That Reptile Blog – Reptile, Amphibian and Exotic Pet Care and Information

Check out: Captive Care of the Mexican Axolotl Ambystoma mexicanum – Part 1, for the first part of this article.

Feeding

Repto-min, trout chow or salmon chow serves well as a mainstay; alternate this with Hikari Massivore Delight or a pelleted cichlid food, freeze dried prawn, live blackworms, earthworms, minnows, shiners and guppies.  Axolotls will also take frozen clams, mussels and similar foods, but marine-derived items should not be used as a major part of the diet.

Although normally bottom feeders, well-habituated axolotls will rise to the surface to eat, and take readily to hand- feeding.  A finger waved before one will be grabbed and “swallowed”.

Finely-chopped blackworms (use a razor) are the best food to start off with when raising larvae; brine shrimp are also accepted, but growth with be faster for those consuming blackworms (and each other!).  Be aware that blackworms, even chopped pieces, clump together; larvae may choke trying to take down a large ball.  Be sure to swish the worms about the tank, and watch that they do not “find each other” after awhile.  A surface worm feeder that releases the worms individually will help relieve this problem.  I’ve not been able to induce axolotls under 2 inches in length to accept Repto-min or other dry foods, but others report success with very small individuals.

Social Groups

While not overly aggressive toward each other when un-crowded, the feeding of live food seems to stimulate a near frenzy, during which animals may bite the gills and toes of their tank-mates. Generally these grow back without problems, but a treatment with Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Stresscoat is a useful safety measure.

Axolotls housed together should be nearly the same size – even a difference of 25% is too great, as the larger animal will eventually bite off the gills and limbs of the smaller, possibly killing it.  Feeding injuries among similarly-sized animals are less severe – the loss of a toe or gill tip.

Losses are usually high when young animals are reared together, but can be lessened somewhat by the provision of dense cover (please see “Physical Environment”, above).

Captive Longevity

Captive longevity approaches 25 years.  Animals in my collection are still breeding at age 17.

Handling

It is best to usher an axolotl into a plastic container, as they may damage their delicate skins when thrashing about in a nylon net.  Axolotls may also be picked up by hand, but use caution as they tend to lie very still and then suddenly explode, and can easily propel themselves to the floor.  Handle only when necessary to move or examine an animal, and use wet hands and great care as the skin is quite injury-prone.

Miscellaneous

The axolotl’s long history as a laboratory animal has given rise to a wide variety of attractive color phases, including leucistic, black, albino, piebald and others.  The genetics of color inheritance in this species is quite interesting, and seems not to follow the “normal” rules…at least not as I learned them!  Recently, bio-engineered axolotls that glow fluorescent green have appeared in the trade.

Rearing axolotls in the lab differs in some respects from home care, but much of value is contained in the protocols of institutions maintaining large research colonies.  You can read about how it’s done at laboratories and universities all over the world at:

http://www.ambystoma.org/AGSC/suppleguide.pdf

Please see Natural History of the Axolotl for information on axolotls in their natural habitat.

I highly recommend the Mexican axolotl as an aquarium animal for both beginning and advanced hobbyists, and include them whenever possible in the zoo exhibits that I design.  Assuming that attention is paid to temperature and water quality (please see below), axolotls are hearty, long-lived and quite simple to breed.  They are also extremely responsive pets, taking readily to hand feeding and perfectly content to be out and about by day.

Enclosure

Axolotls are entirely aquatic, with an adult requiring an aquarium of approximately 10 gallons in size; 5-10 gallons more should be provided for each additional animal.

Axolotls also fare well in plastic terrariums or sweater boxes that are emptied and cleaned as opposed to filtered; this method is very useful when rearing large numbers of young.

Physical Environment

Axolotls are unusual among salamanders in not requiring a shelter, but the provision of such will help to alleviate aggression when groups are kept together.  They readily take up residence in plastic reptile caves, clay flower pots or PVC pipes.

The young enjoy consuming their brethren, and should be afforded as much opportunity to avoid each other as is possible.  Individual shelters are not effective in preventing this (among young animals) in group situations.  Rather, fill most of the aquarium’s water column with Penn Plax Baby Hideouts and other plastic aquarium plants.  Weight these down with plant ties to cover the base of the aquarium, and position tall plants so that they fill the vertical space as well.

Axolotls can be kept in bare-bottomed or planted tanks.  If gravel is used, it should be of a size that cannot be swallowed.  Small rocks ingested during feeding are often passed, but impactions can occur.  Live aquarium plants, if used, should be sturdy and well-rooted, or floating.

Light and Heat

A florescent bulb is best used for illumination, as it will not add significantly to water temperature.  Axolotls do not need a source of UVB light.

Axolotls are native to cool, high-altitude lakes, and do best at water temperatures of 62-70 F, with a dip to 50-52 F in winter, if possible.  People do keep them at warmer temperatures, but such leaves the salamanders susceptible to illness and fungal problems.  At temperatures above 75 F, Saprolegnia infection is not infrequent (this and certain bacterial infections usually cause the animals to float to the surface).  A cool basement is ideal for year-round maintenance.

Water Quality and Filtration

Axolotls are fairly tolerant of a wide variety of conditions, but should ideally be kept in soft water with a pH of 6.9-7.6.  Hard or acidic water can damage the gills.

Adequate filtration and frequent water changes are essential.  Axolotls have large appetites and excrete copious amounts of nitrogenous wastes (which are largely dissolved in water and not visible), and can quickly succumb to ammonia toxicity.  An ammonia test kit should always be on hand.

Canister, hanging or in-tank filters all have their place in axolotl aquariums, but each must be coupled with regular water changes.  Larvae are best kept in aquariums filtered with sponge or corner filters.  In all cases, filter outflow should be adjusted so as not to disturb the salamanders, as they are not strong swimmers and prefer still water.

Check out: Captive Care of the Mexican Axolotl Ambystoma mexicanum – Part 2, to read the rest of this article.