What Do Axolotls Eat? [Owner’s Guide]

When I got my first axolotl, I knew very little about them. Let me correct that: I knew NOTHING about them. Their diet, in particular, was a complete mystery to me. So, to keep my axolotl happy and healthy I had to learn!

When I got started, there was very little information available on the internet. I learned how to take care of an axolotl from the few books I could find, and from other axolotl owners. As more blogs and forums about axolotls appeared online, I learned from those resources too.

If you’re reading this post, it’s highly likely that you want to learn what axolotls eat. So, I’ve put together this guide. I will teach you everything I’ve learned about the axolotl’s diet. I hope you find it useful! If you’re in a hurry, here’s the key takeaway (pun intended):

Axolotls are carnivores, i.e. they feed on the flesh of other animals. To keep them happy and healthy, their diet in captivity should mimic their diet in the wild. What do wild axolotls eat? Wild axolotls eat a variety of larvae, worms, insects, mollusks, fish fry, and basically anything small enough to fit in their mouths. Juvenile axolotls are also known to display cannibalistic behavior. Pet axolotls can be fed live prey, frozen prey, and/or dried processed foods.

In the sections below I go into more detail.

You’ll learn:

Table of Contents

What Do Axolotls Eat. Featured Image

What Is the Best Food for Axolotls?

The best food for pet axolotls is food that will mimic the axolotl’s diet in the wild.

There are many types of food that you can give your axolotl that will provide a nutritious and balanced diet, and that your axolotl will love.

Live Axolotl Food

The best type of food for axolotls is without a doubt live prey.

Pros

  • Freshness.
  • High nutritional value.
  • Easiest for your axolotl to find (see and detect).
  • Highest “acceptance” (most appetizing for axolotls).

Cons

  • Short shelf-life (will require frequent trips to the pet shop to buy more).
  • Hardest to store (will die rapidly if not stored properly).
  • Messy (washing off dirt, cutting up into pieces, etc.).
  • Expensive.

Best Live Food For Axolotls

Here are the best types of live food for axolotls, based on my personal experience:

Frozen Axolotl Food

Frozen prey is also a very good feed option for pet axolotls.

Pros

  • Longer shelf-life than live food (fewer trips to pet shop to buy more).
  • Clean (already washed and prepared).
  • Portion control (standardized portions).
  • Cheaper than live/fresh food.

Cons

  • Less nutritious than live food.
  • Harder for your axolotl to find than live food.
  • Lower “acceptance” than live food.

Best Frozen Food For Axolotls

Here are the best types of frozen food for axolotls, based on my personal experience:

  • Frozen bloodworms.
  • Frozen earthworms.
  • Frozen brine shrimp.

Dried Axolotl Food

Dried axolotl foods – and in particular the heavily processed types – are the type of axolotl food I like the least.

Pros

  • Longest shelf-life.
  • Easiest to store.
  • Cheapest.
  • Great backup option (if you run out of fresh/frozen foods).

Cons

  • Least “healthy” option (especially when heavily processed).
  • Hard for your axolotl to find.
  • Low “acceptance”.

Best Dried Foods for Axolotls

Here are the best (or “least unhealthy”) types of dried food for axolotls, based on my personal experience:

  • Dried crickets.
  • Dried brine shrimp.
  • Soft pellets (preferably organic, with a low fat content and no additives).

Occasional Treats

As carnivores, axolotls love meat. So, it’s pretty common to hear about axolotl owners feeding them:

  • Beef (slices of steak or minced meat).
  • Chicken (especially chicken hearts).
  • Pork (little pieces of sausage).
  • Fish.

I’m not a vet, so I can’t say for sure what the potential consequences of feeding axolotls this type of food might be. I assume the key word here is “occasional”.

Chicken hearts are rich in fat, and so is pork. Too much fat may cause digestive problems or cardiovascular issues, for example. If in doubt, I’d always recommend getting professional advice first.

How Often Do Axolotls Eat?

The frequency at which you feed your axolotl will depend on what stage in its life cycle it’s in.

These frequencies are by no means set in stone. They’ve worked for me, but your axolotl’s needs may vary – especially with other criteria such as water temperature, presence of tank mates, health, genetics, etc.

Larvae

A newborn axolotl must be fed every day – or even twice a day – since it is still developing and needs food and resources to grow rapidly.

Juveniles

Juveniles also need to be fed every day – or even twice a day. Juveniles require a lot of food to grow and may attempt to eat their siblings if they’re not fed enough.

Adults

Believe it or not, adult axolotls don’t require that much food. Adults just need to be fed every other day to be happy and healthy.

How Much Should Axolotls Eat?

How much an axolotl will eat will also depend on what stage in its life cycle it’s in.

These quantities are by no means set in stone. They’ve worked for me, but your axolotl’s needs may vary – especially with other criteria such as water temperature, presence of tank mates, health, genetics, etc.

Larvae

Newborn axolotl larvae will eat one or two sprinklings a day of newly hatched brine shrimp, small Daphnia, Moina, and/or micro-worms.

Juveniles

Juveniles will eat approximately one or two teaspoonfuls a day of larger food items such as maggots, bloodworms, cut-up earthworms, or small crickets for example.

Adults

Adults will eat the equivalent of 1 to 3 earthworms once every other day.

Can An Axolotl Be Overfed?

At all costs, axolotls should not be overfed. Overfeeding can cause many issues:

  • Health issues (constipation, impaction, etc.).
  • Water chemistry issues (high ammonia and ammonium levels, fecal matter build up).
  • Financial issues (axolotl food is expensive).

How to Feed Axolotls?

Axolotls can be fed in a number of ways:

  • Handfed with forceps (especially adults).
  • Food can be placed in a container (e.g. bowl) in their tank (great for dead prey such as bloodworms).
  • Food can be sprinkled/dropped into water.

I prefer the first two methods, as it results in less waste. When the food is sprinkled or dropped at random into the tank it can sometimes go unnoticed, and begin to rot and break down. This in turn creates a mess, which if not cleaned up can result in water quality issues.

How Long Can Axolotls Go without Food?

How long an axolotl can go without eating will also depend on what stage in its life cycle it’s in.

These timings are by no means set in stone. They’ve worked for me, but your axolotl’s needs may vary – especially with other criteria such as water temperature, presence of tank mates, health, genetics, etc.

Larvae

Newborn axolotl larvae will need to eat every day, as they are in a rapid growth phase. Not feeding them daily may result in poor health and stunted growth.

Juveniles

Juvenile axolotls will need to eat every day, as they are in a rapid growth phase. Not feeding them daily may result in poor health, stunted growth, and cannibalistic behavior.

Adults

Adult axolotls can relatively easily go up to a week without eating. In certain rare cases, if they are in good health and have been well fed up until that point, they can even go for as long as 10 to 14 days (although that’s pretty extreme and I wouldn’t recommend not feeding them for that long).

What Can Axolotls Not eat?

Axolotls should not be fed the following types of foods (this list is not exhaustive, and there are plenty of other things they shouldn’t be fed):

  • Anything with bones in it (such as larger fish).
  • Big crickets, roaches, or grasshoppers (their hard exoskeletons can cause impaction).
  • Mice, birds, other amphibians, or reptiles.
  • Bread, rice, pasta, biscuits, sweets, fruit, vegetables, etc. (basically most human foods).
  • Heavily processed axolotl foods (even though they’re for axolotls, they’re unhealthy).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Axolotls Eat Cat Food?

Axolotls should not be fed cat food. The composition (ingredients and nutritional breakdown) and consistency of cat food are not designed for axolotls. If axolotls eat cat food they might become ill, choke and/or even die.

Can Axolotls Eat Dog Food?

Axolotls should not be fed dog food. The composition (ingredients and nutritional breakdown) and consistency of dog food are not designed for axolotls. If axolotls eat dog food they might become ill, choke and/or even die.

Can Axolotls Eat Goldfish Food?

Axolotls should not be fed goldfish food. The composition (ingredients and nutritional breakdown) and consistency of goldfish food are not designed for axolotls. If axolotls eat goldfish food they might become ill, choke and/or even die.

Glen

Hello and welcome to Pets From Afar. I'm Glen. My daughter Siri and I are mad about axolotls. I created this website to document our findings and experiences, as we learn more about these amazing amphibians. Follow along and enjoy the fun!

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