Axolotl Care

CHOOSING YOUR AXOLOTL

Strong necks and tails. We want new Axolotls with a lot of muscle tone. Because they live underwater, even the healthiest axolotl still will have spindly little legs. So, we look for muscular tails and thick, strong necks.

Axolotls are hardy and easy to care for, making them ideal pets for those with little experience in keeping exotic animals.

COMMON HEALTH PROBLEMS

Most diseases suffered by captive Axolotls are bacterial infections due to poor husbandry or other stresses. They may also suffer from deterioration of the gills. If left unchecked, this stress inevitably leads to disease. Barring infection, Axolotls generally recover well from injuries.

HOUSING

A good aquarium pump with an output-reducing spray bar will help ensure pristine water and weekly 30% water changes are also important. 

Axolotls do not need any land in their enclosure, this is a common mistake.

One axolotl should live in a 15-gallons. If you add another Axolotl, you should increase this tank size by 10-gallons for everyone added.

Tank floor space is more important than height, so a 15-gallon long fish tank is better than a tall one.

Water temperature should remain between 60 to 65°F. Tanks should be kept in a cool room away from direct sunlight or air vents. If ambient temperatures are not cold enough a water-cooling system can be used to maintain the proper temperature range.

The best substrate for the tank is fine sand. You can add some live plants, caves, and terracotta pots to provide hides and enrichment. If you want to use lights for viewing growing plants, then provide plenty of hiding spaces and at least 12 hours of darkness. Axolotls do not need any special lighting and are sensitive to bright lights.

Axolotls do not like strong currents. You will need to install a spray bar outlet for the pump to diffuse the water pressure. 

LIGHTING

The answer is that axolotls don’t need a lot of light for their aquarium. They need dim light, as they don’t have eyelids and can be highly sensitive to higher light outputs. Stronger light sources are not for them, and they can cause a great deal of stress on your axolotl.

But what to do then, if they don’t like to have a lot of light in their tank? The best solution would be to have natural light, although that’s not viable for everyone.

Their eyes have adapted to low-light conditions, as they live in areas where the light levels are quite low, and usually, the plants on the water surface cover the water and the light is low. We can try to replicate those conditions in our tanks as much as possible.

FEEDING

Axolotls are carnivores, they eat aquatic insects, worms, small fish, larvae, and other amphibians in the Mexican lakes of Xochimilcan and Chalaco. Axolotls hunt by opening their mouths quickly to generate suction. This suction pulls prey into their mouths.

Pet species are not picky eaters and can be fed a variety of foods:

Bloodworms – if fed whole worms they do not need any extra supplements.

Frozen Brine

Live Nightcrawlers

Mysis Shrimp

Red Wigglers

You can also find axolotl food pellets.

A full-grown adult will eat two to three medium-sized nightcrawlers or one teaspoon of bloodworms every couple of days. Shrimp or beef should not be a staple diet but can be given as treats once a week. Young and growing axolotls will eat four small worms every day. Their appetite will diminish as they become adults.

Each axolotl’s feeding schedule will be slightly different depending on the individual. Unlike toads that overeat, axolotls will stop eating once they are full. Increase or decrease the amount of food you are feeding your axolotl until it is full.

Always remove any uneaten food from the tank to avoid dirtying the water.

The movement of live prey will attract axolotls to strike. If feeding dead prey, you will have to use a long pair of tongs to wiggle the food enticingly.