Axolotls make fascinating aquatic pets, with their eternal wide grins and feathery external gills sprouting like branches from the sides of their heads. These neotenous salamanders remain fully aquatic even into adulthood, unlike other amphibians. Though they grow large eventually, raising baby axolotls requires some specialized care accommodating their small size and sensitivity. Follow this guide for tips on ideal tank setup and keeping your baby “water dragon” healthy as it grows.
Getting Started with the Tank
To give baby axolotls the best start, begin by setting up an appropriate habitat tailored to very small, delicate juveniles. Ideal tank components include:
• 10-20 gallon tank: Allows room to swim while easily finding food
• Fine gravel or large sand substrate: Softer on small feet than rough decor
• Dense plant coverage – Provides security and diffuses light
• Gentle filtration – Protects tiny axolotls from getting pulled into intake strainers
• Hiding spots like logs, rocks and tubes – Reduce stress and create shaded retreats
• Cool water temperatures from 60-68° Fahrenheit
Water parameters should also match their natural Mexico habitat: soft water with a pH between 6.5 and 7.5.
Feeding Baby Axolotls Properly
While baby axolotls eat the same diet as adults, the food sizes and quantities must be scaled down for their miniature mouths and stomachs. When very small, begin with daily offerings of:
• Newly hatched brine shrimp
• Daphnia
• Bloodworms
• Soft sinking pellets finely crushed between your fingers
Target feed three times per day, offering only what they can consume within 2-3 minutes. Remove any uneaten food to prevent fouling the water.
As your juvenile puts on size and appetite grows over ensuing months, slowly increase meal sizes and transition towards earthworm pieces, shrimp, beef heart, night crawlers and adult pellets.
Caring for Health Needs
While baby axolotls acclimate to captivity, closely monitor water parameters along with general health and behavior each day. Signs of stress or illness manifest differently in juveniles and require rapid response. Look for:
• Lethargy – lying still on tank floor or straining to stay afloat
• Loss of appetite or sudden increased hunger – Digestive issues may underly.
• Suspended gill filaments – Oxygen disruption; boost surface agitation.
• Skin lesions/reddening around the gills – Could signal fungal or bacterial infection.
• Failure to grow – consult an exotics vet to pinpoint underlying cause.
With attentive observation and care tailored to the axolotl’s early lifestage needs, your baby water dragon will thrive! Reaching 4-6 inches long signals a transition into adult axolotl care.