Each of them has 28 chromosomes, 14 from the mother and 14 from the father. The variety of Axolotl colors is all due to genetics. Why does an Axolotl Come in Such a Variety of Colors? If you do buy both a male and a female, you will have to buy separate tanks for a normal life. They should only be put together for mating purposes. Young Axolotls tend to bite off feet and gills. They aren’t very social with other Axolotls, so they don’t need a companion.įights could even break out if there are two Axolotls in the tank. Don’t feed them live fish as they can cause parasites and disease.Īxolotls are soft-bodied and shouldn’t be handled unless it’s absolutely necessary.

The best foods to give them are earthworms, frozen blood cubes, frozen cooked shrimp, and lean pieces of beef and chicken. If you put in gravel, they tend to eat it which could kill them. The ideal substrate for Axolotls is sand. If you live in a warm area you can buy an aquarium chiller. Any lower and they become sluggish and temperatures above 74F can kill them. They need to be kept in water temperatures of between 60 and 64F. They don’t need lighting, especially not bright lights as it can be detrimental to their health. If the water is too wavy, Axolotls can develop stress and go off their food. A filter is needed, but make sure it is low flow. You need to have a lid on the aquarium as they can jump out which will kill them. You should provide them with a big tank since they spend all their lives underwater.Ī 10-gallon tank or aquarium is adequate for one Axolotl, but they do produce a lot of waste matter, so a 20-gallon tank is much better. They are hardy creatures and are relatively tame. Axolotls have been known to reach 20 years of age in captivity, but their average life span is 10 years. This can happen anytime between six months and a year. When they reach 8 inches, they are sexually mature. A few have grown up to 12 inches, but they are rare. Most Axolotls reach a length of about 10 inches. They have also been bred in a variety of colors, so they aren’t all like the wild Axolotls which are dark and very similar in color. They are considered to be an endangered species in the wild, but they have been bred in captivity, so all is not lost for them. Interestingly, they have the special skill of being able to regenerate their limbs.Īxolotls are originally from Xochimilco Lake in Mexico. This means that they stay aquatic for their whole lives and shouldn’t be removed from their tank. They are types of salamanders, but unlike ordinary salamanders, they don’t undergo metamorphosis from larval to adults. However, they are definitely unique and make a great display pet. It wouldn’t be surprising as they’re not very common pets. Today I’m going to tell you all about Axolotl colors and believe me, there are plenty of amazing colors. Hi, my name’s Irena and I live on Crete in Greece with my fantastic, hyperactive and loving dog, Sherlock and three cats who are called Hamlet, Dimitris, and Ebony.ĭimitris and Ebony do not like Hamlet, and I have no idea why.

Irl axolotl colors