Axolotl Diet: What Do Captive Axolotls Eat?

The axolotl diet is a key part of keeping these aquatic salamanders healthy and thriving in captivity.

Axolotls are carnivores, which means their dietary needs center on protein-rich, nutritious food items like worms, insects, and small aquatic creatures. In the wild, they hunt small prey in freshwater waterways using their wide mouth and gill-powered suction.

Understanding what to feed axolotls is essential whether you're caring for larval axolotls, juvenile axolotls, or adult axolotls. Their diet must adapt as they develop.

What Do Axolotls Eat?

In captivity, axolotls eat a variety of live food and prepared items, including:

Earthworms: The best axolotl food for all life stages due to high protein content
Bloodworms: Suitable for young axolotls and larvae, often freeze-dried in stores
Brine shrimp: Excellent for larval axolotls, especially newly hatched
Daphnia (water fleas): Ideal for growing axolotls and easy to digest
Grindal worms: A great supplement to other food items
Salmon pellets: A common axolotl food in labs and aquariums (look for nutritionally balanced versions)
Small fish and small crustaceans: Can introduce parasites or chemicals if not sourced carefully

Feeding Tips and Tank Care

Axolotl in aquarium — You'll need to keep your pet axolotl's tank exceptionally clean to keep the funny-looking amphibian healthy. OsakaWayne Studios / Getty Images

Feed axolotls based on size and age. Juvenile axolotls may need feeding once a day, while adult axolotls often eat every other day. Always remove uneaten food to avoid fouling the aquarium.

Maintain clean tank conditions and monitor water temperature, as stress from poor water quality can reduce appetite. Ideal dietary routines should match the axolotl's natural feeding behavior to minimize stress.

Avoid gravel, as axolotls may accidentally ingest it while eating, risking impaction. Use sand or bare-bottom tanks for safety.

Nutrition and Health

While humans might marvel at their feathery gills and permanent smile, axolotls need consistent care and proper nutrition just like other salamanders.

A nutritionally balanced diet ensures proper growth and good health. While live food mimics natural hunting, it’s important to vary their meals. Mixing pellets, worms, and live treats keeps your pet axolotls engaged and thriving.

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