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Hi! this might be a silly question, but do lotls normally have red vein-looking things on the underside of their back legs? My little guy is only about 13 cm long and they just started showing up (or possibly just getting darker??) recently, I'm really worried

That’s definitely not a silly question! It’s good to know that the wellbeing of your axolotl is important to you. To answer your query, that shouldn’t be a problem. The veins you described are a completely normal part of your axolotl’s body which will always be there (unless your axolotl is black...? I’ve never heard of such cases with black axolotls). Thanks for asking!

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STRESSED OUT

It’s important to keep stress out of your axolotl’s life. When an axolotl becomes stressed, they are much more vulnerable to sickness.

Some things that cause axolotls to be stressed:

- Water flow. Axolotls live in lake habitats, not rivers; they are not used to flowing water. If your filter pushes out a lot of water, try facing it against a wall or in a direction so that the water won’t hit the axolotl. If your axolotl is feeling stressed because of this reason, its gills will likely be facing forwards rather than backwards. - Temperatures that are too high, too low, or change often. Tank water should stay around 16-18°C (60-64 °F), and reach no higher than 24°C (75°F). Water that is too low can cause decreased appetite and metabolism, as well as laziness. - Dirty water, including untreated tap water. Always condition tap water before adding it to the tank; you don’t know where it could have been or what could be in it. Anything else in the water, including other animals, can cause stress.*

Common signs of a distressed axolotl include forward-facing gills (mentioned earlier) and a curled tail tip.

*See http://theaxolotlblog.tumblr.com/post/147110753019/friend-or-foe for more information)

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I know the food is here somewhere. I just know it!

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Art by @ty-illustration.

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Art by Sarah Bear.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Lake Xochimilco, located in Mexico City, is the only native habitat in the world left for axolotls. It was labeled a biological reserve in 1987.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Xochimilco

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FRIEND OR FOE?

Axolotls can be solitary or pack animals, but it’s important to know who can or can’t make it into the pack.

WITH AXOLOTLS:

Axolotls will be fine together if they’re around the same size. it’s best not to put an adult with a baby, because most axolotls tend to eat anything that can fit in their mouthes. 

If axolotls are in the same tank as one another, fighting between them is almost inevitable. Usually they’ll go for each others’ limbs, which - although I hate to say it - is actually okay. Axolotls have the incredible ability to regrow their limbs, and in some cases they have been known to regrow vital organs (but let’s hope it doesn’t get to that). The real issue is if they go for each others’ gills, which is not common.

WITH OTHER ANIMALS:

Other marine animals, such as fish, frogs and tadpoles, snails* and turtles should not be put in the same tank as axolotls. Many animals see the axolotl’s gills as tasty-looking treats. Both of my young axolotls have missing legs as a result of their previous tank mates at the pet store, and one of them has damaged gills on one side. My advice on tank mates? Just say no.

*Some owners see snails as an alternative to having to clean the tank, but this should be avoided at all costs. If snails are kept in the same tank as an axolotl, they attempt to “clean” the axolotl’s layer of mucus. This, instead of helping, actually exposes the axolotl to harmful chemicals in their tank water. 

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SETTING UP A TANK

When you buy an axolotl - or any marine animal, for that fact - it’s important to set up your tank properly. The environment you set up for your axolotl will likely be its habitat for the rest of its life, so make it as homely as possible!

ON TANK SIZE:

It’s true that the bigger the tank, the happier the axolotl, but tanks are expensive enough as it is. When purchasing a tank, be sure of three things: that it has a filter (axolotls are messy creatures), that it does not have a light at the top (see next section), and that there is enough room for your axolotl to grow in. Even though an axolotl’s growth rate will usually adapt in accordance to its tank size, they still need to grow larger at some point! A good scale to go on is for the minimum length of a tank to be twice the length of your axolotl.

One thing to consider when buying a tank is that length is more important than height. Young axolotls love to swim around and explore their environment, but as they grow older they tend to become lazier and stay at the bottom of the tank.

ON PLACEMENT:

Axolotls are nocturnal animals that don’t have eyelids, and a lot of light can stress them out. Place your tank in a place where direct light won’t get to it. If the tank seems too bright, place a small blanket or towel on the top.

ON SUBSTRATE:

The best substrate to have on the bottom of a tank is sand. Axolotls find sand the easiest bottom to walk over and grip, and there’s also the bonus of those teeny-weeny footprints that they leave behind. 

Gravel is also okay, but some axolotls (especially young ones) mistake the gravel for food and try to eat it. Since they swallow their food whole, this can do major damage to the axolotl that may result in death. An alternative to gravel is river rocks, which can also create some great hiding places for the axolotls. Just make sure they’re too big to fit in the creatures’ mouthes!

ON WHAT GOES IN THE TANK:

Axolotls are nocturnal animals, and many of them are very shy creatures. As a result of these factors, they like having places to hide away within their tanks.

My adult axolotl’s tank contains two mugs, useless ornaments that don’t fit anywhere else (he’s a big fan of tipping them over and/or standing on top of them like the king of the castle), and a fake plant. Real plants are not ideal because they require a lot of light to grow, and as stated earlier axolotls do not like the light.

The tank in which my young axolotls live has rocks on the bottom, a big fake plant (with big leaves; my half-blind, not-so-intelligent axolotl tries to eat anything that looks or feels remotely like food), a shell with a hole in the middle that serves as a tunnel, and some waterproof toys (just for decoration).

A filter in any axolotl tank is also a must - axolotls excrete lots of waste, and it doesn’t clean itself up! Even with a filter, the tank should be cleaned every 2-3 weeks. Try to get a filter that doesn’t have push out water at a high pressure; axolotls are not adapted to water flow. If your filter must push out a lot of water, try to place in on an angle where it won’t be hitting the axolotl directly.