Fish are axolotls’ main diet. To ensure axolotls get enough nutrients, feed them a variety of foods.
Baby and juvenile axolotls love live brine shrimp. They’re full of protein, lipids, and other nutrients.
Axolotls are carnivores and eat small insects, worms, and fish. They can eat various fish, including brine shrimp, bloodworms, daphnia, earthworms, and pieces of fish fillet. However, it’s important to ensure that the fish you’re feeding them are manageable for their mouth as they can choke or have difficulty digesting larger prey.
Brine Shrimp
Brine shrimp are tiny, filter-feeding fish that live in salty water like inland lakes and marshes. They belong to the Crustacea subphylum genus Artemia.
Brine shrimp have a segmented body, a hard exoskeleton, and appendages on each segment, like other crustaceans. They have two pairs of antennae and jaws.
Brine shrimp have three black eyes on their heads for detection. Two small antennae sense their surroundings.
Axolotls get plenty of protein and energy from brine shrimp. Fatty acids and amino acids are essential for growth.
Earthworms
Earthworms are common in the environment. They break down dead organic material in the soil, helping plants. Aerating and draining the soil are their other benefits.
They breathe through their skin and have a simple body with multiple segments. They have chemoreceptors and skin receptors that detect odors and heat, cold, touch, and vibrations.
Axolotls eat bloodworms, brine shrimp, blackworms, and red wigglers. These foods are high in protein and low in fat. Still, they can introduce bacteria and other contaminants to your axolotl’s tank.
Red Worms
Pet axolotls love worms because they’re high in protein and low in fat. Vitamins and minerals are abundant in them.
However, salamander worms must be selected carefully. There are several options, including bloodworms and earthworms.
Most pet stores sell these high-protein worms. Some are sold frozen to keep on hand.
If you pick the right red worms, axolotls like them. They also add good bacteria to the tank.
Salmon
The Pacific and Atlantic Oceans are home to salmon. All species are prized for their high protein and vitamin and mineral content.
These fish are anadromous, breeding in fresh water and entering the ocean as adults. They can also indicate environmental health due to their sensitivity to environmental change.
Axolotls eat insects, small fish, and worms. They also eat beef and chicken strips.
Depending on the tank temperature, they should be fed once or twice a day. Axolotls kept in colder conditions should only be fed a few times weekly.
Daphnia
Daphnia is suspension feeders that filter water by stirring it with their legs. They eat bacteria, single-celled algae, and other water particles.
They live in freshwater lakes, pools, and vernal pools. They dominate aquatic food webs and are often the dominant zooplankton.
Daphnia populations vary greatly during the growing season. Some species’ densities change by more than seven orders of magnitude within a season. In addition, unfavorable seasons may wipe out some populations.
