Did you know that wild axolotls are on the verge of extinction due to habitat loss, pollution, and overfishing?

Thousands of them, however, live in home aquariums around the world. In fact, they’re one of the most in-demand pets in the United States, which isn’t surprising, given how cute and hardy they are. 

Are you thinking of getting a baby axolotl? Want to know how to care for these tiny creatures?

Because that’s exactly what we’ll be going over in this post. Keep reading for an axolotl care guide!

Tank Set-Up

Axolotl babies can be kept together while they’re still in their larval stage. Once they start growing, however, you’ll need to set up different axolotl tanks for them.

For example, you can keep them in plastic or glass containers. Just make sure that there’s enough water so that they’re covered by at least two inches.

It’s also important to note that not all of them will develop at the same pace; some may also be different colors than others (view these baby axolotls for an example). Given that, it’s best to separate them based on size, rather than color or age, and provide hiding spots for your axolotl.

And try to limit the number of baby axolotls in each container—that’ll help reduce cannibalistic incidents.

Feeding Baby Axolotls

Baby axolotls are ready to be fed within 48 to 72 hours after hatching. Given how little they are, the food must be very small in size.

It must also be live food as they rely on movement to detect food while they’re in their larval stage. For example, you can feed them daphnia, microworms, or freshly hatched baby brine shrimp.

Once they’ve grown to a little under an inch in size, you can introduce other foods such as blood worms and black worms. You can also give them axolotl food such as sinking pellets.

How often should you feed them? Once or twice a day while they’re still developing. Once they’re adults, you can feed them every two to three days.

Proper Water Parameters 

Baby axolotls are different from adults in that they require warmer water (70 to 72°F); this will increase their metabolism, which will help them grow faster.

They’re also sensitive to water quality so it’s crucial that you perform water changes, ideally once every day.

We also recommend using a sponge filter to clean your aquarium tank. While they aren’t great for adults, they’re great for larvae as there’s no risk of sucking them up.

And if you can, try to keep the pH between 7.4 and 7.6. They also prefer slightly harder water.

Knowing How to Care For a Baby Axolotl

Now you know how to care for a baby axolotl! If anything, they’re quite delicate, especially when they’re in their larval stage. With proper care, however, they’ll grow into adults quickly.

Did you find this guide helpful? Looking for more pet-related articles like this? Then be sure to check out the rest of our blog!