Axolotl Care Guide - Setup, Diet & Breeding

The Axolotl is a fully aquatic salamander famous for its broad head, wide mouth, small eyes and distinctive feathery external gills. Captive-bred animals occur in several colour forms, including wild-type, leucistic, albino, golden albino and melanoid. Their soft, permanently larval appearance gives them an especially unusual presence in a freshwater aquarium.

Unlike most salamanders, Axolotls usually retain their juvenile features and reproduce without completing a normal transformation onto land. This condition, known as neoteny, allows them to remain aquatic throughout their lives. Their long tail and four delicate legs make them effective swimmers, although they generally move in a calm, unhurried manner.

In the wild, Ambystoma mexicanum lived in the cool, shallow waters of the ancient lake system surrounding Mexico City. These habitats included submerged vegetation, muddy bottoms and numerous sheltered places among roots and aquatic plants. Wild Axolotls are now extremely rare because of habitat loss, pollution and introduced predatory fish.

Axolotls are curious but not strongly social animals. They spend much of their time resting on the bottom, investigating their surroundings and using smell and movement to locate prey. Their remarkable ability to regenerate limbs and parts of internal organs has also made them important subjects in scientific research.

Axolotls are native to the high-altitude lakes and canals around Xochimilco in the Valley of Mexico, North America. Their wild habitat has been severely reduced, and the species is now critically endangered in nature, although captive-bred animals are widely kept.

Provide at least 75 litres for one adult, with a larger aquarium of around 110 litres or more preferred; a floor area of approximately 90 by 45 cm is a useful minimum dimension guideline because bottom space matters more than height. Use a secure, gentle filtration system with low water movement, a tightly fitting lid and plenty of shaded retreats such as smooth caves or broad-leaved plants. Choose a bare bottom, fine sand or another substrate that cannot be swallowed, and avoid sharp gravel or small stones. Leave open floor space for walking and keep lighting subdued.

Up to 30 cm (12 inches) in total length; females are often slightly larger and broader-bodied than males.

Axolotls are carnivorous predators and should be offered a varied diet of appropriately sized earthworms, quality sinking axolotl or salamander pellets and occasional bloodworms or other suitable aquatic foods. Juveniles need smaller meals more frequently, while adults can be fed less often according to body condition. Food should be free from pesticides and contaminants, and uneaten portions should be removed promptly.

Axolotls are best kept alone or with other similarly sized Axolotls, as they may swallow smaller tankmates and can injure fish or other amphibians. Peaceful companionship is possible with carefully matched adults, but even animals of similar size may nip at each other, especially when young or underfed. Avoid tropical fish, aggressive species, fin-nippers, invertebrates small enough to be eaten and any tankmate requiring warmer water. Do not keep them with turtles, frogs or other amphibians with different care requirements.

Axolotls can breed when mature adults experience suitable seasonal conditions, with a slight cooling period often encouraging courtship. The male deposits spermatophores, which the female picks up, and she later lays several hundred eggs individually on plants or other surfaces. Eggs should be separated from the adults because both eggs and larvae may be eaten. Raise the hatchlings separately with appropriately sized live foods, gradually moving them onto larger prey as they grow.

Mature males usually have a more pronounced, swollen cloacal region and a slimmer, more elongated body. Females tend to be shorter-bodied or broader through the abdomen, particularly when carrying eggs, though body shape alone is not always a reliable way to sex young Axolotls.