Wild Hearts Wild Life – The Wild Hearts!

As you may, or may not, know, axolotls, Ambystoma mexicanum, are cold water, neotenic salamanders native to a few select waterways around Mexico City. While most species of salamanders develop from their water dwelling larval stages into land animals, axolotls are content to spend the entirety of their lives underwater. This makes it especially important to ensure that, when keeping axolotls in captivity, keepers do what they can to keep water conditions ideal. Axolotls like the cold! For many people, keeping their axolotl aquariums cool enough can be a challenge, especially in the summer. But what do you do if you have the opposite problem? How cold is too cold for an axolotl? This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of our links, we will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, Dragonrain Exotics strives only to promote high-quality items that we would feel comfortable using for our own animals. The Ideal Temperature Range for Axolotls The ideal temperature range for the water in an axolotl aquarium is between 58*F and 68*F. 65*F is a good temperature to aim for, although a bit warmer, or cooler, is safe too. Water temperatures over 75*F, especially for an extended period of time, can be dangerous for axolotl. There are many ways you can cool down water that is too warm, although some options are more practical than others. Ice can be added to your axolotl's aquarium. Ice cubes made with dechlorinated water, or frozen water bottles that are replaced as they melt, both work. Depending on your setup and ambient room temperatures, fans aimed across the top of the aquarium can be enough to bring water temperatures down. Aquarium chillers are usually pretty expensive but can be a surefire way to keep your aquarium water cool. In dire circumstances, axolotl can be tubbed in cool water rather than being kept in aquariums that are too hot. While not as ideal long term, tubs are smaller than aquariums and can be easier to keep cool. Whether in tanks or tubs, axolotls can be kept in cooler areas of the house, such as air conditioned rooms or even finished basements. https://wildheartswildlife.com/tubbing-101-tubbing-axolotl/ How Cold is Too Cold for Axolotl? Although they thrive in cooler water, your axolotl aquarium can get too cold! 50*F is the minimum temperature you should keep your axolotl in for any length of time. While axolotl can survive in colder temperatures, as long as their water does not freeze, surviving is not the same as thriving. At temperatures below 50*F, your axolotl's metabolism will be drastically decreased. They will seem lethargic, dull, may stop eating, and will decrease their blood flow in order to absorb more oxygen through their skin. The longer your axolotl is kept at temperatures below 50*F, the worse things can get. While a couple of days in cold water may be ok, it's thought that too long in temperatures below 40*F can prove fatal. Even if your axolotl doesn't die, going too long without eating can cause health issues. And, of course, if your water gets really cold you risk it freezing. Axolotl cannot survive being frozen. How to Warm up Your Axolotl Aquarium Having an axolotl aquarium that's too cold is not as common of a problem as one that's too hot. Try to warm up your axolotl tank externally if possible. For example, move your tank to a warmer room. Or you can use an appropriate size aquarium heater in your axolotl tank. Make sure to closely monitor your temperatures when using a heater. Remember that being too hot is worse than being too cold for an axolotl. You don't want your heater to overheat your aquarium. Of course this is another situation where you may want to, temporarily, tub your axolotl if moving your entire aquarium, or using a heater, are not viable options. Tubs are easier to relocate to areas of your house where temperatures will be more appropriate for your aquatic buddies. Accumulate your Axolotls! Moving your axolotl from one temperature extreme to another can cause shock. When moving axolotls, or changing the temperature of their aquariums, it's important to do so slowly. They need time to acclimate to new water temperatures. You can check out my guide for acclimating an axolotl here. I wrote it about axolotls who need to be acclimated after being shipped, but the idea is the same. Don't just take your axolotl out of a really cold tank and dump them into a warmer one! https://wildheartswildlife.com/acclimating-your-new-axolotl/ Keep Those Axolotls in Ideal Temperatures! It's always important that we do what we can to keep the animals in our care happy and healthy. Making sure axolotl aquariums are kept within the ideal temperature range can sometimes be a challenge, but it's part of the responsibility we take on when we decide to make these amazing amphibians a part of our lives. Keeping your axolotl in water that is too cold is generally safer than water that is too hot, but it's still not ideal and should be avoided. Whether you have to seasonally move your axolotl aquariums, or use other methods, it's important to maintain appropriate temperatures in your axolotl aquarium year round!

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