Axolotl
Ambystoma mexicanum · Mexican Walking Fish
The cool-water oddball that breaks every fish rule
The axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) is a neotenic salamander from the lake complex around Mexico City that keeps its larval form — feathery gills, finned tail, fully aquatic — for its entire life. In a home tank it's kept as a solo, cool-water showpiece: no heater, no gravel big enough to swallow, and no fish tankmates. Hobbyists are drawn to them for their expressive faces, their famous ability to regenerate lost limbs and gills, and their 10–15 year lifespan — the same things that make them very different from any fish on this site.
- Tank size
- 20 gallons (75 L) for one, 30+ gallons (110 L) for a pair
- Temperature
- 16–18°C (60–64°F), never above 22°C (72°F)
- pH
- 7.4–7.6
- Hardness
- 7–14 dGH, moderately hard
- Temperament
- Solitary; no fish tankmates
- Diet
- Carnivore; earthworms, blackworms, sinking axolotl pellets
- Max size
- 23–30 cm (9–12 in)
- Lifespan
- 10–15 years
- Origin
- Lake Xochimilco, Mexico
Behavior
Axolotls rest on the bottom most of the day, yawn, gulp air at the surface, and come alive at feeding time. This section covers normal behavior, signs of a happy axolotl, and what stress looks like when water quality or temperature is off.