The Axolotl - Mexican Walking Fish

By KimmyM
 

Albino Mexican Walking Fish - Axolotl © KimmyM
 
Common name: Mexican Walking Fish or Axolotl
 
Scientific name Ambystoma mexicanum
 
Origin: Lake Xochimilco, Mexico
 
Temperature: 14 and 20°C (57-68°F)
 
Ease of keeping: Medium
 
Aggressiveness: Highly Aggressive
 
Lighting: No specific needs
 
Adult Size: Up to 30cm - 12 Inches
 
Minimum Tank Size: 15 Gallons
 
Feeding: Beef Heart, Liver, Any kind of meat
 
Extra Comments:
 
As the name "Mexican Walking Fish" suggests that the Axolotl is a fish, it is not, it is an Amphibian and is actually the larval stage of the Salamander, which has not developed into a salamander because of the water conditions it has been kept in. Axolotls are relatively easy to keep, as the temperature, filtration and lighting specifications are close to the Goldfish. To feed the Axolotl you must thread meat onto some cotton and move the meat around its mouth using the cotton to imitate live food as the Axolotl will not eat meat if it is not moving, which is why you should not place an Axolotl with any other fish, if the fish around the Axolotl are small, they will end up in the Axolotl's stomach, and if the fish are large, the Axolotl will nip at the other fish's fins, and in the end, killing it. The Axolotl is available in a variety of colours including albino, brown and black.
 
Axolotls can be bred, but as I have no knowledge on this I can’t say anything about it. I highly recommend a gravel vacuum to take out the Axolotls feces because, if you don’t it can get out of hand very very very quickly resulting in poisoning from high ammonia levels if there has been no water change.
 
If you would like to ask any questions, feel free to email me with the subject line “Axolotl Question”