How to Care for an Axolotl

Axolotls are nearly extinct out in the wild, found only in small numbers near Mexico City. However, the species continues to thrive in the homes of exotic pet lovers. If you are interested in keeping one of these creatures as a pet, keep reading to learn more about caring for these unique animals.

Axolotl Tank Setup

It is best to use a 20-gallon fish tank, with a lid to avoid escape attempts. Axolotls are unique in the salamander family in that they live their entire lives underwater. So you can just fill your tank with water, and there is no need for a land feature. Chlorine can be poisonous to this creature, so don’t use chlorinated tap water unless you first treat the water with an aquarium water conditioner that removes the chlorine. Don’t use distilled water as this lacks healthy minerals.

To avoid the build-up of waste material, it is recommended to use an aquarium filter. However, this filter needs to be gentle flowing as creating too much water turbulence and current will stress out the axolotl. The bottom should have gravel, but the gravel pieces need to be larger than the axolotl’s head to avoid them accidentally eating the rocks.

Axolotls require cool water temperatures between 57 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Illness and death can occur if temperatures climb above 75 degrees. Keeping the water cool is one of the hardest challenges of owning an axolotl as very few homes have rooms that stay at these lower temperatures year-round. Axolotls also like darkness, so no extra lighting is needed, and they should be given a dark hiding spot to hide in.

Axolotl Tank Maintenance

Axolotls need clean water, so frequent water changes need to occur. It is not safe to do a 100% water change as this can cause too much stress on the creature. Instead, remove and replace 20% of the water during each cleaning. If you have a filtration system, you should be able to do a 20% water change once a week. Without a filtration system, you will need to replace 20% of the water every day. The pH of the water should be kept between 6.5 and 7.5 so test it regularly and add aquarium pH additives when needed.

Axolotl Feeding

Feeding an axolotl is the fun and easy part of owning this exotic pet. Young axolotls need to be fed every day and adults fed every few days. They will eat almost anything available at the aquarium store including fish pellets, bloodworms, earthworms, and more. It is important not to feed them anything caught outside in the wild as this wild food may be contaminated with chemicals and parasites. You can just drop the food near them or feed them with forceps. Try to remove any uneaten parts of the food to help keep the water clean.