5 Things You Need To Know Before Getting An Axolotl
- Oct 23, 2021
- Rita
- 2155 0 0
Are you thinking of adopting an axolotl as your next pet? Axolotls are extremely cute amphibians that are also sometimes known as waling fish or Mexican salamanders. Unlike other amphibians, however, axolotls reach adulthood without going through a metamorphosis that allows them to take to land.
This means they will stay fully aquatic for the rest of their lives and will even breed in this state. If you’re looking for something extraordinary, then the axolotl might just be the perfect pet for you.
Before you decide to get one, however, make sure to keep the following 5 things in mind. If you can’t fully commit to an axolotl, it’s better to know beforehand if you’re ready or not. Let’s take a look.
5 Things You Should Know Before Getting An Axolotl
Axolotls may be darn cute, but that doesn’t mean they don’t also have some needs. Here’s what you need to know.
1. Tank Setup
Axolotls aren’t that picky when it comes to their tanks, but there are a few requirements they just can’t live without. The first thing you’ll need to make sure of is that the tank is big enough. Axolotls should never be kept in tanks smaller than 20 gallons since they like to move around and explore their environment.
They also produce a lot of waste so a bigger tank is easier to maintain. Make sure to prioritize floor space over height since axolotls will rarely use the midwater and topwater spaces in your tank.
You also need to make sure that there are enough caves and other hiding places. Axolotls like to relax in sheltered environments where they feel safe. They also do best in planted aquariums. Plants will help to manage the waste they produce and combat algae growth.
Live plants also offer areas to hide and explore to keep boredom away. Axolotls love to dig so make sure to provide a sandy substrate that won’t hurt your beloved pet if ingested. Keep the lights in your tank just bright enough to keep the plants healthy. Axolotls will become stressed if kept in tanks where the lights are too bright.
Also, make sure to use a low flow filter in your tank. Axolotls aren’t the strongest swimmers and will become stressed if the current is too strong.
2. Diet
When it comes to feeding an axolotl, there are 4 things you should know. First is what axolotls eat, second how much to feed, third how often to feed, and fourth how long an axolotl can go without feeding.
Feeding an axolotl is quite simple. They are carnivores so do pretty well on a diet of worms, small fish, and basically any other living creature that can fit into their mouths. Variety is best when feeding an axolotl.
It will keep away boredom and make sure your axolotl gets everything it needs from its food. Here are a few options to feed your pet:
- Bloodworms
- Frozen brine shrimp
- Shrimp
- Earthworms (live nightcrawlers)
- Whiteworms
- Daphnia
- Axolotl pellets
How much to feed your axolotl will depend on the age of your pet. Fortunately, it’s easy to establish a marker. Simply feed your pet until it stops eating. Axolotls will never eat more than they require. If there’s any uneaten food left, make sure to remove it to prevent unhealthy changes in your water parameters.
Healthy adult axolotls can go up to two weeks without eating. This is not recommended to starve them that long, however. It does mean that you don’t need to worry about your pet if you go away for the weekend.
If you have a baby axolotl, you will need to feed it twice a day. Babies need a lot of nutrients to grow. Adult axolotls can usually be fed every two to three days to keep them healthy.
3. Water Parameters
Maintaining the correct water parameters is very important for an axolotl’s health. To do this, you will need to do regular tank maintenance. Tank maintenance includes doing gravel vacs, scraping algae off the glass and other ornaments, doing water changes, and conditioning the water correctly.
Never use water directly out of a tap without treating it with a conditioner first. This is very important since heavy metals like copper and chemicals like chlorine can kill your axolotl. Here’s what you need to know to keep your axolotl healthy.
Temperature: 60-70°F (15-23°C)
pH: 6.5-8.0
Chlorine and Chloramines: 0 ppm
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 0-10 ppm
General Hardness: 7-14 GH
Carbonated Hardness: 3-8 KH
If you have a planted tank, it will be much easier to control the nitrate concentration in your tank. Nitrate acts as a plant fertilizer and will help your plants to stay healthy. Unfortunately, nitrates also feed algae so if the concentration in your tank gets too high, you’ll have to do a water change to reduce it.
Regular water changes will also help to keep the parameters mentioned above stable. Before getting your axolotl, however, make sure to cycle your tank for at least a month. Doing so will prevent ammonia and nitrite spikes that will kill your axolotl.
4. Behavior And Tank Mates
Axolotls may look cute and friendly, but don’t let looks fool you. They are verrucous eaters and will put anything that fits into their mouths which includes fish and smaller axolotls. For this reason, it’s better to keep them on their own.
If the fish they are kept with aren’t small enough to eat, they will still turn to fin nipping whenever given the chance. This will stress out the other inhabitants in the tanks. When kept on their own in low-light environments, they can be quite fascinating to watch.
You will often find them cruising around the bottom of the tank sometimes digging through the substrate. Other times you might see them sitting around with their limbs at odd angles. Fortunately, axolotls prefer to be solitary so keeping them on their own won’t do any harm.
5. Lifespan And Health Problems
Healthy, well cared for axolotls can live for 15 or more years. There are quite a few indicators that your axolotl is healthy such as fluffy gills that are held back, a round belly (same size as the head), no skin damage, and an active lifestyle (for an axolotl at least).
There are unfortunately quite a few diseases that can affect your axolotl. Stressed axolotls in unhealthy tanks are more likely to get sick, however. Environmental stressors like too much flow in the tank, out-of-whack water parameters, and too much light can lead to illness.
Other things to look out for are injuries and refusal to eat. Refusing to eat can mean your axolotl is impacted or otherwise compromised. If you have an axolotl that floats too much or appears stressed when floating, you might also be dealing with an air bubble in the gut.
There are also a variety of fungal and bacterial infections that can inflict your pet so make sure to keep an eye out for any unusual behaviors or skin problems.
Final Thoughts
If you decide to get an axolotl, you won’t be disappointed. They make adorable pets with lots of personality. Just make sure to keep up with tank maintenance and don’t overfeed your pet and you should be good to go.
Happy axolotl hunting!
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