People have insane love for axolotls. They want to house as many of them as they can. But whether it’s a good idea, remains a question mark in their heads.
As an axolotl lover, you might be wondering whether you can keep multiple of them together. Though they lead a one-man army lifestyle, it’s possible to keep them together.
Axolotls can live together in one tank, but there are some special things you need to take into consideration which include their body size, age, and gender. You need to tune these 3 factors perfectly to ensure they live happily.
Without wasting any more time, let’s see how Axolotl can live together & how you can help them for a healthy life in a big group.
Can you keep axolotl in pairs?
Yes, you can keep axolotl in pairs, but you need to ensure some factors before you do that. As solitary animals, they don’t crave any neighbors or partners.
However, you can keep them in pairs while you need to make sure their size, age & gender selection is done perfectly.
Gender
In the entire animal kingdom, the universal rule is that the male always runs after the female and tries to breed as much as possible. And Axolotls are not different in this regard. So, gender selection is important for a planned pairing of this species.
If you plan to keep one female & one male axolotl then know that the male will surely try to mate with the female. Whether the breeding is successful or not, that’s another story.
But as long as the male will be chasing the female for breeding, it would lower the average lifespan of your pretty female axolotl. Because the female will become pregnant frequently, and the cost would be her health.
Whereas two male axolotls or two female axolotls will not have these issues. And keeping the same gender pair is the safe thing to do for your lovely aquatic pets.
Size
You might think axolotls are cute, but they have a hidden cannibalistic instinct inside them. So it’s crucial to make sure you are putting the same size axolotls in your tank.
No, there’s no fixed rule; if both of them are 5’’ then it would be good. Any difference in body size will lead to accidents like smaller ones becoming meals for the bigger ones in the worst case.
Even if the small one doesn’t die, it would be hurt badly due to the aggressive behavior of the bigger axolotl inside the tank.
Age
When the axolotl grows up they mostly give up or almost lose their cannibalistic nature. But when they are in their juvenile age, they usually eat one another frequently. You can relate the age to the size also.
When your axolotl is young & 2’’ in size, it will likely unleash its cannibalistic behavior pretty often.
On the contrary, when they hit adulthood & become 5’’ size then the threat of hurting one another happens rarely.
Read More: Can Axolotls Have Tank Mates?
How many axolotls can be in a tank together?
Like other aquatic animals, the axolotl needs a specific amount of space that would make them feel safer & retain their minimum privacy. For one axolotl at least 20-gallon tank space is required.
And you can keep 3–4 axolotls without problem if each one gets 20-gallon space on average.
Can you keep juvenile axolotl together?
Yes, you can keep juvenile axolotl together, but that has to be under strict monitoring. Which may put you under the stress of losing an axolotl anytime.
First, they have to be the same size which will prevent them from eating up the other one.
Secondly, you have to ensure that each one is getting the right amount of food because any shortage of food might lead to fighting.
The last & most crucial thing is you need to monitor their body size regularly. If anyone grows a bit larger than the other one, you should immediately put the bigger one into a different tank.
Read More: What To Feed Juvenile Axolotl
Tips for petting multiple axolotls inside one tank
Every axolotl that grows in captivity needs more care because they are in an artificial environment. You need to do something to keep things going the right way. And when there are multiple members, things get a bit serious. So you can follow the tips below…
- If it’s possible for you, provide them with 20+ gallon space for each axolotl.
- Add enough hiding space which will provide a high sense of safety as it prevents the lighting from falling on them directly. Aquatic plants & rocks suitable for them would be best for their hiding spot.
- These guys love to crawl on underwater rocks and ground. So providing an ample amount of rocks and other decorations will help them wander around. Which reduces the chances of interacting with each other.
- Try to keep the same gender & same size axolotl.
- As your tank would be the home to several axolotls the tank would turn to pollute fast. Unlike fish, these amphibians produce a larger amount of sausage-shaped excrement which becomes dust inside the tank and increases the ammonia level. So a fast & regular cleaning has to be done strictly.
- A little bit of lacking in their regular food would turn deadly because some might bite others’ limbs due to hunger.
Final words
As axolotls don’t get bored, so adding more members is not necessary, but you can surely do it to make your dream come true. However, this dream would need extra care & strict monitoring.
After all these species are sensitive so top-notch care is crucial for them.
I hope after reading this short blog post, you have a minimal idea of an axolotl live together and what it costs to do that.
