Axolotls need a cool, clean tank (min 20-40 gallons) with gentle filtration, dim lighting, and plenty of hides, using fine sand or bare bottom (no gravel) to prevent impaction, and require stable, cool temperatures (14-20°C) maintained by a chiller if needed, plus regular water testing to keep ammonia/nitrite low. A fully cycled tank is crucial before introducing them.
The bottom of the tank should be kept bare or covered with very large gravel. Axolotls feed by sucking in everything around them, and swallowed gravel or sand can affect them, often fatally. They need clean water but don't like a lot of flow. Sponge filters or other gentle filtration is suggested.
Axolotls are essentially closer to this in care - they need an appropriately-sized tank (60-90L is a good place to start) with excellent filtration and temperature control to keep them cool. The tank needs to be cycled, just like any other aquatic animal, and that's essentially the basics.
Sand is best - it allows you to plant real plants, gives the axolotl grip on the bottom and supports the tank's biological filtration with extra surface area. In terms of decoration, it's more subjective - I personally like natural scapes with rock, driftwood and plants.
The ideal substrate for axolotls is sand. It can pass through even small individuals without any issues and provides them with something to comfortably grip as they roam through their aquarium.
Remove any decor and set aside. Use the turkey baster to remove any axolotl poop. Dump it right into your aquarium! It will keep your bacteria fed and help the cycling process.
Provide Hides for Your Axolotl's Comfort
Axolotls don't have eyelids, so make sure their tank has hides where they can escape bright light. This reduces stress and mimics their natural environment, helping them feel more secure.
If tap water is being used to fill the aquarium or is used for water exchanges, make sure that you are adding API TAP WATER CONDITIONER™ treatment to remove chlorine or chloramines from the tap water before use in the aquarium.
Add cold water, then add AquaSafe and Quickstart, to make water safe for axolotl (Work out the calculations as per the bottle) Attach filter to side of the tank. Add any decor, wood and plants (not too crowded for axolotls)
Weekly Water Changes
Axolotls are messy, and will quickly pollute their water with their heavy bioload. After your tank is fully cycled, it is important to perform weekly water changes in order to keep your nitrate level below 20 ppm at all times.
Conclusion. Axolotls are best appreciated as observational pets, thriving in environments where they are left undisturbed. Their sensitive skin and crucial slime coat mean that touching them should be avoided whenever possible.
When your axolotl is sick, stressed, or injured, room temperature can actually make things worse. The fridge method helps them heal by slowing down their metabolism and reducing bacteria growth — giving their body a chance to recover.
Axolotls are fully aquatic amphibians that live their whole lives in water. When choosing a habitat, you must ensure the enclosure can hold water. Horizontal space is more important than a deep water level. We recommend having the water level at least the same depth as the length of their body.
Signs that your axolotl is stressed include tightly curled forward gills, small gills or lack of gill filaments, or the very tip of their tail curling or folding over on itself, scratching at the gills with their back leg, or swimming erratically and writhing.
Axolotls do indeed benefit from bubbles in their environment. Bubbles, created by air stones or air filters, play a crucial role in maintaining the oxygen levels in the water. Proper aeration is essential for the health of your axolotl, as it helps ensure they have enough oxygen to breathe comfortably.
The optimum environmental temperature for axolotls is 16-18°C and should never exceed 24°C. The ideal water pH is 7.4-7.6. Chlorine, as found in tap water, is harmful to axolotls and so either a de-chlorinator must be used, or the water must be left to stand for 24 hours before adding it to the tank.
The size of the tank is crucial in determining how many axolotls you can keep together. As a rule of thumb, two axolotls should be placed in a 40-gallon aquarium measuring about 2 ft. Then, if you're adding another axolotl, increase the size of the tank by adding 10 more gallons.
Axolotls arent supposed to have gravel bottoms, just bare bottom or fine sand. Gravel will cause impaction and eventually death. I prefer sand personally because it's more aesthetically pleasing and allows them to have some grip for walking around.
Provided the water is clean (low in organic wastes), cool, and well aerated, A. mexicanum will thrive in the tank. Many aquarists seek to keep axolotls with fish.
Axolotls are solitary animals and generally do not require social interaction. They can become stressed if handled too often.
The ideal water temperature for an Axolotl aquarium is between 15-18°C (59-64°F), which means that in most instances, no heater is required.
Axolotls come out at night to hunt. During the day, they avoid predators of their own. They burrow into the plants and mud at the bottom of the lake.
Signs to look out for in a stressed or unhealthy axolotl may be curled gills, hooked tail tip, small gills, sparse filaments, red spots, etc.
Nearly all axolotls love bloodworms and brine shrimp, but some prefer one food item over another.