With all the best intentions, you get an axolotl, set up a nice tank, and fill it full of love. Then, you are staring at something that seems to be shrinking down to nothing. Its gills is shrinking and its appetite is gone. The amphibian isn’t usually the issue. Almost always the issue is the invisible water chemistry.
Axolotls act as living sign of water stability. They let you know when things aren’t quite right well before your test kit detect any sudden changes in temp/pH/etc. To understand what makes them tick takes more than just the cuteness factor… It requires knowing how their bodies work, accepting its quirks, and respecting their needs.
How to Keep Your Axolotl Healthy
This is probably the biggest variable you’ll be manipulating, and it’s by far the most critical. Axies come from the cold depths of Lake Xochimilco and prefer temperatures between 57-64 degrees Fahrenheit, as shown in infographic above. In other words, this is not a negotiable number for your axie’s longterm health. Because they’re amphibians, they has metabolisms suited for cooler temperatures, which accelerate when the water gets warmer… but their ability to process waste does not keep pace. Toxic levels of nitrites and ammonia will build up and overwhelm their sensitive gills.
Many novice axolotl owner don’t know this and end up keeping them in warm livig spaces, slowly stressing out their axolotls. Heat stress can kill an axolotl in just a few hours, so if your house is around 75 degrees, you need some sort of fans or a chiller to lower the surface temperature.
You will need to worry about biological filtration system after you figure out the cold aspect. That’s where nitrogen cycle comes into play, this isn’t some hobbyist buzzword; it’s life or death. Ammonia is produced from waste products and is immediately toxic. It then gets converted by beneficial bacteria to nitrite which, while still bad for fish, is a little less so. Then, other bacteria transform nitrite into nitrate, which is still something you want to remove on a regular basis (i.e., via water changes). You can’t bypass this step. Adding an animal before the cycle is finished is akin to throwing a party at your house before there’s any plumbing. This chart illustrates how each component fit together and why those first few weeks of set-up take time but are worth every minute.
Most folks will cut corners here; testing. Using paper strips is convenient, but it’s notorious for being inaccurate with subtle changes in chemical balance. Use liquid test kits to get the accurate information you need to make a smart decision about your water quality.
Regularly monitor the ammonia and nitrite, particularly during initial setup of the tank or whenever there is a significant change in the environment. Monitor nitrates. Regular (i.e., weekly) water changes can keep this value below 20 parts per million, which will prevent chronic stress that weakens the immune system over time. This simple maintenance routine pays huge dividends in longevity.
It’s hard to tell by sight when the water isn’t good. When an axolotl is sick, its gills will go in and its tail will curl up. It won’t swim around as much. But if you see those things happening, there’s a problem with the water conditions. Don’t let them get so bad that they become lethargic or have skin problems. That means damage might of already be done.
It can take some time to lower the pH (with diluted water) or increase it (with baking soda) so be careful! Gradual changes are better than abrupt ones. Abrupt ones is worse.
There’s no need for everything to be perfect when keeping axolotls. In fact, the more consistent you can be with stable parameters, the better off they’ll be. Their immune system won’t have to work hard to compensate for unstable water conditions, which keeps them curious and active. And you’ll be rewarded by their interesting behavior and company for many years to come. Simply put: If you keep the water the way you want it now, they’ll be thriving than.
