Axolotls, aquatic neotenic salamanders, live their entire lives. They have tails, body fins, and external gills.
They suction underwater prey into their mouths. They inhale gravel to grind food in their stomachs.
They usually don’t like sharing tanks. Make sure they’re all adults if they must stay together.
Axolotls are not cannibalistic by nature.
Axolotl salamanders live in water their entire lives. Due to their unique appearance and habitat, they are called Mexican walking fish and stand out from the rest of the salamander family.
Axolotls have external gills for underwater breathing. They can also get oxygen from the air through their lungs.
This breathing system helps them survive in oxygen-rich environments. It reduces their reliance on their gills in less oxygenated water. Axolotls may grow smaller gills and rely more on surface air when oxygen is scarce.
Axolotls eat each other when hungry or sick, but they’re not cannibals. If you keep them as pets, watch out for this natural behavior.
Axolotls are not aggressive towards other axolotls.
Axolotls are not cannibals, despite their big mouths and cute faces. They are carnivores and eat worms, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks.
Neotenous salamanders are rare and retain all their tadpole-like traits into adulthood. These include a dorsal fin, webbed feet, and feathery gills.
Axolotls live in Xochimilco and Chalco lakes and wetlands. In recent years, habitat loss, pollution, and invasive species have reduced the axolotl population.
Thus, axolotls should only be kept in captivity with others. Unless threatened, they won’t fight tankmates.
Axolotls are not aggressive toward snails.
Axolotls don’t eat snails or attack them. Due to their size, they cannot fit in their mouths.
However, adult apple snails and not baby cold water snails can be kept in the tank. Because juvenile bladder or ramshorn snails have soft shells, your wandering fish can’t eat them.
Snails eat stale food and waste in the axolotl’s tank, keeping it clean. They’re optional but beneficial in an axolotl tank.
Axolotls are not aggressive toward minnows.
Despite their size, axolotls don’t attack minnows, because they are peaceful and don’t have hard exoskeletons or sharp spins.
They don’t have to compete with snails or bottom-dwelling fish for food. They won’t harass your axolotl for food.
They won’t compete for water and nutrients with your axolotl, either.
To avoid stressing your axolotl, keep the tank cool.
Axes can’t eat goldfish either because they’re too big. Additionally, some goldfish are gill nippers, which can hurt your axolotl.
