⬅ Quick Critter Guide

Lifespan and Size

Axolotls can live up to 15 years in captivity and can reach lengths of 14 inches from head to tail, although 9 to 12 inches is more common. A healthy growth rate for an axolotl should be an inch per month within their first year.

Axolotls reach sexual maturity around one year of age or 18 months, and until then are almost impossible to sex accurately. One sign that an axolotl is nearing sexual maturity is either the darkening (in the case of lighter colored individuals) or lightening (in the case of darker colored individuals) of their toe tips, though this is not always an indicator that an axolotl has reached full maturity and may begin around 8 months of age.

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Tank Requirements

Size– A single adult axolotl requires a minimum of 20 gallons, from there a good rule of thumb is another 10 gallons per axolotl. A bigger tank is always better! Remember that axolotls spend most of their time on the bottom of their tank, so look for tanks that have more length than height.

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Filtration– Axolotls don’t like a lot of flow and prefer more still water, but they still require a good filter because if axolotls are anything they are messy. Sponge filters are great for this as the outflow can be adjusted to not create a lot of current, although they lack chemical filtration. Canister filters are probably the best in terms of chemical and biological filtration, as well as having adjustable spraybars, though they cost significantly more. Regardless of your filter of choice, having a cycled tank is a must.

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Substrate– When axolotls eat they create a mini vacuum by opening their mouths, sucking in their food. Doing this also means they can suck in whatever type of substrate is in the tank, which is the main reason why you want to avoid gravel, rocks, or anything that may cause impaction and ultimately death. A fine sand is a suitable substrate since the individual grains are small enough to pass through an axolotl if they are ingested. A sand substrate can also provide a good surface for beneficial bacteria which will create a more stable nitrogen cycle. It is also perfectly acceptable to have no substrate at all, and can make cleaning up after your axie much easier. Very young axolotls (two inches and smaller) should be kept on a bare bottom regardless.

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Hides and Decor– Axolotls love things to crawl into dark spaces and will benefit from at least one if not two or more hides. Reptile caves, PVC pipes, and clay pots all work great as hides. Be sure whichever hide you choose is big enough for your axolotl to turn around in and doesn’t have any sharp edges. Your tank also may benefit from live plants, which help absorb ammonia and nitrates as well as add oxygen into the water column. Be warned though, axolotls also love plants and may have a tendency to dig them up. If you don’t want the trouble of keeping plants in your tank though plastic or silk plants will also be appreciated by your axolotl. Again, just make sure whatever you put in your tank has no sharp edges

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Temperature– Axolotls are cold water animals and require a temperature of 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything above 72 degrees will stress and kill your animal, while lower temperatures will slow their metabolism. A cooling fan is a great way to keep your tank’s water temperature cooler. Aquarium chillers allow for accurate control of your tank’s temperature, but can be costly. If you live in a very warm area and cannot keep your tank below 72 degrees, an axolotl is not the pet for you.

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Water Parameters– While axolotls are hardy animals and can survive some poor water conditions longer than other species, having a cycled tank is a must. An axolotl’s water parameters should be ammonia 0ppm, nitrite 0ppm, nitrate no higher than 20ppm, with a hardness of 7.0 or higher. It is also crucial to use a water dechlorinator. Dechlorinators made for reptiles and amphibians are the best choice as some dechlorinators for fish can add aloe, which can cause algae blooms in an axolotl tank.

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Diet

Axolotls are carnivorous and eat a variety of worms, aquatic insects, and small species of fish in the wild. As a pet the most nutritional foods are similar to what they would be eating in their natural habitat.

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Nightcrawlers or red wigglers are an excellent staple food, providing a complete nutritional value for an axolotl. They can be bought from Walmart, bait shops, and even gas stations in some areas. Be sure to only feed worms bought from farmed sources, as any old worm dug up from your backyard may transfer diseases or parasites to your axolotl. Nightcrawlers may need to be cut up into bite sizes (no wider than your axolotl’s head).

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Blackworms are a good choice for smaller axolotls. These are bought live from sources online and will die in a short period of time if they are not cared for. They can also be expensive and difficult to find. 

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Frozen bloodworms are not recommended as a staple food due to low nutritional content, but can be fed as a treat. Bloodworms can be bought frozen from local pet stores or live from some specialized pet stores or bait shops.

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Brine shrimp can occasionally be fed, but are not recommended as a staple food for an adult axolotl. Brine shrimp can be fed frozen or live but must be rinsed of salt and can quickly foul water.

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If the thought of live or frozen food doesn’t appeal to you there are pellets specifically made for axolotls and sold online. Trout pellets are also fine to use and can occasionally be bought at bait shops. Be aware that some axolotls will refuse pellets and only eat live food.

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Occasional treats for axolotls include cooked shrimp, Repashy grub pie, and live minnows. If you’re going to feed an occasional minnow to your axolotl be sure it has been quarantined for at least a month to be sure it doesn’t pass any diseases or parasites to your axolotl, and only feed very small minnows (guppies or mountain cloud minnows, never rosy minnows or goldfish).

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Foods to avoid feeding your axolotl include crickets, mealworms, cockroaches, goldfish, and fish flakes.

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Tankmates

Axolotls are perfectly happy living a solitary life and don’t require tankmates. However, they can be kept with other axolotls of a similar size (larger axolotls occasionally eat smaller axolotls). When keeping multiple axolotls of different sex be prepared for hundreds of eggs every few months. This can be avoided by keeping only axolotls of the same sex in the same tank or by using a divider to separate a male and female to avoid excess breeding.

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Some fish can be kept with axolotls, but be aware that only species such as guppies and mountain cloud minnows can safely be kept with axolotls, and that these fish will inevitably be eaten. In general it is best to only keep axolotls with other axolotls. Fish that should absolutely not be kept with axolotls are goldfish, tetras, plecos, koi fish, catfish, otocinclus (dwarf suckers), and bettas. Snails are also generally good to avoid as large snails can cause impaction.