Many people think that axolotls are aggressive with each other and shouldn’t be housed in the same tank. There are some important rules to follow when keeping tank mates but axolotls are not typically aggressive (just aggressive eaters).
Don’t:
- House axolotls that are more than 1 inch apart in size. Axolotls have poor eyesight and will chomp at anything that moves thinking that it is potential food. Axolotls that vary greatly in size could sustain injury by accidental bites or if one axolotl is very small, might result in death or….being eaten entirely.
- House males and females together. – Males will push a female to constantly breed and will harm her health in the long run. Constant badgering and egg production can make for a pretty unhealthy axolotl.
- Housing multiple axolotls in too small of an enclosure. – Axolotls need to start out with at least 20 gallons (the bigger the tank footprint the better – so pick a 20 gal long over a standard 20 gal) and add an additional 10 gallons per axolotl. So if you have 3 axolotls it would be best to have them in a 40 gallon breeder tank (long and low tank).
Do:
- Keep axolotls of the same size and the same sex.
- Have places for them to hide and feel comfortable.
- Have clean and cool water.
- Feed them a proper diet (hungry axolotls are far more likely to have accidental nips and bites)
- Give them the space that they need.
Vegas Axolotls 