When I first got into axolotls, I had no idea how important the Axolotl diet really was. These charming, alien-like amphibians won my heart with their playful demeanor and odd yet cute appearance. Since they come from the cool waters of Mexico and are now kept in home aquariums worldwide, it’s crucial to understand their nutritional needs.
Whether you’re new to these unique pets or a seasoned pet enthusiast, this article will discuss the primary types of food they should be fed. Based on my experience and what I’ve learned over the years, earthworms are the best option—they’ve long been considered the most complete in terms of nutritional content.
This short guide will help you navigate what to feed your axolotl at every life stage, from babies and juveniles to adults, so you can be sure you’re providing the right diet for your little underwater buddy.
What Food is Best For Your Axolotl? – Answer
Feeding axolotls the right food is crucial for their health at every stage. Earthworms are the best, safest, and most complete option, while other foods like brine shrimp, blackworms, and white worms work well as supplements, especially for young axolotls. Avoid fatty meats, dried foods, and poorly balanced pellets as they can cause serious health issues like constipation or organ damage. Keeping their diet simple and natural is the key to helping them thrive
Axolotl Babies: A Delicate Start on Food
Caring for baby axolotls means understanding that their dietary needs are very different from their older counterparts. When my first axolotl babies hatched, I noticed their tiny mouths couldn’t handle normal food, so I had to be extra careful.
Brine shrimp, also sold as Sea Monkeys, turned out to be an excellent choice. They’re small enough to digest, rich in essential nutrients, and support healthy growth during this early stage. Another option I tried was Daphnia, or water fleas, which are a great source of protein and fat.
Some friends recommended live blackworms because of their nutritional profile, but they were notoriously difficult to source and quite expensive. Still, they’re a popular pick due to their perfect size for little ones.
I learned to remember to feed them 2 times a day, since their metabolic rate is really high at this point. Every detail matters when you’re helping larvae become strong young axolotls.
Juvenile Axolotls: Transitioning Diet and Food
As axolotls grow, their dietary needs naturally change, especially during the juvenile stage when they’re typically around 2 to 5 inches in length. At this point, they start consuming larger food items like small earthworms.
From my own experience, european nightcrawlers are the best option—they’re a rich source of protein, vitamins, and minerals, and they fit well into a proper Axolotl feeding schedule. I usually feed them once daily, making sure the worms are cut to a safe size to prevent choking and allow easy digestion.
Some people ask, will axolotls eat fish, but honestly, worms like nightcrawlers for axolotl are safer, more nutritious, and less risky overall. Just always ensure the portion is right for their age and size.
Adult Axolotls: Steady and Nutrient-Rich Food
Once axolotls are fully-grown, their diet becomes more stable, but keeping it nutritious and varied is still key to long-term health. In my experience, earthworms—especially European Nightcrawlers—are the gold standard when it comes to axolotl food for adults.
These worms have high protein content and are usually readily accepted by most adult axolotls. I always make sure to offer them chopped to an appropriate size, so they’re easy to eat. Over time, they become a trusted staple in the feeding routine, and honestly, nothing beats watching a healthy axolotl enjoy its meal.
Additional Axolotl Foods
When it comes to feeding, Axolotl diets can be successfully varied to support different growth stages and health needs. Many axolotl keepers, including myself, learn over time that not all foods work equally well.
Some foods may be occasionally supplemented, especially for hatchlings, but the nutritional benefits and potential detriments must always be considered. I’ve found that using a smart mix of under-researched crustaceans and traditional worm options keeps things balanced without risking their health.
Looking at the nutritional content, some of the best additional food options I’ve used include tubifex (46.1% Protein, 15.1% Fat) and blackworms (47.8% Protein, 20.1% Fat). These are primary high-protein diet choices often preferred for hatchling axolotls.
I’ve also added brine shrimp, white worms, and bloodworms in excess at times, and surprisingly, my axolotls seemed healthier. The reason may be tied to the correct calcium to phosphorus ratio, which is 2:1, something axolotls require for proper bone growth.
Many crustaceans like springtails, scuds, and isopods are also a popular choice due to their high levels of calcium. However, I’ve learned that they must be fed with care. Because of their high fiber and chitin, they can cause internal impaction if not given in moderation.
So, when adding anything new to your axolotl’s diet, always double-check that it supports their needs and doesn’t increase risk.
Common Names for Worm Species and How to Identify Them
Worms come in many shapes, colors, and sizes, and not every worm is right for your axolotl. Knowing the name and appearance of each type makes feeding safer and easier. If you want to know more details about worms and their species, visit this content on Worms & nightcrawlers for axolotl.
- Lumbricus terrestris – These are long and thick worms that serve as a perfect protein source for axolotls.
- Aporrectodea caliginosa / Allolobophora chlorotica – These are small, light-colored worms that are easy to handle for beginners.
- Eisenia hortensis – Slightly larger reddish worms that stay active and visible during feeding.
- Eisenia fetida – Also known as red wigglers, these are small, soft worms that axolotls eat easily.
- Eudrilus eugeniae – These are large, purple-shaded worms ideal for axolotls with bigger appetites.
- Perionyx excavatus – Small and colorful worms that are a lightweight and easy-to-digest option for young axolotls.
Tubifex and Blackworms: A Starter Favorite
When my young axolotls started growing legs, I knew it was time to switch from microfoods to something more nutritious yet still soft enough to eat. Tubifex and blackworms became my go-to choice—they’re similar in care, easy to cultured at room temperature or cool water, and thrive in a gravel substrate.
I kept them in a tub with fresh water in the refrigerator, and I made sure to rinse them with dechlorinated water daily to keep things clean. I’d use a turkey baster to feed them directly, especially to hatchling axolotls who were too small to handle cut up earthworms.
These worms meet the best culturing requirements and are perfect when you’re waiting for your axie to get big enough for more solid foods. I also learned that live Tubifex are unavailable in the US as of 2023, but luckily, blackworms work just as well.
Don’t forget to perform water changes frequently, especially when using live food, to avoid tank issues. While these worms don’t reproduce by typical means, some hobbyists mention splicing methods to grow cultures longer.
Perfect Starter: White Worms for Young Axies
When my young axolotls were still hatchlings and under 4 months of age, I found that white worms were one of the best foods to feed them. These tiny worms are easy to harvest if you place food on a grate like embroidery backing, which makes them simple to collect using tongs.
I always rinse them in clean water before feeding, and I noticed they grow well when cultured at a temperature between 55°-70°F using coco coir, worm castings, or organic top soil as the substrate.
To keep them healthy, I feed them moist or soaked grains, and let the food mold just a bit before removal. Over time, if the bedding becomes too moist and they start to climb the walls of the enclosure, it’s time to change the setup.
Tiny Swimmers for Tiny Mouths: Daphnia/Scuds
When my newly hatched axolotls first arrived, the best choice for feeding them was baby daphnia and brine shrimp—they’re small enough for even new hatchlings to eat easily. As they grow into larger hatchlings, I start using regular daphnia, even adult daphnia, since they can handle bigger bites.
I always cultured them in cool or room temperature water, and made sure they had a steady photoperiod of 16 hours per day. For setup, I used a cycled tank with a seeded sponge filter to keep things clean and stable.
I would feed them a mix of yeast and spirulina powder in minimal amounts, and performed regular water changes to manage Nitrates, especially when it reached 10 ppm.
Small Crawlers with Big Nutrition: Springtails & Isopods
When my adult axolotls reached around 15 cm (6 inches) or larger, I started to feed them isopods, which are one of the best natural food options. For smaller ones—at least 5 cm (2 inches) long—springtails work really well too.
I usually culture both on coco coir, clay, or soil, and make sure to feed them detritus that’s rich in nutrients like old grain and small amounts of rotten fruit. To keep their diet balanced, I also add calcium supplements like cuttlebone, snail shells, or fish bones.
For harvest, I grab the isopods with tongs or catch them with my hands, while for springtails, I use a clever trick: lifting a piece of hardscape with them on it, holding it above a collection container, and tapping gently until they fall off.
A Quick Treat: Bloodworms for Growing Axies
Bloodworms can be fed to any axolotl that’s older than a hatchling, but they’re not the best for everyday meals. I usually feed them only as a treat since they have low nutritional value. They’re commonly sourced frozen because their life cycle ends as an adult midge fly. Before feeding, I always thaw them in a cup of water and offer just a little sparingly.
Foods to Avoid or Feed Rarely
Through a lot of trial and error, I tested different foods to bring variety to my axolotl’s diet, but not everything worked well. There’s been mixed success with feeding things other than earthworms, which are still considered the primary food source for all axolotls.
Some meat options are too fatty, and offering dried food too often may lead to constipation or even impaction. Foods that don’t meet protein, calcium, and overall nutritional requirements are simply inadequate for a sustained diet and should be given sparingly or not at all.
Pellet options like Hikari Sinking Carnivore Pellets and Rangen Salmon Pellets may seem balanced but come with risks. Hikari has 47% Protein, 5% Fat, while Rangen offers 45% Protein, 18% Fat, but both have N/A Calcium % and can cause constipation, bloating, obesity, and impaction.
Other choices like Feeder fish (with 15.75% Protein, 3.34% Fat) can result in Thinaminese toxicity, leading to vitamin B deficiency, seizures, and scoliosis, depending on the species. Even seemingly healthy foods like Repashy Grub Pie (43% Protein, 10% Fat, 1.4% Calcium) may carry minimal risk but are made from black soldier fly larvae, which can be too fibrous for continual usage.
I’ve also tried Beef products (76.9% Protein, 20% Fat, 0.03% Calcium) and Salmon (63.5% Protein, 34.2% Fat, 0.039% Calcium), but they caused issues like diarrhea, excessive uric acid production, visceral gout, renal failure, and calcium deficiency.
The calcium-phosphorus balance in many of these is inappropriate, making them dangerous to feed. Some snacks like Neocaridina shrimp have minimal nutritional information and should be fed as a treat only. No matter what, earthworms—as long as they’re parasite-free and disease-free—remain the best and safest daily choice, with additional snacks used very rarely.
Conclusion
Feeding your axolotl the right food is key to keeping it healthy and happy. After trying many options, I’ve learned that earthworms are the most nutritionally complete and safest choice for axolotls of all ages. While foods like brine shrimp, blackworms, and white worms are great during early growth, they should only supplement the diet. Many other options—like fatty meats, dried foods, or poorly balanced pellets—can cause serious problems like constipation, vitamin deficiencies, or even organ damage. So, keeping it simple and natural is the best way to make sure your axolotl thrives.
FAQs
What is the best food for an axolotl?
When I first started feeding my axolotl, I thought it would be tough, but it’s actually easy once you know what works. These creatures enjoy meat-based food, and out of everything I tried, earthworms became their top favorites. I’ve also used redworms, which are great for variety. Some days, I give them standard frozen treats made for carnivorous fish, which they love. But the real game-changer? Sinking pellets specifically designed for axolotls—they’re available in abundant supply on the market and should make up the bulk of their diet.
What do axolotls love in their tank?
From my experience, axolotls love to live in aquariums that stay cool or at a steady room-temperature. The water should be clean and calm with low lighting, which keeps them relaxed. Each individual axolotl does best when it has at least 10-gallons of space, especially if kept in small groups. A simple aquarium pump helps with circulation, and you honestly don’t need any special equipment—just some basic setup and gentle care to keep them peaceful and healthy.
What will make my axolotl happy?
To keep my axolotl truly happy, I always try to increase oxygen levels using a sponge filter or an air stone, which helps the tank stay fresh. I also feed live food regularly for optimal nutrition—they get excited every time! To make them feel safe, I provide little hides where they can relax in comfort. I’ve added programmable lighting to mimic day-night cycles, and I constantly monitor the tank temperature with a reliable thermometer. If any aggression occurs, I make sure to separate my axolotls right away to avoid stress.
What do axolotls drink?
When my tiny axolotls, like Moscato, were still small, I always fed them live brine shrimp to keep their health strong. I gave it to them three times a day, but it was sometimes hard to find. So, I switched to frozen brine instead. I’d take a chunk, let it sit in warm water to dissolve, and then squirt the soft mixture near their mouth using a dropper or turkey baster. They don’t actually drink water like we do—instead, they absorb what they need through their skin and gills while staying in fresh water.
