Axolotl Colors: The Natural, the Lab-made, and the Fictional

Axolotl colors can be a little misleading; what you see online is wildly different from what exists in, well, the wild.

Native to Mexico, these underwater oddballs are famous for their feathery gills, and perpetual smiles. The incredible range of color morphs varies based on whether you're talking about axolotls in their natural habitat, genetically modified pet axolotls, or Minecraft memes.

Whether you're caring for a real one or just hugging an axolotl plushie, there's a color variation to match every mood.

Leucistic, Albino, and Golden Morphs

These axolotl morphs are some of the most popular among hobbyists and often feature in plushies, beanies, and even fan art.

Leucistic axolotls, often nicknamed "Lucy axolotls," have pale pink skin and bright pink gills. Unlike albino axolotls, they still have dark eyes.
White albino axolotls lack pigment altogether and show off translucent skin.
Golden albino axolotls glow like a flipped gold coin, especially when they're idling or swimming near the tank light.

Wild Type, Mosaic, and Rare Variants

When axolotls spawn or are born, they often display muted tones that change with age. As baby axolotls grow, pigment cells develop, and you can observe them walking, swimming, and even idling in new hues.

Wild type axolotls are the classic look: dark green or brown with gold flecks and a rugged texture, perfect for camouflage in muddy lakebeds.

Mosaic axolotls are more chaotic, with patches of different pigments forming a piebald-like pattern.

Others like the enigma axolotl and the silver Dalmatian (lavender) morph are extremely rare experimental variants, whereas copper axolotls are a recognized color morph present in captive populations.

What you might think of as a rare morph — the elusive blue axolotl — is actually fictional or a result of image manipulation.

Genetically Modified and Speculative Morphs

Black axolotl — Looking for a purple, black or green axolotl? You may need to give Mother Nature a little help. sofia.g.sosa / Shutterstock

Thanks to genetic engineering, some axolotls contain green fluorescent protein (GFP) from jellyfish. These glow under black light and are used in scientific research.

Unverified morphs, such as the chimera axolotl and firefly axolotls, are found only in video games and toys, often appearing in discussions about hypothetical breeding.

Do Axolotls Cry?

Axolotls also don't actually play dead or cry. They don't even have tear ducts or vocal cords, so these behaviors are just dramatized in online communities or game mods.

If the axolotl in your game takes damage underwater or dies in a simulation, it may change color, but real axolotls show changes mainly due to stress or health.

Digital Axolotls Colors

In video games, axolotl variants can spawn in blue, pink, gold, and dark purple, with dramatic effects like the axolotl dies or encounters water entity triggers.

These references reflect how popular the animal has become, leading to toys, an official axolotl beanie, and even mods where axolotls attack mobs.

Real-life axolotls in the wild stick to natural colors like dark green and brown, while aquarium-bred axolotls show off more vibrant shades (but still not as colorful as video game variations).

Breeding and Popular Morphs

Axolotls breeding in captivity produce a range of morphs, depending on the parents' traits. Breeding axolotls can result in golden albinos, Lucy morphs, or even experimental varieties.

It's common to see multiple axolotls of similar sizes in a single tank, each flaunting a different pattern or tone. The axolotl walking underwater scene is a common favorite among enthusiasts, showing off their gills and coloration.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.