Axolotl a.k.a Ambystoma mexicanum
Intro to Axolotl
Axolotls are rapidly growing in popularity due to their adorable look and their characterization in the popular video game Minecraft. These awesome aquatic amphibians grow roughly 12 inches and feed readily on worms like nightcrawlers, red wigglers, blood worms, and blackworms. We also sell pellet diets that offer a balanced nutritional content. For the best husbandry possible you will need balance cold water and good filtration.
Axolotl Care
A juvenile axolotl can be in a 10 gallon aquarium but as they grow they need a minimum aquarium size of 20 gallons. Longer is better than tall as they spend most of their time at the bottom of aquarium. Though it is not always recommended to house multiple axolotls, the guideline of 20 gallons for one
and an additional 10 gallons for per axolotl. Being a cold-water species it is important to keep your water in the mid 60 degrees fehrenheight.
Commercially available canister filters or sponge filters make a great choice to keep your Axolotl enclosure clean. Axolotls prefer pH around 7.5 and hard water. If you have low pH or soft water you can add product to adjust it. Always be sure to dechlorinate tap water before adding to the aquarium. Ammonia and nitrite levels should always be zero Nitrate should be kept under 20 by doing regular water changes. If you choose to decorate your Axolotl tank, use large decorations that do not have any rough edges. This will keep your Axolotl from eating any decor or getting hurt. Axolotls need places to hide in their aquarium. Click here to check out these hides!
Axolotl Maintenance
Juveniles under 6” long may feed twice a day and anything over 6” you can go to once a day. Water changes frequency will vary depending on aquarium size, filtration capacity, number of axolotls and how often spot cleaning waste. To maintain best water quality it is advised to spot clean out any uneaten food and poop daily.
Just like with fish tanks cycling your aquarium for an axolotl is imperative. Using a bottled bacteria supplement will speed this process up tremendously. Tubbing your axolotl is common practice when you do not have an aquarium ready yet. Axolotls can live very happily in a container until your tank is ready. For your “tub” any plastic food safe container will work. You want something big enough that the axolotl has space to move around and have some sort of hide (usually a sideways mug is an easy choice). While your axolotl is tubbed you want to change the water once per day with dechlorinated cool water.
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