Axolotl

Ambystoma mexicanum

The smiling "water monster" never grows up – it keeps its feathery gills for life and can regrow lost limbs. Needs cold water and no fin-nipping tank mates.

A predatory freshwater amphibian that grows to 25 cm, lives near the bottom and needs 14–20 °C, pH 6.5–8.0 and an aquarium of at least 80 L.

Care at a glance

Water

Freshwater

Temperature

14–20 °C (57–68 °F)

pH

6.5–8.0

Adult size

25 cm (10 in)

Aquarium

80 L or bigger (21 US gal)

Temperament

Predator

Group size

Fine on its own

Swims

Bottom

Diet

Carnivore

Wild home

Lake Xochimilco, Mexico

Good to know

• Delicate. Sensitive to poor water quality.
• Bottom crawler. Walks along the substrate.
• Long fins. An easy target for fin nippers.

Tank mates

Good company: Comet Goldfish, Fancy Goldfish, Rosy Barb.

Will eat: Amano Shrimp, Betta, Black Skirt Tetra, Bloodfin Tetra, Cardinal Tetra, Celestial Pearl Danio, Cherry Barb, Chili Rasbora, Crystal Red Shrimp, Dwarf Gourami, Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish, Ember Tetra and 18 more.

Eaten by: Asian Arowana.

Attacked by: Demasoni Cichlid, Flowerhorn, Jack Dempsey.

Harassed by: Black Skirt Tetra, Pea Puffer, Serpae Tetra, Tiger Barb.

Eats the newborn fry of: Angelfish, Boesemani Rainbowfish, Bristlenose Pleco, Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid, Comet Goldfish, Congo Tetra, Corydoras, Demasoni Cichlid, Discus, Electric Blue Acara, Fancy Goldfish, Firemouth Cichlid and 13 more.

Its fry are eaten by: Angelfish, Black Ghost Knifefish, Electric Blue Acara, Firemouth Cichlid, Flowerhorn, Frontosa, Jack Dempsey, Motoro Stingray, Ornate Bichir, Oscar, Siamese Tigerfish.

Grown ones eat their own newborn fry, so raise the young in another aquarium.

Colours and breeding

• Leucistic epic
• Wild Type epic
• Golden Albino epic
• Melanoid epic
• GFP Glow legendary
• Mosaic mythic

In Aquarius a grown male and female breed in a healthy tank. Their young are born about 1.2 cm long and take after one of the parents.

Some pairs give a colour neither parent has:

• Leucistic × Wild Type can give Melanoid
• Golden Albino × Leucistic can give GFP Glow

Now and then a rare mutation shows up: Mosaic, GFP Glow.

The care values are the ones Aquarius uses, based on how these animals live. Tank mates follow the game's rules: water type, temperature and pH, who can swallow whom, fin nipping, temperament and territory.