Axolotls(Ambystoma mexicanum) are a type of Mexican Mole Salamander. However, unlike most salamanders, which metamorphose from their larval form to become land dwelling amphibians, the axolotl is neotenic, which means it remains fully aquatic, never leaving the water throughout the coarse of a normal life.
The word "axolotl" comes from "Nahuatl", the ancient Aztec language, and is thought to derive from the name Xolotl, the Aztec dog headed god of deformations, lightning and death. Xolotl can also mean "dog" in Nahuatl and when used with the prefix "atl" meaning water, it gives us another commonly accepted translation of the word axolotl as "water-dog".
As the name suggests, axolotls come from the Mexican Basin of Central America. Indeed, more specifically, they come from two high altitude lakes, Lake Xochimilco, and Lake Chalco. Unfortunately Lake Chalco has completely dried up over time and Lake Xochimilco only exists now as polluted canals and waterways underlying modern Mexico City. This loss of habitat has led to wild axolotls being classed as a Critically Endangered species on the IUCN's Red List of threatened species. Plans to re-introduce captive bred axolotls into the area are on hold until issues of pollution and better conservation measures are addressed. There is also a concern that the captive bred axolotls could bring about the total demise of any true, wild axolotls that remain.
Axolotls are characterised by their 6 external gill fronds with fluffy gill fillaments and their wide smiley mouth. There are many colour variations available to people wanting axolotls as pets. The most commonly available are:
* leucistic, which are white to pale pink, with vivid pink gill filaments and black eyes. Leucistic axolotls can have quite pronounced freckling over the face and down the back.
* albino, which can be white to pale pink with pink eyes or bright, golden yellow with iridescent patches and pink eyes.
* wild type, which can be shades of brown or yellow or green and are usually marked with darker spots and sometimes iridescent patches.
* melanoid axolotls are usually totally black and are lacking in any of the iridophores that show up as shiny, almost metalic patches on other axolotls. You can differentiate between melanoid axolotls and dark wild type axolotls by looking carefully at their eyes, melanoids have no shiny ring around the pupil.
Also available are almost totally black (melanoid) axolotls, grey axolotls, creamy coloured axolotls and even piebald axolotls. You can see a huge variety of axolotl pictures, here, submitted by their owners to the excellent Caudata.org community.
* Male axolotls tend to have a slimmer body and a more pronounced cloaca situated at the base of his tail, directly behind his legs.
* Female axolotls generally have a wider, shallower head.
*Axolotls have 4 toes on each of their front feet and five toes on each back foot.
Axolotls make excellent pets and they're not particularly demanding. What follows is a basic outline of their minimum requirements. Anyone seriously considering keeping an axolotl should make axolotl.org their first port of call to carry out their own research before making a purchase. It is also recommended that potential owners sign up to the excellent community forum over at caudata.org where a friendly, international community of axolotl owners are only too happy to help and offer advice. There's also an excellent Classified Ad's section where breeder's, are always advertising axolotls for sale.
Here are a few facts about axolotls that may help you decide if they are the pet for you.
* Axolotls Can live for 20 years in captivity, So any potential axolotl owner should realise they are entering into a long term commitment.
* Axolotls usually grow to about 30cm (12") in length and in extremely rare cases they have reached 45cm (18").
* Axolotls reach sexual maturity between 10 months and 1 year old. Only then can they be sexed, by looking for the swelling of the male cloaca.
* Axolotls are happy to live alone or alongside others. When kept with others there is very little social interaction. Some axolotls do tend to lie on top of others or next to others and it's easy for us to personify this and look at it as cuddling or enjoying each other's company. If you feel better having more than one axolotl, fine. However, don't feel pressured into getting a 2nd or 3rd to provide company, because it is unnecessary.
* Only axolotls of comparable size should be put together or bullying will ensue.
What size tank?
* I have no problem with advocating that 2 axolotls can live comfortable, happy lives in a 60cm x 30cm x 30cm (2ft x 1ft x 1ft) tank. It really depends on the size of the adult axolotl and on the quality of water you maintain. Likewise I would keep upto 3 axolotls in a 90cm x 30cm x 30cm (3ft x 1ft x 1ft) tank and 4 in a 120cm x 30cm x 30cm (4ft x 1ft x 1ft) tank. The more floor space the better. These stocking levels do assume a vigilant monitoring of water quality and a regular cleaning regimen.
* Axolotls produce a lot of waste and require around 20% of their water replacing every 10 to 14 days. The more axolotls you have the more often you need to spot clean the tank and perform water changes.
* A basic setup consists of a tank, an internal filter (with a spray bar to reduce water current), some decorations (providing axolotl hiding places) and a lid (to keep foreign objects out). You don't need a heater and you don't need lighting. You will however, need a thermometer (to keep your tank between 16 and 20 degrees Centigrade) and a chemical water testing kit to monitor pH, Nitrate, Nitrite and Ammonia levels.
* Children's play sand (thoroughly rinsed) provides an excellent substrate that's easy to keep clean and looks great. Care must be taken not to lay the sand too thick though, because this would provide conditions under which anaerobic bacteria could easily breed. Don't use gravel because axolotls can and will swallow even quite large pieces and this can be fatal. Even huge pebbles should be avoided because food becomes trapped and bacteria can flourish.
* Water should be chemically treated for chlorine and chloramine. I recommend Prime a non iodine based dechlorinator, though any treatment that states on the bottle that it neutralises chloramine as well as chlorine is good. (failure to remove chlorine and chloramine can be fatal to axolotls.) I use 0.25ml, dechlorinator in each 10 litre bucket full of water. (That's less than a quarter of a teaspoon for a 4 bucket water change).
* Live plants can be used which provides cover for axolotls and help oxygenate their water ... they also promote breeding.
* Feed your axolotl a staple diet of live earthworms. Two medium or one big worm every couple of days is sufficient. This can be supplemented with sinking pellets and/or frozen bloodworm. I usually purge the worms for 2 hours in water before feeding. Dendrobaena worms can be bought from several places online.
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