Despite not being traditional pets like cats, dogs, or birds, axolotls are becoming more and more popular nowadays. Their popularity has been on a sudden rise since Minecraft released an Axolotls character in their game. But since this animal is not native to the UK and can only be imported, it’s only natural for potential buyers to wonder about their price. So, how much do axolotls cost?
The cost of axolotls depends on a lot of things, such as their color, their age, and how rare they are. But in general. The average cost of an adult axolotl is between $30 to $50. Apart from this, there are other costs such as the cost to buy a tank, add filters and decorations to the tank, and of course, the cost of food.
Let’s take a deeper look at the costs of an axolotl.
How expensive are axolotls?
The issue with having exotic pets is that they tend to cost a lot more than traditional pets due to their unavailability and rareness. But contrary to the trend, axolotls are not that expensive, when you consider everything. An average axolotl costs you only 30 to 50 US dollars. But there are a lot of factors that can influence and alter an axolotl’s price.
Before we jump into the details, I have prepared a summary table for you to get all price information at a glance –
| Morph | Description | Price Range (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Wild Type | Natural coloration with dark spots on a greenish-brown or brownish-grey background, gold iridophores | $20 – $30 |
| Leucistic | White or pinkish bodies, dark eyes, may develop black freckles | $28 – $35 |
| Albino | White or pale yellow body, red or pink eyes, may have gold iridophores | $20 – $40 |
| Melanoid | Dark brown or black color with no gold iridophores, reduced patterning | $20 – $35 |
| Golden Albino | Yellow or gold tint, may have gold iridophores, light blue, green, or gold eyes | $25 – $35 |
| Axanthic | Grey or silver coloration, dark eyes, may have gold iridophores | |
| Copper | Distinct coppery hue, may have gold iridophores, light blue, green, or gold eyes | $85 |
| Piebald | Mix of pigmented and unpigmented skin patches, a variety of leucistic axolotls | Up to $300 |
| GFP (Green Fluorescent Protein) | Glow green under UV or blue light, can be found in various color morphs | $70 |
| Mosaic | Result of two different embryos fusing together, mix of colors and patterns | $1,450 |
| Chimera | Similar to mosaics, but with a more symmetrical appearance and clear line separating colorations | $1,500 |
| Blue | A variety of melanoid axolotls, not actually blue, but appears blueish | $40 – $120 |
| Pink | Commonly seen in media, relatively cheaper | $20 – $45 |
| Lavender | Silvery body with a purple hue, may turn greenish as they grow older | $115 |
Please note that these prices can vary depending on factors such as age, size, location, and availability.
Factors Effecting Price: Color
One of the major factors determining the price of an axolotl is its color. The rarer the color is among axolotls, the costlier the animal is. Let’s see each of them.
How much does a wild axolotl cost based on their color?
Wild axolotls are the most common among all the axolotls that people keep as pets. Since they are easily available, they are the cheapest among all types of axolotls. The wild axolotls, which come in green, black or brown, cost around $20 to $30 each.
I’ll mention the prices of some of the popular ones below:
How much does a leucistic axolotl cost?
Leucistic axolotls are not completely white, rather they are pinkish. These axolotls, which have black or brown eyes, are a bit costlier than their wild cousins. Their price ranges between $28 to $35 per animal.
How much does an albino axolotl cost?
There are two kinds of albino axolotls you can get as a pet. The first one is the white albino axolotl. This axolotl is completely white and doesn’t even have freckles on it as time passes. The only pigmentation they get is on their fingertips when they reach maturity. Such an axolotl will cost you between $20 to $40.
Second, there are golden albino axolotls. Unlike the previous ones, they are not completely white, rather their body is golden colored. They also have freckles all over their body. These are more expensive on average than the white albino axolotls. Each golden albino axolotl costs around $25 to $35.
How much does a black axolotl cost?
Black or melanoid axolotls also have a recessive gene like the albino ones which causes their skin color to be darker, causing them to be darker brown or bluish-black. They closely resemble the wild axolotls, but the main difference is the melanoid axolotls don’t have any specks on their skins. A black axolotl will cost you around $20 to $35..
How much does a pink axolotl cost?
Pink axolotls are one of the most commonly seen axolotls seen in various media. These axolotls are on the cheaper side, as depending on their age, they can cost between $20 to $45. The younger axolotls cost less than the older ones.
How much does a Green Fluorescent Protein Axolotl cost?
Green Fluorescent Protein axolotls, or GFP axolotls, in short, are a rare kind of axolotls. These animals are biofluorescent, which causes them to glow in the dark. These animals don’t have any specific color variations, being of all the available colors. Due to their unique traits, they are one of the costliest axolotls out there. Each GFP axolotl costs around $70.
How much does a copper axolotl cost?
Copper axolotls are even rarer than GFP axolotls. They are another form of albino axolotls, but much rarer than them, hence they get their own section. These axolotls have light brown bodies with copper-colored freckles all over their body. These animals cost around $85 each. You can import one from Germany.
How much does a Chimera Axolotl cost?
One of the rarest axolotls out there, these axolotls sometimes look like someone has experimented on two animals to fuse them (Trigger warning, Fullmetal Alchemist fans). These animals have such a high price that compared to them the previously mentioned prices seem like pocket change. One Chimera axolotl will set you back about $1500.
How much does a mosaic axolotl cost?
We have entered the most expensive territory now, as the price of the axolotls keeps going up. Another of the rarest kinds of axolotls, the mosaic axolotl is one of the most beautiful ones out there. They have a mixture of two colors all over their bodies, creating a vivid pattern that catches your eyes the moment you see them. These axolotls cost close to $1450 each.
How much does a piebald axolotl cost?
Piebaldism is a phenomenon that occurs on an animal that causes only its face to be pigmented. They are a variety of leucistic axolotls. These axolotls can cost close to $300 each.
How much does a blue axolotl cost?
Blue axolotls are another beautiful variant of axolotls, and a rare one as well. These axolotls are not actually blue, but rather a variety of melanoid axolotls. In general, a blue axolotl can cost between $40 to $120. The baby blue variants of the blue axolotls are the more expensive ones.
How much does a lavender axolotl cost?
Lavender axolotls are another of the rarest and most beautiful variants of axolotls. They have silvery bodies with a purple hue on their bodies. Some mature lavender axolotls can become greenish as they grow older. A lavender axolotl can cost you $115.
Factors Effecting Price: Age
Depending on the age, the cost of an axolotl varies a lot. Juvenile and younger axolotls cost a lot less than adult axolotls. On average, a juvenile axolotl costs around $20 while adults cost around $35, although the prices vary according to the type of the animal, as we have seen before.
Where you are getting the axolotl from
The source from where you are getting your axolotl also plays a big part in determining the price of the animal. If you get it from a local breeder, the cost will be the lowest. Then comes the breeders that live abroad, since you need to add the shipping cost. If you want a rare variant, you have to search for people who breed and sell them, and they will cost the most.
How much do axolotl aquariums cost?
The cost of keeping an axolotl is not confined to just buying them. Once you get them, you have to keep them in a suitable aquarium to ensure their health, long life, and safety. The aquarium of an axolotl includes the tank, filter, pump, stone, and gravel. So if you are wondering, how much does it cost to keep an axolotl, you have to add the cost of the axolotl with the cost of all these costs.
Now let’s take a look at the different costs of the axolotl aquariums:
| Item | Cost Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Axolotl Tank (new) | $80 – $300 | 20-gallon tank; price depends on size and manufacturer |
| Axolotl Tank (second-hand) | Around $18 | Ensure the tank has a lid |
| Tank Lid (separate) | $20 – $50 | If not included with the tank |
| Pump and Lighting | $40 – $80 | |
| Substrates (sand or pebbles) | $4 – $16 | Not Mandatory |
| Filtration System | $100 – $200 | Slow filters to avoid stressing the axolotl |
| Heater (optional) | $15 – $50 | Only if needed to maintain water temperature |
| Thermometer | $5 – $20 | To monitor water temperature |
| Hideouts and Decorations | $10 – $50 | To provide shelter and enrichment |
| Water Conditioner | $5 – $15 | To remove harmful chemicals from tap water |
| Earthworms (1 pound) | $30 | Axolotl food |
| Blackworms (1 pound) | $60 | Axolotl food |
| Blackworms (1 dozen) | $8 | Axolotl food |
| Bloodworms (frozen, 1 pack) | $5 – $10 | Axolotl food |
| Pellets (1 pack) | $5 – $15 | Specially formulated axolotl food |
| Water Testing Kit | $10 – $30 | To monitor water quality |
| Net | $3 – $10 | For scooping debris or axolotl out of the tank |
How much are axolotl tanks?
The very first thing you have to ensure after buying an axolotl is its proper housing. Buying a perfectly sized tank is the first step. Since adult axolotls need a tank that is 20 gallons in size, even if you buy a juvenile axolotl, get an adult-sized tank so that you won’t have to buy another down the line.
The cost of an axolotl tank varies depending on its size and manufacturer. Usually, you can get a new tank for between $80 to $300. If you can get a second-hand tank, the price will be significantly lower, around the $18 range. Ensure you get a tank that has a lid on it since axolotls tend to jump up when startled.
Once you get the tank, you will then have to add filters, pumps, sand, and lighting as well as decorations. The pump and the lighting can cost you between $40 to $80, while the substrates such as large pebbles or sand will cost you a further 4 to 16 dollars.
Filtration systems are one of the most expensive parts of an axolotl tank, costing you around 100 to 167 USD. Make sure you have the slow filters, otherwise the axolotl will be very stressed. Since they live in slow-moving water, if the filters move the water too fast, they may even end up dying.
How much does axolotl food cost?
The diet of a wild axolotl and one bred in captivity slightly differ from one another. While a wild axolotl lives on mollusks, small fish, worms, larvae, etc, the captive ones mostly eat bloodworms, blackworms, and earthworms.
Earthworms can cost about 30 dollars per pound, while blackworms are more expensive than this. A pound of blackworms can cost up to 60 USD. Blackworms are sold in dozens, and a dozen of these worms cost about 8 dollars.
Final Words
Before buying any pets, you have to make sure you have enough finances to buy them and take proper care of them. This stands even truer for exotic pets such as axolotls. That’s why you must know how much an axolotl costs and how much you need to take care of them.
