Axolotl Care Guide | Aqua-Lotl – Learn Before You Buy

New to axolotls? Aqua-Lotl’s care guide covers tank setup, feeding, and water quality to help you succeed from day one.How to Keep Your New Friend Healthy

At Aqua-Lotl, we believe every axolotl deserves a well-prepared home.
This guide will walk you through tank setup, feeding, water conditions, and everything else you need to give your axolotl a happy, healthy life.

✅ Tank Size

  • Best: 40-gallon breeder (ideal for 1 large adult or 2–3 smaller axolotls)
  • Recommended Minimum: 29 or 30-gallon breeder
  • Absolute Minimum: 20-gallon long (only for 1 juvenile or small adult)

Larger tanks = more stable water + happier axolotls.

✅ Substrate

  • Use bare bottom or smooth tile until your axolotl is at least 5 inches long.
  • After 5 inches, fine aquarium sand is safe.

❌ Never use gravel, pebbles, or small rocks. These can cause serious internal blockages if swallowed.

✅ Lighting & Decor

  • Axolotls prefer low lighting. Use dimmable aquarium lights or ambient room light.
  • Avoid sharp decor — smooth or sand down edges if needed.
  • Add hides, caves, and hammocks — axolotls love climbing and lounging!

✅ Plants

Use low-light, cool-water plants(Axolotl tanks are cool and dark) : There are other plants out there but do your research on the positive and negatives of each one.

  • Anubia
  • Java Moss
  • Java fern

Tip: Choose tissue culture plants to avoid snail or parasite contamination.

💧 Water Conditions

💦 Ideal Water Parameters:

  • Ammonia: 0 ppm
  • Nitrite: 0 ppm
  • Nitrate: Ideally under 20 ppm (tolerates up to 40 ppm)
  • pH: 7.0 – 8.2
  • Temperature: 60–65°F (preferred); tolerates 50–68°

🐛 Feeding Your Axolotl

Feeding frequency depends on age. Always remove uneaten food after 15–20 minutes to avoid dirty water.
🍼 0–3 Months

  • Baby brine shrimp
  • Daphnia

🧒 3–5 Months (Feed 2–3x daily)

  • Blackworms (best if available)
  • White worms
  • Small earthworm bits
  • Repashy Grub Pie
  • Pellets (2x axolotl's head length)
  • Bloodworms (use sparingly)

🐟 6–18 Months (Feed 1–2x daily)

  • Earthworms
  • Pellets
  • Repashy Grub Pie

🐉 Adults (Feed daily or every other day)

  • Earthworms (1-2 per feeding)
  • Sinking carnivore pellets
  • Repashy Grub Pie

Worm & Pellet Options

Worms:

Red Wigglers - Small - May have a bitter coating- blanch or rinse

European Nightcrawlers - Medium - Most recommended - no bitterness

Canadian Nightcrawlers - Large - May be too big; cut to size

Pellets:

  • Rangen Pellets (Invertaquatics)
  • Hikari Carnivore Sinking Pellets
  • Omega One Newt & Salamander Pellets (great for young axolotls)

🧃 Blackworm Shortage?

Can’t find blackworms? No problem:

👥 Tank Mates

Axolotls are best kept:

  • Alone, or
  • With same-size, same-sex axolotls

Other species are risky. Small shrimp are OK , Guppies or endlers are OK but have been known to nip axolotls.

Please remember axolotls are known to eat shrimp, guppies and endlers so don’t be surprised it they go missing.

We also recommend a 30 day quarantine on any additions to your tank.

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Using gravel or sharp decor
  • Skipping water testing
  • Overfeeding
  • Letting water overheat
  • Housing axolotls with fish
  • Not providing hides or enrichment

Need help setting up your tank? 👉 See our "How to Cycle Your Tank" page →

 

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