One day you’re just sitting there and you see your axolotl start to do a strange dance. He nudges his female mate ever so dramatically and you know he’s up to something serious. What you witness is nothing less than one of nature’s most complex sexual performances, all brought about by millions of years of evolution. If you can get your head around what is going on below, this baffling spectacle becomes a much more pleasant task.
They don’t force the issue. Mimicking what they’re used to seem to be key. Because these guys are from the cool, clean waters of Lake Xochimilco, their bodies anticipates change with the seasons. The temperature conditioning (see chart above) is basically a Mexican winter simulation. To do this, you drop your tank’s temp slowly over two weeks until it reaches approximately 57 degrees Fahrenheit, then gradually increase it back up. This triggers their hormones and fools them into believing its springtime.
How to Breed Axolotls Successfully
Why? These animals uses signs from the environment to properly time their breeding behavior. If there’s no chill factor, many pairs won’t even attempt to court each other… so it’s more than just good food. After adjusting the water temp, you wait for signs of behavior. Next, male will drop spermatophores (small white cones) on the bottom of the tank. Then the female picks up the sperm with her cloaca by walking across the spermatophores. It’s a delicate process that takes time and patience. If the female isn’t ready, she’ll simply ignore the spermatophores.
That’s why it’s important to check for readiness cues prior to trying to condition your axolotl. A good starting point for the female is about seven inches in length and at least eighteen months of age. Males may develops a bit sooner. Trying to rush things almost always guarantees failure. This happens because of stress on the animals or because of failed attempts.
The eggs, however, need special care. First, new ones are clear, sticking individually to rocks or plants. Within two days, if an egg turns chalky white, it is infertile and should of been removed. Those eggs will quickly infect rest of the viable eggs. It sounds cruel, but all the trouble to save those good eggs is worthwhile. You must remove any that turn chalky white within forty-eight hours, as these are infertile and will quick spread fungus to the healthy batch.
However, that’s the easy part of raising axolotls. Once they begin eating, that’s where it gets interesting. If they’re more than a half-inch different in size, you run the risk of cannibalism. To avoid this, you’ll want to separate out the small and large larvae each week and feed accordingly. Newly hatched brine shrimp are great for their diet while not fouling the water too rapidly. When they become juveniles, move them up to micro bloodworms and then earthworms as they grows even bigger. Maintaining proper water quality and sizing the appropriate foods for each stage require close attention.
For enthusiasts interested in morphs, genetics complicate things even further. If you cross leucistic and wild type, you don’t automatically get all leucistic offspring. There are recessive traits at work here that require multiple generations before sorting out completly. I’ve found that hobbyists becomes disappointed if they think all it takes is one spawn and they have their desired outcome right away. Axolotl breeding isn’t as much “flip the switch” but rather nurturing a biological process that runs at its pace.
The secret to successful breeding is understanding the animal’s natural rhythms. Preparing properly is important whether your goal is a large clutch or simply curiosity. From the initial temperature drop to the delicate division of the larvae, each stage contributes to a healthy result. When you witness those small hatchlings squirming around in the water, you know that all of the planning has been worthwhile. It completes the cycle and serves as a reminder to others why we fell in love with these ancient amphibians in the first place.
