Feeding your Axolotl
Just like for people and other pets, diet and nutrition are one of the most important aspects of life. Research into diet for amphibians such as salamanders and therefore Axolotl has been relatively sparse and much of it varies from keeper to keeper. Since Axolotl have been studied in cellular research facilities they have been monitored more closely and had some professional consideration given to nutrient requirements, amounts of food and at what stages different types of food items are best.
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In this section I have compiled information from reference texts, forums and the knowledge of keepers (myself and others) to give some insight as to a well-rounded Axolotl diet. I have also included some useful resources and how to instructions for keeping and growing your own live food items should it be something that interests you.
Dietary Needs & Food Options
Commercially Available Foods
There are many types of frozen foods available such as bloodworms, brine shrimp (BBS and normal), tilapia, beef heart, etc. I have tried all of these at least once and put together a quick overview of each, since I found the world of foods a lot to wade through when I initially started keeping Axies!
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A brief look at these foods is as follows:
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Bloodworms: The most common frozen Axolotl food in general market, fish and amphibians everywhere enjoy bloodworms. While earthworms are the ideal staple bloodworms will do well, especially with juveniles and can be given with frequency. Even the pickiest eater will go for frozen bloodworms with gusto! These make a big mess and should be fed in a container outside of the tank, in a feeding jar in the tank or with some other kind of device like a strategically placed feeding cone if possible.
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The two brands of Bloodworms you tend to see at Petsmart, PetValu etc are San Fransico Bay and Hikari. Nutritional information on the two is available-
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Hikari website (http://www.hikariusa.com/products/bi...lood_worms.php):
Ingredients: Blood worms, water, beta carotene, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (stabilized vitamin C), riboflavin, thiamine mono-nitrate, biotin, choline chloride, folic acid, pantothenic acid, inositol, niacin.
San Francisco Bay Brand blood worms (http://www.sfbb.com/product_popup.as...loodworms&id=2)
Ingredients: Bloodworms
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I suggest Hikari due to the additional nutrients they provide your Axolotl. They can be purchased in cubes as blister packs or in sheets, and come in varying worm sizes.
Many keepers, especially those here in Canada opt to buy commercially prepared frozen, gel foods or pellet foods for their Axolotl.
Brine Shrimp: These are a high nutrient value food item and are a suitable main course when mixed with other acceptable food items for variety.
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Sold in frozen blister pack cubes or in sheets as bloodworms are, brine shrimp can easily be stored in a freezer and kept as part of a frozen diet rotation.
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Eggs are available as well so the brine shrimp can be hatched out and fed to larval Axolotl who will only accept live foods until they reach 1.5". Already hatched BBS (baby brine shrimp) do come in a frozen cube format as well.
Tilapia: You can find this fish in either freshwater or saltwater varieties at local grocery stores. Most often frozen, it is also sold fresh where geographical locations permit. It is highly advised that you feed freshwater Tilapia only as the saltwater fish can have traces of salts and minerals in concentrations your Axolotl will not do well with.
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Tilapia is frequently fed to large predatory fish like Arowana, Bichirs, Gars etc. As part of an Axie diet it is sorely lacking in Vitamin A and Calcium and should be used as a rare treat item only. Be sure to thoroughly wash Tilapia before feeding and cut it into small pieces no bigger than the size of pellet your Axolotl could eat. Remove any uneaten fish promptly as it fouls the water very quickly.
Note: Food and appetite can be a valuable indicator of health in your Axolotl. In this photo of Nova you will notice her gills are a bright red. Pale gills can happen when your axie is still and resting for long periods of time OR when they're ill, but feeding your axie should cause their gills to flush with blood and turn bright red. If they don't they may need some monitoring and water tests to be on the safe side.
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Tip: Noticing your Axolotl is in good health but less interested in their daily feedings? If your temperature is lower (16 C) and/or your pet is over 1 year it may be time to switch to feedings every second day as opposed to daily.
Beef Heart: This used to be considered the staple food for Axolotl kept in captivity, but of course is not any longer. In Peter W Scott's book "Axolotls: Care and Breeding in Captivity" he cites beef heart as his food of choice and it is one of the few things in this book that didn't stand the test of time. After study it was determined that Beef Heart is too fatty/oily and leads to issues with the liver. Some given rarely as a finely diced treat helps add variety to your Axolotl's diet but it must be removed shortly after feeding as it decays and dirties tank water quickly.
Gel Food
I am a huge fan of gel foods for fish and unfortunately I haven't been able to find a gel food marketed for Axolotl specifically (come on Repashy, we're counting on you!). There are 2 different kinds of commercially available gel powders that could be used for Axolotl however, both sold by the reputable company Repashy. This company makes complete diet formulas for many reptiles and fish (they even have one for Pleco's- Morning Wood ha ha) and both "Meat Pie" for fish and "Grub Pie" for Fish & Amphibians could potentially form a big chunk of your axies diet.
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Nutrient guaranteed analysis for each is:
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Grub Pie- Crude Protein min. 40%, Crude Fat min. 12%, Crude Fiber max. 15%, Moisture max. 10%, Ash max. 12%, Calcium min. 1.5%.
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Meat Pie- Crude Protein min. 55%, Crude Fat min. 8%, Crude Fiber max. 5%, Moisture max. 8%, Ash max. 11%
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Repashy products are not usually available in chain pet stores (though I have seen pet smart start carrying them for reptiles at select locations) and will generally only be found in aquarium specialty stores or via online orders through Amazon.ca etc.
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Can't beat fresh! Live foods retain all of their nutrients and are some of the best options for staples in an Axolotl diets. Earthworms are a nutritionally complete base food for adult Axolotl and when you add some bloodworms and brine shrimp you should have a healthy, well rounded meal plan. Axolotl larvae thrive on Baby Brine Shrimp (BBS), and need them fed live every few hours. Daphnia are a good addition to the diet of larvae but are generally unnoticed by larger adult Axolotl. Blackworms are a great appetite stimulant and excellent nutrition for your Axie but they are generally cultured at home and are rarely for sale in a pet store setting.
Frozen Food
Raised and Cultured Live Foods
1) Earthworms
Brine Shrimp are tiny Crustaceans who have the ability to lay eggs that can go dormant (sometimes called cysts). These are an absolutely vital live food for fish-keepers and Axolotl hobbyists alike. The "fry" stage of fish and larval stage of most aquatic animals will require freshly hatched baby brine shrimp (referred to in the hobby as BBS) from hatching until at least a few weeks old. BBS eggs can be purchased at specialty aquarium stores, or ordered online. If neither of these are options for you because you don't have access to shipping services or stores nearby check in your local buy/sell groups, aquarium clubs etc... another keeper may have some on hand to sell. Any aquatic breeder i've dealt with, from african cichlids to african frogs has had to set up a home culture of BBS to nurture their newly hatched stock.
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Axolotl larvae will ONLY eat moving prey items for the first few weeks of life (they must reach 1" long). This basically limits you to fresh live BBS or Daphnia. I've read in the rearing section on "Axolotl.org" that Axolotl with their front legs will express interest in micro worms but haven't met anyone who went this route and I can't speak to it personally- I have only ever cultured BBS when I was breeding Thai Ranchu Goldfish.
Pellet Food
A trusted medium used in pet food trade, pellet foods are available for Axolotl. There are brands and product marketed specifically towards Axies and others formulated for Amphibians or fish that have nutrient content suitable for our uses. Many pellets marketed for Axolotl are simply repackaged salmon feed which is typically a good nutritional match. Make sure when buying pellets to go with sinking over floating and soft pellets as opposed to harder ones!
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Novolotl
Analytical components:
Crude protein 44%
Crude fat 12%
Crude fibre 1.5 %
Crude ash 8%
Novolotl XL
Analytical components:
Crude protein 36%
Crude fat 10%
Crude fibre 1.50%
Crude ash 8%
Hikari Massivore Delite:
Guaranteed Analysis-
Crude Protein min. 47%
Crude Fat min. 5.0%
Crude Fiber max. 3.0%
Moisture max. 10%
Ash max. 17%
Phosphorus min.1.0%
Tetra ReptoMin Plus (Floating Sticks):
Guaranteed Analysis-
Crude Protein min. 45.0%
Crude Fat min. 8.5%
Crude Fiber max. 2.0%
Moisture max. 8.0%
Phosphorus min. 1.6%
Calcium min. 2.0%
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) min. 100mg/kg
Note: I've added some information about specific pellet foods that I have seen here in Canada. I did not include the NLS brand of food as it received subpar reviews (clouded the water, too hard etc.) compared to Massivore. The Tetra Reptomin sticks are great nutritionally but whether or not Axolotl will take them appears to be on a case to case basis.
The diagram above is a rough explanation of setting up your own growbox. I have one myself for Canadian Nightcrawlers but other varieties such as red wrigglers are easier to breed and raise. You should start your growbox in the spring when you can supplement your supply of food from worms in your own garden as it take a large amount of worms and a good amount of time to establish a colony large enough to keep more than 1 adult Axolotl in food. I started mine in November and will have to replenish them come January- my boys will eat full grown nightcrawlers faster than they are born and grow to maturity in my growbox. Come spring I can expand my growbox with different varieties or feed found worms to my axies and allow the growbox colony to mature.
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Be sure to research and identify what species of earthworm you are trying to cultivate as their humidity and temperature needs can vary. Mine are fed eggshells for calcium, sweet potato and carrot peelings, apple and orange peels and varous other compost items. I dust these vegetable and fruit leavings with a amphibian vitamin mix to ward off "Metabolic Bone Disease" but properly gut loaded earthworms should'nt require this extra step.
2) Baby Brine Shrimp (Artemia, BBS)
If possible your Axolotl will do best on a chemical free, gut-loaded earthworm a day. Bait shops and hunting/rec stores tend to sell these albeit only in season in some cases. There are some things to be careful of such as: make sure you are not gathering or buying earthworms raised in soil that contains pesticides, fertilizers or other chemicals, check that none of the sold worms are treated with sedatives before sale, and be sure to "gut-load"( feed) the worms for a couple days on table scraps before giving them to your Axolotl. Do not de-vein (strip) them before feeding.
Above: These are the BBS eggs I used last and found their hatch rate to be approximately 65-70%. Hatch rate is a common measurement of the quality, so be sure to check product reviews and customer comments before ordering BBS for the first time.
Setting up a Baby Brine Shrimp Hatchery:
I didn't take any photos when I last had a hatchery set up and I prefer to use photos of my own processes and make diagrams so instead of doing a full setup walk through I will link to Brine Shrimp Direct's page called "Hatching Brine Shrimp Cysts" it literally covers everything from the point where you receive your eggs (storage, shelf life etc), through setting up the hatchery, right up to when you feed the BBS to your fry or larvae. Fantastic photos and diagrams- this page is what I used as a resource my first time. I also watched a youtube video by a goldfish breeder I love, SolidGold (see below) as i'm a visual learner when attempting projects.
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Have fun with it! If you loved sea monkeys as a child, a brine shrimp hatchery is the task for you!
3) Live Daphnia (Moina)
A suitable second food option for newly hatched Axolotl larvae are live Daphnia. These are small planktonic crustaceans come in a variety of species and sizes, the majority of which feed primarily by filtering bacteria, algae and other particles out of the water column. A common species of Daphnia fed to Axie hatchlings is D. magna. If you are looking to get your hands on some of these little critters you should check your local aquatics specialty store or ask you local hobbyists if anyone has a culture of them running. You should avoid collecting Daphnia from outdoor sources as they can carry illnesses with them into your tank.
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If you're starting a culture of D. magna there are some facts you should know to start. This species alternates between asexual (doesn't need a male/female gender combo, can reproduce independently) and sexual (standard male and female genetic contribution) reproduction. The whole process from eggs carried in the Daphnia's body to release into the water is completed in 4 days and the D. magna mature fully in 5-10 days. As they replicate so quickly they can be a reliable constant food source for a breeder, though they are nutritionally inferior to BBS.
Above: Diagram of Reproduction methods used by D. magna
Above: The Wikipedia page on D. magna. is something to read If you're ever interested in delving further into the science of water ecology or benthos and micro life as an indicator of toxicology.
As with BBS, the topic of storage, food for your Daphnia and how to culture them could fill it's own page. Instead of writing a page on it myself, as it would be purely theoretical (i've only purchased live Daphnia, never grown them on my own) I will instead refer you on to some excellent resources written by folks with much more experience on the topic than I.
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The Minnesota Killie Keepers Association (MKKA) has published a fantastic page "Daphnia Culture Made Simple"- written by Doug Sweet, Superintendent at London State Fish Hatchery, Ohio Division of Wildlife. The information is also available in a downloadable .pdf. I especially appreciate that it goes over all of the need to know stuff in a comprehensive, conversational manner without being watered down but then there is an Addendum by the Author that feels like an informal research paper.
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Again for you visual learners I'm adding a great youtube tutorial by "The Cichlid Show". It gives good image aids to the video as it goes and details tank parameters and maintenance routines etc.
Blackworms (Lumbriculus)
Step 1: Fill your container (aquarium or tub) with 2-3" of spring water. Step 2: Using a Pipette add a small amount of healthy blackworms to the water. Step 3: Lay your brown paper towel one layer thick across the whole bottom of your container. Step 4: Add a few pieces of crushed high quality food pellets/spirulina discs to the containers water. Ta Da!
Materials:
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-Live Blackworms
-A small aquarium or plastic tub
-Air Pump (tubing, stone, valve etc.)
-High quality fish food/algae (spirulina) pellets
-Spring Water (Approximately 1-2 gallons)
-Paper Towel (Brown)
-Single use pipettes
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The final live food option that i'll mention is Blackworms or Lumbriculus. In my opinion this is one of the easier cultures to create and maintain. These worms are another that can reproduce asexually via fragmentation resulting in a 3-4 week doubling period for the population.
Of course there are some very important advisements to keep in mind here! Be very cautious to keep the water clean as things like dying worms, overfeeding or not performing water changes often enough can foul the water in the culture and cause mass die off. Water changes should be performed every 2 weeks by siphoning the water off of the top, rinsing the deteriorated paper towel and healthy worms with fresh spring water, siphoning that out and then refilling it to the original water level with spring water. Make sure to add some fresh brown paper towel at this time.
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Note: It is suggested that you keep two cultures at once especially if you are relying on them as a primary food source for your Axolotl, fish etc.
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Now I have done this once or twice myself on a whim but have always kept Axolotls and fish on a small enough scale that maintaining cultures especially in a small space, never seemed worth it for me for very long. There is much more to learn than i've written here so as with BBS and Daphnia I will leave a how-to video here for you with some good links for further reading!
Above is a super informative how-to video by CichlidGarden on setting up and culturing your own blackworms.
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Some useful further reading can be found here:
-Fishkeeping Tips 13: Culturing Blackworms (http://www.selectaquatics.com/ft_13%20Blackworm%20Culturing.htm)
-The Planted Tank Forum had "Dr.Tran" make a sticky that you can view here (http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/88-shrimp-other-invertebrates/57247-culturing-tubifex-blackworms.html)
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and my personal favorite
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-Culturing Lumbriculus by Charlie Drewes, a professor at Iowa State University (http://www.eeob.iastate.edu/faculty/DrewesC/htdocs/LVCULT.htm)
Feeding Regimens and Frequency
Above: Tormund (13 months) takes down a medium nighcrawler for his evening feeding.
An Axolotl's dietary needs between the point where they are a freshly hatched larvae and a fully grown, mature adult can change drastically. In this final section of the Dietary Needs and Food Options page i'll go over some general guidelines for feeding amounts and frequency.
Please keep in mind that each Axolotl is an individual and your pets appetite may vary, depending on a multitude of factors such as: age, growth rate, tank temperature, healing/regeneration, breeding season, egg laying, stress or illness.
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A good rule of thumb for a healthy pet is body condition- if your Axolotl's middle is the same width as its head, chances are it is getting what it needs.
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Most Axolotl will eat until they are full and don't refuse food for more than a day or so except for extenuating circumstance. Be sure to pay attention to this useful indicator of health!
Feeding Hatchlings (from eggs to legs)
This is one of the most difficult periods to feed Axolotl in! For the first 24-72 hours, like many aquatic animals do when freshly hatched, Axolotl larvae consume their yolk sac and will not nessecarily need food added to the water.
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A this point baby Axolotl WILL ONLY EAT LIVE MOVING FOOD. This is where having had BBS eggs in the freezer will come in very handy! Once you have hatched out your BBS you can rinse them by putting them in a container of clean water. You can use a flashlight to "lure" the BBS to one area, then use a pipette to suck some up and feed them to your hatchlings! I make sure i'm cleaning the baby Axolotls water and re-feeding every 8 hours or so, 12 hours maximum.
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If you are using Daphnia or microworms make sure they are available on a consistent basis and that they are gut loaded with nutritious food before feeding them to the babies. At 3cms most larval Axolotl will begin taking tiny pieces of trout pellets, and frozen thawed food items. Once the front legs grow increase feeding item sizes, and once you see the back legs you can feed the axie twice a day with a regime that you will maintain until they are about a year old (see below).
Feeding your Juvenile
This is the stage where I really paid the most attention to my animals appetites and experimented with different types of food, quantities and feeding frequency.
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Younger Juveniles (just sprouted their back legs to about 4" long) I give a diet of primarily blood worms, fed 1 cube per Axolotl once or twice daily, depending on how much they would eat. If my juvie seemed able to only eat about 1 cube a day I would thaw the bloodworms in a small resealable container in the morning and give half then and the other half 8 hours later. I have found that smaller more frequent feedings in young juveniles promoted growth, healing and minimized agression/nipping between tank mates. This age bracket is also where I try to introduce pieces of frozen brine shrimp cubes, pellet food and chopped earthworms as well.
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Axolotl juveniles between 4" and 8" I give 50/50 earth worms and bloodworms in alteration. Ideally 1 day a week I give a messy treat or variety item like frozen brine shrimp (I usually make treat day the day before water change day).
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At 12 months old some of my Axolotl started occasionally refusing food until the next day and seemed to prefer being on a "fed every second day" meal plan which is common at maturity.
Photos by K. Smith
Feeding A Mature Adult
All of my Axolotl so far have been sexually mature and over 7" at 1 year old. For me, this is the point where is switch to what will be my every day standard feeding schedule. I feed half of a large or XL nightcrawler per Axolotl every night at lights out. If they refuse a feeding I just fridge the worm and try the next day. I could (and have in instances where Im on a weekend away etc.) feed each adult Axolotl a whole nightcrawler each every second day but I find mine seem calmer and I have no nips or injuries if they are fed smaller amounts more frequently. I feel like Axolotl get "hangry" just like people and so long as they have something in their stomachs they seem to be at their best.
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Once a week I give a messy frozen food item or treat item for variety, again the night before water change day.
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Every two weeks I have a "rest day", usually the day after a water change that includes filter maintenance or after a new introduction where I don't feed for a day. It's a holdover practice from when I kept Ranchu. In my experience this gives a day to dedicate to moving along digestion.
Above: Lucius (18 months) mid gill regrowth, gulping down an XL nightcrawler.
Some Reasons Your Axolotl might not be eating:
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If more than 2 or 3 days passes and the Axolotl is still refusing food there may be cause for concern. Some things to consider if your Axie is off it's usual regimen are...
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Temperature- heat will cause illness and stress in an Axolotl and put it off food, temperatures that are too cold will slow it's metabolism to the point where it won't need to eat very often (fridging is an extreme example)
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Breeding Season- Mating females may sometimes go off their food for a few days around the laying. Females reabsorbing eggs often go off their food for a few days as well.
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Stress- Some Axolotl will refuse food for a couple days after transportation due to stress. Keep the tank dark and cool and try the first feeding 24-48 hours after bringing home a new arrival.
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Illness- Poor water quality, overcrowding, injury, parasites or infections can cause your pet to go off of it's food. If your Axolotl isn't eating and it isn't likely due to one of the more benign reasons above than you should do some reading on the "Illness" page to see if it's lack of appetite may have a cause that needs medication or treatment.