Axolotl Care Guide: Tank, Cool Water & Feeding
About axolotls
The axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) is a fully aquatic salamander that keeps its larval, gilled form for life — endlessly appealing with its feathery gills and permanent “smile.” They are wonderful, interactive aquatic pets, but they have very particular needs that set them apart from tropical fish. Unlike our reptiles and native frogs, axolotls are not Australian native wildlife, so they fall outside the native-keeper licence system — however, they are banned in some Australian states, so please confirm they are legal where you live before buying.
The tank
One axolotl needs a minimum of a 60–75 cm long tank (around 75–100 L); add more space for each additional animal. Floor space matters more than height, as axolotls are bottom-dwellers. Use either a bare base or fine sand — never gravel or small stones, which axolotls readily swallow, causing fatal impaction. Provide caves and hides, keep the lighting dim (they have no eyelids and dislike bright light), and ensure gentle water flow, as their delicate gills dislike strong current.
Cool water — the golden rule
This is the single most important thing to understand about axolotls: they are cool-water animals and must not be heated. Keep the water at 15–18°C. Temperatures above about 22–24°C cause chronic stress, suppress the immune system, and can quickly become fatal. In most Australian homes this means no heater, and in summer you may actively need to cool the tank — with an aquarium chiller, a clip-on cooling fan, or by rotating frozen water bottles — to hold the temperature down. An axolotl kept too warm is the most common cause of illness and death.
Cycling and water quality
Like any aquarium, an axolotl tank must be fully cycled before the animal goes in — allow around 6–8 weeks for beneficial bacteria to establish, testing until ammonia and nitrite hold at 0 ppm and nitrate appears. Axolotls are sensitive to poor water and to incorrect chemistry, so:
- Always dechlorinate tap water with a conditioner such as Seachem Prime before it touches the tank.
- Kick-start and support the biological filter with a bacterial supplement like Seachem Stability.
- Because axolotls do best in slightly hard, neutral-to-alkaline water, Seachem Axolotl Conditioner and Seachem Axolotl Buffer are purpose-made to establish the right conditions and stable pH.
Keep ammonia and nitrite at 0 ppm, control nitrate with regular partial water changes, and provide gentle, well-established filtration.
Diet
Axolotls are carnivores. The staple for adults is large earthworms, supplemented with quality sinking axolotl pellets and frozen foods such as bloodworm. Feed juveniles daily and adults every 2–3 days, offering only what they eat and removing leftovers promptly to protect water quality. Avoid feeder fish, which can carry disease and parasites.
Health and handling
Axolotls have soft, delicate bodies and permeable skin and should not be handled except when necessary (for example to move them), using a soft net or wet hands. Watch for warning signs — curled gill tips, a curled tail tip, loss of appetite or floating — which usually trace back to water that is too warm, poor water quality, or incorrect substrate. Get those three things right and axolotls are hardy, rewarding animals that can live well over 10 years.
General educational information only. Axolotls are prohibited in some Australian states — confirm legality in your jurisdiction before purchase. Source: Aquarium Source – Axolotl Care 101.