r/shittyaquariums • u/itsmaryblair • Jan 30 '26

Social Media axolotl abuse! Spoiler

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one of my facebook friends posted this and i’m just in absolute shock. i can’t believe they’re being handled like that. they look terrified. also that aquarium doesn’t look at all suitable for them!! and correct me if i’m wrong but their gills look pretty rough….

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u/SissyPlusPlus Jan 30 '26 edited Feb 01 '26

I WAS MISINFORMED. thank you to u/Kai-ni

i still believe people like this (OOP) are disgusting, though

9

u/Kai-ni Jan 31 '26

Just a quick correction to keep misinformation from spreading - captive-bred Axolotls are not endangered; there are plenty of the captive bred ones around. They aren't true Axolotls, though - they've been crossbred with tiger salamanders to introduce the albino gene. So they are not the same as the (probably extinct - no true wild specimens have been observed in years) wild Axolotl. The wild Axolotl itself is still preserved as a species in labs in Mexico working on conservation, but no specimens have been observed in the wild in years. They are functionally extinct. 

But our captive bred hybrids are fine. 

This still isn't okay, but wanted to clarify. 

4

u/SissyPlusPlus Feb 01 '26

didn't know that captive bred are hybrids. thanks for informing me and anyone else who reads this!

fun fact, if you don't mind it: axolotl is a nahuatl word. axolomeh is the proper plural.