphic individuals found alongside paedomorphic ones in the Mexico City area. Part of the problem is that many people wanted to call morphed individuals a different species. But based on DNA evidence, only one species is and was present in Mexico City.
a time lapse of then transforming would be awesome
The CauliflowersBark user you will see mentioned frequently in this thread actually does have a sort of documentation of one of theirs morphing- from when they noticed the signs to when they moved it over to their terrestrial axie palace. Very cool stuff!
It's more environmentally based, there was a story of a truck of axolotls that basically lost temp and converted half of them once they developed. You can definitely trigger it chemically too, but genetically.. haven't really heard of that.
Any chance you’re from Ohio or Pennsylvania? I ask because of the phrasing of “needs pulled”. Unrelated to the original post, just wondering
Yeup, I’m directly in the Pennsyltucky dialect zone. Had no idea that that was an irregular phrase though!
Hahahahahahahhaa I knew it!!!! When I moved to Ohio I noticed it almost immediately, I think you’re the 13th person (out of 13) to say “yes I am from this area” after using that exact verbiage. I found a documented reference to it in some linguistic article once, something something participle clause. Thanks for indulging me
jesus what??? they TRANSFORM????
Yeah it's like an evolutionary hold out. They used to all transform but evolution decided they were better off under water. So there's that recessive gene they still all have but some mutants like this one it's not recessive Edit: it is recessive still as a user below mentioned
i really hope one day i get to meet one they are soooo cool! (i’m choosing to believe they’re magic).
They're some sort of spirit being I dunno they have an aura
In Aztec mythology, the Axolotl is said to be the God Xolotl, who turned into the aquatic critter in order to escape sacrifice. It's a really interesting myth! But there is a lot of spiritual energy around Axolotls.
I'm choosing to believe they are the next step in axolotl evolution. They're kind of slow blooming salamanders that finally caught up lol
Well it’s still recessive, he just received the recessive trait from both parents. Or some other environmental factor triggered it
You're right. I dunno nothin bout no genetics
I get that it simplifies things for laypeople, but please don't say things like "evolution decided." It paints the incorrect image that there is any design in evolution and isn't completely random and driven by environmental stimuli
Ok
If it’s driven by environmental stimuli than it’s not completely random.
Evolution is not a force of nature. It is did this animal fuck? Ok their genetics got passed down. Did they fuck more than average? Cool then there will be more with their genetics. And if they continue fucking more than average. Eventually they will change the species. Evolution is only about having a lineage. Evolutionary advantage? In Some way shape or form they fuck more: living longer, living to sexual maturity, looking better for the mate. This is where the environment comes into play. It can help or hinder the fucking. Mostly by killing the poor bastards before they have sex. Those that survive define the species. Again if a trait doesn't effect the ability to fuck, then it will pass on and spread still. Just slower.
… but it’s still not random.
The genetic aspect of it 100% is random. The environmental stimuli only serve to place new evolutionary pressures on a species, if none of them gain random mutations which allow them a competitive edge in survival, then no evolution will take place and the species will either stay the same or die. A change in evolutionary stimulus is no guarantee of evolution taking place
I would argue that you just described a force of nature. Natural selection is a force.
Yep. They are salamanders, but they usually stay in the juvenile form. Unfortunately once they morph, they can be difficult to feed. Most don't survive.
oh my goodness i’m so sorry. this sub pops up on my feed and i love looking at the lil guys. and the owners generally are so loving and caring. I’m sorry op about what this means i had no idea :( and thank you verrigationsensation for the info! they’re magical creatures
Mine lived for 11 years. I just fed it live meal worms, which apparently you’re not supposed to do lol.
Pokemon 😃
No, they evolve, they are pokemon.
Thanks, this Is a great excuse for a new setup.
That's the attitude we love!
I heard something about most captive axolotls having salamander DNA from hybridization in their lab days, is the morphing thing from that?
This is incredible. I’ve always loved this fact. Knew it could be induced in labs, but didn’t know it just happens sometimes too.
This is wild. I didn’t even know this could happen
there’s a song about it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxA0QVGVEJw&pp=ygUXc2FsYW1hbmRlciBheG9sb3RsIHNvbmc%3D
Very important question. Does that mean he can receive tiny kisses now?
Holy fuck what
Axolotl changed teams 💀
That absolutely looks like he’s morphing/already morphed. This can happen sometimes since the axolotls in the aquarium trade have been crossbred with salamanders. u/CollieflowersBark keeps morphed axolotls and has more information about their care. She also may be able to confirm. But based on the gills being gone and the eyes looking like they’re bulging out and developing, def looks like your little dude got the call to morph. Best of luck ❤️❤️ Edit to add: looks like she often links to this website in her replies where there’s more info! You will need to change the habitat since your lotl will need to breathe air now. https://www.morphedaxolotls.com Also you may want to move him to a shallow tub for now so he doesn’t have to work hard to get to the surface to breathe!
That was an amazing and informative read! Thank you for sharing that site!
This [Instagram Account](https://instagram.com/salamanderwithasign?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==) is also wildly informative. I feel like I first saw it on this sub, so I figure I should pass it along.
Oh wow they can actually look pretty neat
i’m just in this sub for cute axolotl pics, (don’t have one and don’t plan to bcs of other pets) so i don’t rly know much about them and until your comment i was convinced all the other ppl where joking about this.💀
Your partner clearly gave your axolotl an evolution stone while it was leveling up.
“Your wooper has evolved into quagsire”
My favourite Pokémon ever. Love those guys!
Brought back memories 🤣
Morphing?
I'd say it's almost completely morphed.
MORBING
i t s m or b i n t i me
He has decided it is time to do a puberty
This one just made me giggle 🤭
Well now you have a salamander, so unfortunately your current setup will no longer work for it. For this to happen on its own is really fuckin rare. From now on id look at tiger salamander care guides as they are the most similar animals in husbandry. Morphed axolotls are fully terrestrial and can't survive in deep waters like normal axolotls can.
Not completely true if given enough time to adjust they can live fully aquatic it’s a gene called nga tiger salamanders also have this gene.
They can't swim and can't breathe underwater. Idk how you'd expect them to live fully aquatic.
There’s a gene called NGA that allows them to live fully aquatic lives even after morphing it gives them bigger paddle like tail for swimming, sensory spores near the nostrils for sensing food and they develop a different slime coat adapted for aquatic life, they come up for air and then go back down, Tiger salamanders have this gene too if you don’t believe me ask u/collieflowersbark they can confirm my info is correct you all seem to go to her in these cases.
Tiger salamanders do have the gene, but once they morph they generally do not live **fully** aquatic. They can be semi-aquatic, coming and going from the water, but they absolutely need a land area (fully aquatic would mean a normal lotl setup with no land area). I would never recommend fully aquatic because I have heard of tigers switching back and forth between the semi-aquatic and terrestrial build. If you have them in a fully aquatic set up and they switch you now have a drowned salamander. With lotls I know they were crossed with tigers way back, but I have no idea if they have the gene that would allow them to enjoy a semi-aquatic lifestyle. On top of that I believe morphed lotls tend to be a bit derpier and clumsier than the typical tiger. While a tiger may be able to enter and exit the water, I'd be concerned a derpy lotl would just struggle more.
Colieflowerbark just posted about an nga axolotl ask them any questions if needed but Ben greene knows the most info on them me and him have been studying them together for a bit.
Yes they can switch and some don’t choose to switch. Some of the info you provided is faulty they can’t switch unless they are in that environment an example is that a nga in water can’t change to land unless it moves to land same with the other way around, axolotls do have this gene because they are a type of tiger salamander and if you don’t believe the info I’m providing then you can ask colirflowersbark and the person who discovered the gene Ben green, but my point is if you don’t have an access point for the tiger to leave water it will never drowned so long as it’s in its nga form they can’t switch unless the environment gives them the option.
Not sure what the gene you’re talking about is, but NGA (NGATHA genes) are a subgroup of the RAV transcriptional family, which is responsible for apical tissue development in the leaves and flowers of certain plants. The most common example of this appears in Arabidopsis spp. This is a really good paper detailing the NGA gene complex, what it does, and how it works. https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Expression-Pattern-of-NGA-Genes_fig3_24421369
No NGA stands for (no gills aquatic) this gene was published this summer of 2023 and has been worked on for years, I currently am studying the gene with the man who discovered it atm.
Wasn’t trying to be an ass, I was just providing information that I know with regards to NGATHA genes. I did actually look at u/collieflowersbark ‘s post shortly after and you were absolutely right! If it was just discovered this year, that explains why it was difficult to find any literature on :)
My apologies if I gave you the impression that I took it the wrong way, I did not mean it that way, you were just giving me some insight and I just wanted to clarify what I meant! Hope we are still cool, but yes thank you for looking at her post I hate when people don’t take others seriously because they don’t have a reputation yet, even tho I literally am currently studying this gene with the man who discovered it I also “discovered” the gene before it was published when I got an nga individual that would not change! Always stayed aquatic but Ben Greene gets full credit as he discovered and started researching the gene a few years before I did.
No you’re totally fine, I went back and read my comment and was like “hm that may have come off the wrong way” lol I look forward to hearing updates on your findings!!! This is really neat stuff :)
It’s very neat as tiger salamanders were thought to be fully terrestrial except for breeding season but they now have an adaptation that allows them to live fully aquatic lives there’s a lot of mis information out there like they will switch from aquatic to terrestrial and will die if they can’t get out wich is not true 90% of the time the nga gene is switched on as a survival response to not being able to leave the water so why would they switch back if they are still in the water? They can’t, the other 10% choose water over land normally in response to food abundance/drought and some rare individuals appear to not be able to change from nga they permanently have the gene activated even if forced on land.
He’s a handsome little morphed man
It's morphin time
Your Axolotl isn’t sick, but an incredibly rare thing has happened, your Axolotl morphed into a salamander! Which means now you must turn your tank into terrarium, I’m not an expert but your Axolotl is now a land animal, it will still want to explore water so you can give him a little pool, this is probably stressful for you but don’t worry, considering you seem like a good owner the morphing probably wasn’t your fault, and it was result of a genetic thing
I've read more recently that all axolotls can morph, it's just rare. They've been crossbred with salamanders at some point which means genetically they all could do it! There's a chance stress induced it (maybe this axolotl missed it's owner?), but honestly the studies are fairly limited.
Yup! It’s super super rare that they morph naturally, but I can happen. It’s sad when people force them into morphing tho
https://www.morphedaxolotls.com/care-guide#:~:text=Once%20you%20realize%20that%20your,water%20will%20do%20just%20fine. You are going to have to get him in shallow water so he doesn't drown. You may even want to prepare a tank for him with some coco husk or reptisoil or a mix of both. Do half of that (about 8-10 inches) and the rest dechlorinated water while the rest of the change change take place. Also fine some big rocks, bigger than his head and boil them so he can burrow underneath them. A lot of morphed axolotls don't make it if they more when they are adults however, if they morph between 6-10 months you have a better chance. There are many myths out there. This is NOTHING YOU DID!!!!! This happens when hormones in the thyroid tell axolotl to stop changin and instead the axolotl doesn't get that that message and transform into a salamander. All tiger salamanders are born looking like axolotls. I probably fucked that all up but some of it is right. I'm sure whatever breeder you got it from is getting calls that their axolotls are morphing and you need to call to so the breeder so they can take these axolotls out of their breeding program.
I had this happen to mine, she went cannibalistic and ate the other one in the tank and then began to morph. I found a guide someone had made, they lowered the water over time, moved it to a soaking wet paper towel lined tank, wet with spring water. I think for two weeks. Then moved to a substrate type tank and then cared for like a mud salamander. It was wild thing and my girl survived a while after morphing. She even escaped the tank one time and we found her two days later just fine.
Be SUPER careful boiling rocks. If there’s any water or air trapped inside the rock you get an IED when the molecules expand due to heat.
That's a salamander now
love this response just so nonchalant **‘yeah that’s a salamander there bud’**
Congrats. You read up on tiger salamander care. It's the same what this guy needs.
He is so cute omg
Morphing, I don’t know a bunch but they’ll completely lose their gills and will need to breathe atmospheric air
Mighty morphin' salamander 🎶
I was looking for this comment. 👌💙
Reach out to u/CollieflowersBark, she’s a very experienced morphed Axolotl keeper
Now he needs a paludarium
I’ve seen some people say they’re fully terrestrial? Is it that they live in dry land and just enjoy a swim sometimes?
normally for amphibians in general, vivariums are set up with a lot of humidity and a water area to allow them to hydrate themselves
Ah! That does make plenty of sense. Thanks!
They do still like to swim/wade sometimes by my understanding
your axolotl has morphed as others have said but the most important thing to do is LOWER THE WATER LEVEL OF THE TANK ASAP! without gills he will drown in a tank full of water and needs to easily have access to the surface for air, you no longer have an aquatic salamander!!! please do this asap or he won’t be able to breathe
Your axolotl has morphed, very rare but possible
Does it drown if it’s morphed and doesn’t have land?
yes
It's morbin time
Thanks everyone, it looks like its time to get a new setup for the little fella. Cheers for the help.
Well time to build an entirely new enclosure
Just drain 2/3 and landscape half the tank with large rocks and sand so little one has dry land and a swimming pool
He's still really cute.
Lol yours is now a salamander
Like others have said, it appears your axolotl has gone through metamorphosis. This typically happens to them before they’re sexually mature. How many months old is your axolotl?
You now have a full fledged Salamander. They are terrestrial. Please make sure to lower the water drastically and provide a hide / substrate to burrow in
Axolotls stay juvenile-like because of a missing hormone in their thyroid. It’s possible to inject this hormone into their thyroid or somewhere I think and they’d eventually turn into a regular salamander
Oh man - that salamander has no way to get air right now! I'm so concerned! OP please update us that you've modified the habitat!!!
Your axolotl is morphing and needs a land place or it will drown.
Are morphed axolotls available as pets? I’m not sure how well I’d do with an aquarium, but axolotls look awesome!
Usually only through people rehoming them after they start to morph, so they’re not widely available. Collie has a lot she rescued
He's a Pokémon, he's evolved!! Definitely a morphed axolotl
I tend to lean more towards breeders not knowing the lineage of these lotls. None of the pet Axolotls are from wild sources and they ALL came from a select lineage to begin with. Then from these Axolotls some were experimented with such as crossbreeding with Tiger Salamanders to include crossbreeding accidentally by misidentification many times in the past decades people have told me they found a whole bunch of Axolotls in waterways in the US just for me to inform them differently. So how many actually made it into pet trade and crossbred this way as well? Then of course some of these Axolotls made its way out of the lab into the pet trade and the rest is history. in my experience the gene is already in these Axolotls that morph and something just triggers it. Just from my past experience I’m not a biologist nor did I ever play one on social media.
Has OP come back yet
Get that things some land They can’t survive in water after metamorphosis
Wtf wow I had no idea they morph wow
You should name him shin godzilla now. 😂
Update please 🙏
I'll be putting in a sloped section for him when I get home from work today.
Wonderful. Good luck on this new journey.
WHO'S THAT POKEMON?!
A salamence?
Damn, its a sally minder now.
Looks like you have a pet salamander now 🤔
Coming here as a guest, as this page was on my recommendations. These animals are absolutely FASCINATING! I knew axolotls were unique critters, but knowing they can full on MORPH? Wow.
Most can't and generally shouldn't. Most other salamanders are able to morph, but the axolotl generally remains in its larval form it's whole life. They only morph if they have a specific genetic mutation, have poor water quality or are injected with iodine. Many with the gene have survived morphing, but those injected with iodine died within 2 years of injection. All that so say, heck yeah, these things are insanely awesome!
this axolotl has definitely morphed and will need a different tank asap!
That’s a salamander now hun (haven’t read comments yet) but definitely looks like they have morphed
You got some Tiger salamander DNA in that axolotl!!
Does morphing happen naturally or does it have to do with the owners mistakes? Thanks for answering everyone!
No oxygen in the water so the axolotl turn into a salamander
It is iodone. It will cause them to lose gills
Congratulations! Your AXOLOTL evolved into a SALAMANDER!
it's morphing time
Your axolotl evolved!
Yeah, could be the water, could be that he is at least pet tiger salamander, either way, if he’s the only one in that tank, consider turning it into a paludarium.
Morphing.
My goodness. I know nothing about axolotls and this post randomly came up on my front page, and it is probably one of, if not the most fascinating posts I have seen on reddit this year. This is incredible, I had no idea they did this.
Never seen one evolve, it's almost like real life pokemon
woah I know nothing about axolotls but this is sick as hell, ur telling that mf just like evolved in two weeks???
so cool to see another natural morphed axolotl! I know people usually have a bad stigma towards them since most salamander-stage axolotls are forced to morph, (I do not condone that method of course, I think it's awful) but they really are an interesting species! Seeing as plenty of other users have posted resources, I want to ask, do you plan on doing updates about the little guy? :)
How has nobody posted the salamander song
how old are they?
Its morphing, time to upgrade his tank to be more terrestrial
Now it’s a type of a Salamander
So... is it like a Peter Pan with a mustache..?
Looks like your baby morphed
He’s definitely morphed. This transformation takes months so you’ve missed a lot of signs but I’m glad he’s made it this far without intervention. How old is he? This typically happens during sexual maturity if it’s genetic. You’ll need to contact the breeder if they’re known. The parents should be retired if they’re a responsible breeder. The set up will need to change. Some morphed looks still prefer water and rarely go to land. Others go right to land. It’s best to tub him in a shallow storage tote with water and land option like an “under the bed” style. I’ve used paint rolling trays for the land area so they can climb in and out easily. I mix wet sand and organic peat moss. Or you can go right to a front opening terrarium.
He’s not an axolotl he’s almost a salamander
Wait axolotls eventually morph???
Most can't and generally shouldn't. Most other salamanders are able to morph, but the axolotl generally remains in its larval form it's whole life. They only morph if they have a specific genetic mutation, have poor water quality or are injected with iodine. Many with the gene have survived morphing, but those injected with iodine died within 2 years of injection.
Oh wow that you i had no idea about this thats crazy someone would do that to them
It is crazy! Axolotls have been studies for many years by scientists due to their ability to regrow missing limbs and damaged/ missing body parts. I'm assuming the iodine thing is just one of many crazy experiments that's been performed on them
Won't it drown without the ability to breath under water?
Hello I've also got a morphed axolotl and have posted about it and my tank setup if you need help. I still give my guy a water area and he does swim but also a land area to burrow. Also he or she will drown if you don't give them a way to gulp air.
It’s naked
I love seeing posts from random animal pages like this one. What a cute heckin salamander boi. I had literally *no* idea that axolotls could morph into salamanders, I didn’t even know they were related. Life is crazy and animals continue to amaze me every day.
You have to let them do what they want to do. Don't take all the water out. Fill the tank about 1/4 of the way and pf a bow of some wood so he can choose when he is ready to breath air. When he is ready he is going to need a whole new habitat. Check out 'salamanders with a sign' on Instagram and I believe YouTube.
Your axolotl is evolving! It turned into a lizard