Will My Axolotl’s Gills Grow Back After Damage?

Abdul Wasay Khatri | Administrator

Last updated: 9 January, 2026

Direct Answer

Yes, your axolotl’s gills will grow back completely after damage from bites, tears, or injuries. Full regrowth takes 4-8 weeks depending on how bad the damage is and how clean you keep the water. The regrown gills work just as well as the originals and look identical once they’re fully healed. Even if the gills are completely bitten off, they’ll regenerate from the base as long as the axolotl stays healthy.

What Affects Gill Regrowth

Water quality makes or breaks gill regeneration. Ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates need to be at safe levels 0 ppm for ammonia and nitrites, under 20 ppm for nitrates. Dirty water slows healing and causes infections that can prevent gills from regrowing properly. Test your water daily while your axolotl is healing and do water changes more often than usual.

Temperature matters too. Gills regrow faster in cooler water within the ideal range of 60-64°F. Water that’s too warm (above 68°F) stresses them out and slows regeneration. If your tank runs warm, now’s the time to add a chiller or use frozen water bottles to cool it down.

The severity of the injury changes how long regrowth takes. Minor nips or tears might heal in 3-4 weeks. Completely missing gill stalks take the full 6-8 weeks. Deep bites that damage the base where gills attach can take even longer. During regrowth, the gills look stubby and weird before they branch out into the normal feathery filaments you’re used to seeing.

How to Help Them Heal

Don’t touch or handle your axolotl while gills are regrowing. Your hands carry bacteria that can infect the wound, and handling stresses them out which slows healing. If you need to move them, use a container to scoop them up instead of your hands.

Feed them normally they need energy to rebuild tissue. Don’t fast them thinking it’ll help. Protein-rich foods like earthworms and bloodworms support faster healing. Just make sure leftover food doesn’t rot in the tank and mess up water quality.

Watch for fungus on damaged gills. White fluffy growth means fungal infection, which needs treatment with salt baths or antifungal medication. Catch it early and it’s no big deal. Ignore it and the infection can spread and prevent proper gill regrowth. Check the damaged area daily for the first week.

Remove anything sharp or rough from the tank that could damage regrowing gills. Plastic plants with hard edges, rough decorations, and even some types of substrate can irritate healing tissue. Stick to soft silk plants and smooth hides until the gills are fully grown back.

FAQ

How can I tell if the gills are regrowing or infected?
Regrowing gills look pink and healthy, just shorter than normal. Infected gills have white fuzz, turn grayish, or smell bad. If you see white fluffy stuff, that’s fungus and needs treatment immediately.

Will the regrown gills be a different color?
No, they grow back the same color as before. It might take a few extra weeks after full regrowth for the color to match perfectly, but they’ll look normal eventually.

My axolotl’s gills were damaged a month ago and barely grew back. Why?
Check your water parameters. Bad water quality stops regeneration dead in its tracks. Also check temperature too warm slows everything down. If water is perfect and temp is right, look for signs of infection or illness.

Can gills grow back if they’re bitten off multiple times?
Yes, axolotls can regrow gills over and over throughout their life. But if one keeps getting bitten, separate your axolotls. Repeated trauma to the same spot can cause scar tissue that makes future regrowth slower.

Should I add anything to the water to help gill regrowth?
Clean water is all you need. Indian almond leaves can help prevent infection, and some people use stress coat, but neither is required. Don’t add salt unless you see fungus it can irritate healing tissue.

Abdul Wasay Khatri
Administrator
Abdul Wasay is the founder and lead author of Axolotl Portal, a trusted site for axolotl care. He spent almost nine months learning about axolotls, including their tanks, feeding, water care, and common health problems. His knowledge comes from trusted vets, research, and real experience from long term axolotl owners. All Posts by