Buying

Where is it legal to own an axolotl?

It is legal to own axolotls in every state except California, Maine, New Jersey, and Virginia. It's illegal to import axolotls from out of state in New Mexico.

Where can I buy an axolotl?

Talk to your local pet shop or aquarium first, if they don’t have them or can’t import them from a trusted source, you can look for local groups on Facebook who are selling or rehoming axolotls. If you still have no luck, check out larger axolotl suppliers that will ship to you.

How much does an axolotl cost?

The cost depends on the supplier and rarity of the color morph, an axolotl can run between $20-$120, however, some owners looking to rehome an axolotl will offer them to a good caretaker for free. Aquarium setup and accessories are a separate cost, check out the Aquariums page for startup supplies and browse the Products section on our Resources page to price them out.

Identifying

How can I identify axolotl gender?

It can take up to 18 months before you can tell the gender/sex of an axolotl. Females have rounder bodies for holding eggs and a smaller cloaca (where they expel waste). Male axolotls have longer, slimmer bodies and longer tails with swollen reproductive glands around their cloaca (this is the best indicator of gender).

How can I identify axolotl age?

Size is a good indicator for telling the age of young axolotls. Axolotls that are less than 4 weeks old (3 inches) should not be separated from the hatch as pets yet, but can still survive with proper care, see feeding guides below. After that, they can grow rapidly or sporadically until they hit adulthood at around 18-24 months (9+ inches). If the tips of the toes turn dark on light axolotls and light on dark axolotls, this could also be an indicator of maturity. Once they have reached full size, it is harder to tell their age, axolotls can live up to 15 years old!

How can I identify axolotl color morph?

There are five main types of axolotl color morphs and a variety of markings that can show up. Check out the chart on our Resources page to reference images! Below is a list of basic descriptors. But, each axolotl is unique — they can develop one-of-a-kind mutations in limbs and gills as well as different patterns including natural opalescent spots called iridophores.

COLOR MORPHS

• Albino – identified best by their clear eyes, come in White Albino with red gills or Golden Albino with yellow gills

• Leucistic – pale white or pink with red gills, called “dirty” or Freckled Lucy when it has spots on its face, called Bluegill Lucy when it has darker gills which can vary in shade

• Copper - golden brown with different color gills depending on markings

• Wild - golden eyes, speckled green, brown, and black with dark gills, sometimes called Starburst

• Melanoid – black or dark gray with dark gills

MARKINGS

• GFP – stands for “green fluorescent protein” that is added to the axolotl without causing harm, common

• Axanthic – gray or silver, lacking any red or gold pigmentation, common

• Mosaic – multiple different color morphs together, can be expressed in Mixed Mosaic or Split Mosaic, rare

• Piebald - white or pinkish with lots of black spots all over the face and body with red gills, rare

• Firefly - two different color morphs, expressions split between tail and body, extremely rare

Socializing

Can I hold, pick up or touch my axolotl?

You should try to avoid touching your axolotl too much. Axolotls can scare easily, tend to not like being touched too often and have delicate bodies. However, if you do choose to touch them, ensure you wash your hands first with simple soap and water, no lotion, or hand sanitizer. Approach them gently, let them touch you first, a good way to interact is with hand feeding. Be careful if you are touching them to move them from a tank to a tub, make sure you are in a safe enclosed space so they won’t hurt themselves if they jump, the recommendation is to always use a transfer jar or tub when moving your axolotl.

Can I house multiple axolotls together?

In general, axolotls are antisocial amphibians. Axolotls will typically get nipped at by or try to eat tank mates including other axolotls and fish. Additionally, if axolotls of the opposite sex are accidentally housed together, they will aggressively reproduce. You are the only friend your axolotl needs. However, some owners find that axolotls of the same sex and size can be good tank mates.

WARNING: Axolotls will cannibalize and breed with each other, it is recommended to house 1 axolotl in an aquarium.

Can I keep fish or other sea creatures with my axolotl?

There are some feeder fish that are safe to put in an axolotl aquarium but should only be given as an occasional treat, not tank mates. These breeds include ghost shrimp, cherry shrimp, mollies, endlers, guppies, and platies. Note that some feeder fish may show aggression in groups or be unable to acclimate to the cold temperature of the axolotl aquarium.

WARNING: All live feeder fish must be quarantined separately from your axolotl for a minimum of 30 days or bred in-house. Axolotls cannot digest exoskeletons in animals like crickets and snails, do not put them in your aquarium.

Feeding

What do axolotls eat? What should I feed my axolotl?

Axolotls feed on worms, insects, and small freshwater species in the wild. You can feed an axolotl a few different things depending on their age and should provide them with variety in their diet. The food you provide them with should be no longer than their head, and worms should be no longer than their body.

If you are feeding frozen foods, make sure to defrost them in a small glass of treated water. Once an axolotl reaches juvenile to adulthood, most owners opt for live earthworms and pellets as main sources of food.

WARNING: Some live foods could contain parasites, if you axolotl gets parasites see the Healing section below. Axolotls also cannot digest anything with an exoskeleton, such as crickets and snails, do not feed them to your axolotl

You can also find a visual of the following axolotl feeding guide on our Resources page:

• Hatchling (less than 1 inch) - FEED 3X DAY: in the first month feed live food including live baby brine shrimp, live microworms, live vinegar eels, and live white worms

• Baby (1-3 inches) - FEED 2X DAY: continue to feed live food including live blackworms, live daphnia, adult brine shrimp, and bloodworms

• Juvenile (3-9 inches) - FEED 2X DAY: you can start to introduce pellets (1-2 per inch), earthworms (cut smaller than axolotl’s head), reg wigglers (blanched and cooled), repashy pie, bloodworms (treat), krill (treat)

• Adult (9+ inches) - FEED 3X WEEK: pellets (1-2 per inch), earthworms (cut in half or whole), reg wigglers (blanched and cooled), repashy pie, bloodworms (treat), krill (treat), raw frozen salmon (treat), raw frozen shrimp (treat), live shrimp/fish (treat - see information in Socializing FAQs section)

Tips for feeding live worms to your axolotl: You can keep worms in a separate compartment in your fridge and buy a small handheld strainer, pair of scissors, and small glass to use exclusively for axolotl feeding. Fill the shot glass with water treated with Prime water conditioner (can be from your cycled aquarium or quarantine tub), then select a worm and place it in the strainer, cut it in a few pieces and rinse off any excrement or dirt. Slide only the worm (not the dirt) into the shot glass and drop it in your aquarium on a feeding plate. Bon Appétit!

Where can I get axolotl food?

Many local pet stores or aquariums will carry some of these products or you can order many of them online. Earthworms are even found at gas stations or grocery stores, depending on where you live. Check out some of the food on our Resources page in the Products section! Some axolotl owners even start their own worm or shrimp farms (see information on feeder fish in Socializing FAQs section).

How often should I feed my axolotl?

Axolotls that are still growing (hatchling to 9 inches) should be offered food twice a day. Adult axolotls slow down on their eating habits and should be offered food once a day but may only eat a few times per week. If your axolotl doesn’t want to eat, don’t force it. If your axolotl is not eating for a long time, check out the Healing FAQs section below.

How to feed an axolotl?

Axolotls do not have the best eyesight, you may need to provide lighting during feeding time, drop food in front of their face, move food around using water flow with a baster, or hand feed them at times. You can also buy tongs or tweezers to use to hand them worms or food. If you are having trouble guiding them to their food dish, try creating a trail of bubbles with a baster underwater!

How long should I leave food in the aquarium before removing it?

Give your axolotl about 20 minutes to eat their food, then remove anything uneaten with a baster. If you do not remove uneaten food it can cause fungus to grow or throw off your water parameters. It is recommended to drop food on a dish or plate in the aquarium for easier clean-up.

Am I overfeeding/underfeeding my axolotl?

Happy, healthy axolotls are usually a little plump, especially if they are female. If you are following the feeding guides above and your axolotl is not showing any signs of stress or illness (See Healing section below) it should be just fine!

How long can an axolotl go without food?

Growing axolotls (hatching to 9 inches) should not go more than 3 days without food. Adult axolotls can go up to two weeks without food. If your axolotl is not eating for a long time, check out the Healing FAQs section below.

Can I keep fish or other sea creatures with my axolotl?

There are some feeder fish that are safe to put in an axolotl aquarium but should only be given as an occasional treat, not tank mates. These breeds include ghost shrimp, cherry shrimp, mollies, endlers, guppies, and platies. Note that some feeder fish may show aggression in groups or be unable to acclimate to the cold temperature of the axolotl aquarium.

WARNING: All live feeder fish must be quarantined separately from your axolotl for a minimum of 30 days or bred in-house.

Aquariums

How do I use Seachem Prime water conditioner?

Every single time you add fresh water to your aquarium or quarantine tub you need to first treat it with Seachem Prime water conditioner. This will neutralize any chlorine in your tap water almost instantly and make it safe for an axolotl. To help administer doses, the recommendation is to use an eyedropper or poke a small hole in the top of your bottle. The dosing is two drops per gallon of water, or one drop per 8 cups. The egg smell and black particles in the bottom of the bottle are normal! You can find a link to buy it on our Resources page in the Products section.

How do I cycle an axolotl aquarium?

Cycling an aquarium is a necessary start-up process to create the proper aquatic environment for your axolotl. Check out the basics on our Aquariums page and address specific issues with cycling your aquarium below. Or check out our Resources page for other places to find helpful information.

How do I test axolotl aquarium water?

Testing aquarium water is a basic maintenance task for axolotl owners and should be done once a week or every other week. Check out the basics on our Aquariums page and address specific issues with cycling your aquarium below. Or check out our Resources page for other places to find helpful information.

How do I reduce the temperature of my axolotl aquarium?

A popular method is to use a fan pointed at your aquarium or affixed to the top. You can also try to place frozen water bottles in your aquarium or freezer blocks sealed in food-safe plastic bags. Alternatively, you could place insulation such as a reflective sunshade around your aquarium. Displaying your aquarium in a basement is also a good way to keep temperatures down. If these methods don't work, you can buy an aquarium chiller, however, these can be expensive.

How do I reduce or increase pH in an axolotl aquarium?

The tannins from Indian almond leaves can slightly lower pH, so removing them could help raise pH levels. Adding driftwood is known to lower pH.

How do I reduce ammonia levels in an axolotl aquarium?

Regularly siphoning out waste and uneaten food in your aquarium is key to keeping ammonia levels down. Live aquatic plants can also work to reduce ammonia levels.

How do I reduce nitrite levels in an axolotl aquarium?

Nitrate levels are managed by doing water changes, check the chart on our Aquariums page or Resources page for a guide on how much water to change.

How do I reduce nitrate levels in an axolotl aquarium?

Nitrate levels are managed by doing water changes, check the chart on our Aquariums page or Resources page for a guide on how much water to change. However, the larger your aquarium, the easier it is to manage nitrate levels.

How often should I do a water change?

Since you will regularly siphon out water when removing waste and uneaten food, you can replace that amount once a week to maintain levels. If you have specific issues with water parameters, check the chart on our Aquariums page under Testing aquarium water for further guidance on water changes.

How often should I squeeze/change my filter?

Your aquarium filter holds beneficial bacteria that help maintain your cycle. You should never clean your filter because it can crash your cycle and you shouldn’t need to change it. However, sometimes if you are having issues regulating water parameters, you can gently squeeze one of your sponge filters into a bucket of aquarium water. If you are using an alternate type of filter, you can switch out filter media as needed.

What substrates are safe for an axolotl aquarium?

Many axolotl owners opt for a bare bottom tank or use tiles. If you want to use a substrate in order to provide your axolotl with grip, you can opt for super fine aquarium-safe sand in a variety of colors.

WARNING: Any type of rocks, stones, gravel or gems are dangerous to use as a substrate, your axolotl can swallow them, which can lead to impaction and/or death.

What decorations are safe for an axolotl aquarium?

Axolotls love hides: ceramic or glass mugs, terra cotta pots, PVC piping or natural rock formations are all great options. Be careful of hides that have sharp edges or small holes, your axolotl could accidentally injure themself. Reptile hammocks are also a favorite, you can find on our Resources page under the Products section.

WARNING: Do not put anything with metal in your aquarium, it will rust and harm your water and axolotl. Seashells are also toxic to axolotls, they are calcium and salt and will mess with your water, do not add them to your aquarium.

What plants are safe for an axolotl aquarium?

You can always add Indian almond leaves to your aquarium for healing properties and a natural-looking aesthetic. Fake aquarium plants are a great option for axolotl aquarium decoration. If you opt for live plants, do your research on proper kinds of aquatic plants and beware of snail infestations or overgrowing algae. If using real plants, you should have low lighting or no lighting in your aquarium to avoid algae.

How do I get rid of algae or biofilm in an axolotl aquarium?

Test water and move your axolotl from the aquarium into a quarantine tub (see instructions on our Aquariums page). The less light, the faster the algae will die. Reduce light that is going into your axolotl tank as much as possible by covering as many sides as possible, avoid using something like a blanket with fibers that could get into your water. Replace your axolotl when the algae is gone and water levels are safe.

How do I get rid of fungus in an axolotl aquarium?

Test water and move your axolotl from the aquarium into a quarantine tub with Indian almond leaf (see instructions on our Aquariums page). Use a baster or siphon to remove any fungus in the water, add in freshwater. Replace your axolotl when the fungus is gone and water levels are safe.

How do I get rid of snails in an axolotl aquarium?

Test water and move your axolotl from the aquarium into a quarantine tub (see instructions on our Aquariums page). Use a siphon, net, tongs or tweezers to remove any snails in the water, add in freshwater. Replace your axolotl when the snails are gone and water levels are safe.

How do I get rid of sperm cones or eggs in an axolotl aquarium?

If your axolotl is male, it will produce sperm cones, clean them out of the aquarium and flush them. If you have more than one axolotl in an aquarium together and any of them are of the opposite gender, follow the procedure for culling eggs in the Breeding section below.

Healing

What are the benefits of Indian almond leaves?

Indian almond leaves are a great natural additive to your aquatic axolotl environment. They create tannins in the water that have natural healing, soothing, antifungal, and antibacterial properties. They are great to add to a quarantine tub anytime your axolotl is healing from sickness or injury and you can also add them to your aquarium.

What are the signs of stress or illness in an axolotl?

Your axolotl’s gills are the number one way they will communicate with you about their health. Watch their gills, body, and behavior for signs of stress and illness, here is a helpful guide that will help you diagnose and treat your axolotl. Remember axolotls are amazing creatures with incredible regenerative abilities and can heal themselves from most injuries or illnesses with the proper attention and care!

• Not Eating - normal activity or illness. Young axolotl will typically feed daily while adult axolotls may only eat a few times a week. Some axolotls are picky eaters, try bloodworms or bloodworm pellets. However, if your axolotl is not eating for many days, it could be sick, test water parameters and tub if needed, continue to offer food, and contact your vet if you suspect impaction.

• Not Producing Waste - normal activity; or illness. Young axolotls will produce waste daily or every few days depending on how big their bellies are and much they eat. Juvenile and adult axolotls will produce less frequently, about once a week. Axolotls can be rather private creatures, so make sure you regularly check the whole aquarium for waste: in corners, under hides, in plants. However, if your axolotl hasn’t produced waste for over a week, it could be constipation or impaction. Try to reduce the temperature of the aquarium or place the axolotl in colder water to trigger waste activity. If that doesn’t work, try to feed them raw salmon, the natural oils may help them pass waste in a day or two. If your axolotl doesn’t produce waste in a few days after that, and you suspect impaction, you can contact a vet to get it examined.

• Tail Tip Hooked - stress. Could be due to high water flow. Try reducing the flow of filter, airstone, or fan. If that doesn’t work, test the water.

• Toe Tips Changing Color - normal activity. When an axolotl begins to mature, toe tips will turn dark on light axolotls and light on dark axolotls.

• Gills Curled Forward - stress. Could be due to high water flow. Try reducing the flow of filter, airstone, or fan. If that doesn’t work, test the water.

• Gills Flicking - normal activity or stress. An axolotl will flick their gills to get fresh oxygen, much like we naturally blink, however, if they are doing this excessively. Try to turn up the flow of your airstone. If that doesn’t work, test the water.

• Growth on Gills - normal activity. Axolotl gills will grow longer at the tip and also produce new filaments, sometimes the tips look white or the filaments look bright red. However, if the growth is white and fluffy, it is fungus, see below.

• Worm Stuck in Gills - normal activity. Adult axolotls can be fed full-sized worms and on rare occasions, the worm will get sucked in their mouth out through their gills. This is normal, give the axolotl about 15 minutes to resolve the issue itself, do not attempt to remove the worm as you could damage their gills.

• Gills Fraying - illness. Most likely ammonia burn or other water levels are off. Test water and tub your axolotl with Indian almond leaf.

• Shrinking Gills - illness or morphing. Most likely ammonia burn. Test water and tub your axolotl with Indian almond leaf. In very rare cases an axolotl will morph into a tiger salamander (see Morphing section below).

• White Fluff/Fungus on Gills/Body - illness. Most likely fungal infection. Test water and tub your axolotl with Indian almond leaf. The top cause of fungal infection is high water temperature so try lowering your aquarium temperature with a fan, frozen water bottles, or a chiller.

• Body Injury - injury: a cut, scrape, or missing limb. Most likely due to running into a sharp object or aggressive tank mates. Tub the axolotl with Indian almond leaf, remove any identified hazards from the aquarium. If the injury is more serious, such as from getting sucked into a filter or getting attacked by a cat, you’ll need to implement tea baths or even fridging, see details below.

• Body Flaking/Peeling - illness. Most likely peeling slime coat. Test water and tub your axolotl with Indian almond leaf.

• Body Flushing/Red - normal activity, stress, or illness. If the tails and gills are flushed while the axolotl is feeding, active, or startled, this is normal. If the body remains red and looks irritated, it could be ammonia burn, test and tub your axolotl with Indian almond leaf.

• Body Blanching/Pale - illness. Most likely lack of oxygen. Try turning up your airstone. If your axolotl is also not moving, it could be something more serious, contact a veterinarian. In dark axolotls, a grayish hue could be a sign of parasites.

• White/Red Patches on Skin - illness. Most likely parasites or ammonia poisoning. Place your axolotl in a quarantine tub and test your water. If you suspect parasites, use a dropper to feed your axolotl Safe-guard (Fenbendazole) Dewormer Liquid. You can do this every 6 months for axolotls that eat live food.

• Body Bloated/Bulging normal activity or illness. Sometimes your axolotl will eat a lot and look fat, this should go away when they produce waste in a day or two. You can try to place them in colder water to trigger waste production or feed them raw salmon. Other times your male axolotl may be sexually active and have a swollen cloacal when they are about to produce seeds/eggs or your female axolotl will have a full belly when they take male seeds/eggs into their body for pregnancy. However, if your axolotl’s body is bulging abnormally, it could be impaction or organ failure and you should contact a veterinarian.

• Floating/Floating on Side - normal activity or illness. If the axolotl is young, it could be a bubble in their stomach. However, it could also be a lack of oxygen or impaction. Test water and try to turn up the flow of your airstone. If this behavior persists, contact a veterinarian.

• Gulping for Air - normal activity or stress. An axolotl will gulp for air to get fresh oxygen or to help them manage buoyancy while they hunt for food, however, if they are doing this excessively, try to turn up the flow of your airstone

• Overactivity - normal activity or illness. Axolotls love to swim around and sometimes gulp for air. However, if they are doing this excessively and seem stressed it could be a lack of oxygen especially if they are gulping for air a lot. Try turning up the flow of your airstone. If your axolotl is spinning or barrel rolling rapidly, you could have added too much Prime water conditioner and their slime coat is burning, immediately tub them in freshwater with the proper dosing of Prime, see Aquariums FAQ section above for more information.

• Inactivity - normal activity or illness. When axolotls are not active, swimming or feeding, they tend to hide and relax, because they don’t have eyelids, sometimes if they are not moving they are simply sleeping. If their gills are still flicking every now and then, they should be fine. However, if your axolotl is abnormally inactive and you can't get them to move when you try to touch them or startle them, contact a veterinarian.

When should I treat my axolotl with a tea bath?

If your axolotl is healing from a surface injury such as slime coat peeling or fungal infection, first try Indian almond leaves. If that is not helping within a week, you can give your axolotl a tea bath. The tannins of the tea will help soothe their skin and help them regenerate. similar to the almond leaves. Place an organic black tea bag with no additives into a hot mug of water and steep for 1 minute. Then, pour the tea into a small food-safe container with other cooler water Place the container in the fridge to cool and remove once it is approximately the same temperature as the water your axolotl is currently in, then treat it with water conditioner. Temporarily transfer your axolotl from their quarantine tub into the tea bathtub for 10 minutes, then transfer the axolotl back into the quarantine tub. Try this once a day for three days.

When should I treat my axolotl with methylene blue?

A methylene blue bath is sometimes used to treat aggressive fungal infections in axolotls. Please do your research before using this method.

WARNING: This method should only be used in serious cases, please consult a veterinarian or other trusted source first.

When should I treat my axolotl with aquarium salt?

An aquarium salt bath is only used to treat extreme infections in axolotls. Please do your research before using this method.

WARNING: This method should only be used in serious cases, please consult a veterinarian or other trusted source first.

When should I fridge my axolotl with aquarium salt?

Placing an axolotl temporarily in the fridge to help their body regenerate is used in rare cases of extreme illnesses or injury in axolotls. Please do your research before using this method.

WARNING: This method should only be used in serious cases, please consult a veterinarian or other trusted source first.

Morphs

What kind of axolotl color morphs are there?

There are around 15 different types of axolotl color morphs, you can look at pictures online in order to determine yours, here is a list with basic descriptors:

• Wild - speckled green, brown, and black with dark red or black gills

• Leucistic – typically pale white or pinkish with red gills, called “dirty lucy” when it has freckles, called “bluegill lucy” when it has blue gills

• Albino – white or golden with white/red gills and clear eyes

• Axanthic – gray or silver with gray/silver gills

• Melanoid – solid black or dark gray with black gills

• GFP – any morph, typically albino or leucistic with glow in the dark protein

• Copper - golden brown with red gills, sub morphs include: Copper, Light Copper, Het Copper

• Piebald - white or pinkish with lots of black spots all over and red gills, rare

• Lavender/Silver Dalmation - dark with purple-like hue, dark gills, rare

• Enigma - black with green patterns, matching gills, rare

• Chimera - two different color morph expressions split down the middle, rare

• Mosaic - two different color morph expressions mixed, rare

• Firefly - two different color morph expressions split between tail and body, rare

What is axolotl morphing?

Morphing is a rare occurrence when an axolotl progresses out of its neotenic state and evolves into a tiger salamander.

How to tell if your axolotl is morphing?

Signs of a morphing axolotl are eyes bulging out and gills shrinking into their head.

Breeding

Should I breed axolotls?

Breeding axolotls is a huge undertaking that will require a lot of research, time, energy, and resources that add up. You will need to manage eggs at every stage of the process which includes: separating and/or culling; caring for hatchlings; caring for babies; sourcing proper homes for juveniles; setting up proper shipping packaging and delivery methods; etc.

However, if you are passionate about this scientific undertaking in order to help populate the axolotl species in captivity and up for the challenge, good luck!

How to prevent axolotls from breeding?

You can have separate tanks for male and female axolotls. Keep them in separate aquariums or use a solid aquarium divider with no holes until you know the gender, which can’t be confirmed until they are 18 months old.

How to cull eggs when breeding happens accidentally?

Gather the eggs from the aquarium or tub into a container and place them in the freezer, be sure to not fill your container to the top, it will expand and break. Leave eggs in the freezer for 3 days and then dispose of them.

How to breed axolotls?

Below are the basics of how to start the breeding process. You’ll want to do further research on breeding, you can start by checking out some of the websites on our Resources page!

Put the breeding pair of axolotls into a large tub with cold dechlorinated water to jump-start the breeding process. Leave them in there for a couple of hours until the male sperm cones have been laid, then remove the male and place fake plants in the tub with the female to give her a place to lay her eggs. A female axolotl can lay over 1000 eggs, when the female is done releasing the eggs you can take her out and cull any eggs that you don’t want to keep it to a manageable number.

WARNING: You should only breed adult axolotls that are healthy and genetically unrelated to prevent harmful conditions and mutations in the eggs. If negative genetic mutations are recognized, the entire hatch and parents should not be bred.