What does an axolotl eat?

Axolotls are strictly carnivorous: feed them mostly earthworms cut into pieces, supplemented with tubefish, brine shrimp, and sinking pellets. A young axolotl eats every day, while an adult eats every 2 to 3 days, swallowing its food in a few minutes. Avoid feeder fish and hard-shelled prey, and always remove any leftovers.

What foods to give?

Our article which aquarium for an axolotl covers the tank and setup. Here, we only detail feeding.

• Earthworms. Lafeber, the Royal Veterinary College of London, and Chewy all list them. Cut them into pieces, especially for young axolotls, and choose earthworms from a healthy source, never taken from treated soil.
• Tubefish and blackworms. Fresh or frozen, they are well accepted. Defrost before serving.
• Brine shrimp and daphnia. They are suitable for larvae and young axolotls. The Royal Veterinary College recommends collecting aquatic prey in fish-free water to limit the risk of disease.
• Pellets. They must sink, as the axolotl eats at the bottom. PetMD recommends soft pellets with at least 40% protein and less than 10% fat.

Our shop offers Arcadia Earth Pro AmphibiGold, small pellets for amphibians. Its product page lists over 60% invertebrate and fish protein, including earthworms, tubefish, daphnia, and shrimp. The product page does not give the fat content: compare it with the bag label.

How much and how often?

The sources do not entirely agree on the portion. Lafeber talks about what is eaten in 2 to 3 minutes, which is about 5 salmon pellets for an adult, and PetMD says 3 to 5 minutes. Remember the logic: a few minutes of feeding, then stop. Lafeber also reminds us that an overfed axolotl quickly gains weight. If the filter collects a lot of leftovers, reduce the ration.

What to avoid

• Feeder fish. Chewy excludes them because of thiaminase, which can cause a vitamin B1 deficiency.
• Hard-shelled insects. PetMD advises against crickets, mealworms, and hornworms.
• Continuous white worms and grindal worms. The Royal Veterinary College allows them for juveniles, but not as permanent food, because they are fatty.
• Pieces that are too large. The food must remain smaller than the width of the head.
• Gravel. This is not food, but the axolotl sucks up what surrounds its prey. Lafeber reports sometimes fatal digestive obstructions. Opinions differ on sand: Royal Veterinary College is favorable, Lafeber is cautious because even fine sand can be swallowed. A bare bottom remains the simplest option for monitoring meals.

How feeding works

1. Cut and defrost. Prepare a piece of the right size, at water temperature.
2. Present the prey. The axolotl reacts to movement. Place it in front of it or gently wave it with long tweezers. Movement especially helps young axolotls, according to the Royal Veterinary College.
3. Leave for a few minutes. It sucks up its food at once. Do not handle it: its skin is fragile.
4. Remove leftovers. A siphon is enough. What rots at the bottom degrades the water, then the appetite.

It refuses to eat: what to check?

Start with the temperature. Lafeber indicates a preference between 15.6 and 17.8 °C and the Royal Veterinary College between 16 and 18 °C. Above 24 °C, the axolotl may lose its appetite and become more vulnerable to diseases. Measure with a thermometer, because a tank that feels cool can exceed these values in summer. If necessary, see how to cool an aquarium.

Then check the water. The presence of nitrites, a current that is too strong, or a filter that is not properly cycled stresses the animal. Our nitrite protocol guides you if the test comes back positive. Also maintain your water change routine, either 20 to 25% per week.

If the water is good and the animal was recently fed, wait until the next meal and change the food. A young axolotl that no longer eats, or an adult that is losing weight, requires a veterinarian. We do not offer remote diagnoses.

Live, frozen, or pellets: what to choose?

There is no perfect form of food. Each meets a different need, and most breeders combine them. Live food, like earthworms or brine shrimp, moves: this is what triggers the hunting reflex, very useful with a young or an animal that has just arrived. In return, a reliable source is needed, because aquatic prey collected anywhere can bring parasites or diseases.

Frozen food, like tubefish, is easy to store and dose by the unit. It must be defrosted before the meal, and it decomposes quickly if not eaten: therefore, remove it as soon as the meal is over. Sinking pellets offer a regular ration and are easy to transport if someone is feeding the animal in your place. The Arcadia AmphibiGold product page lists 2.5 mm pellets and specifies that they are given as a supplement to live foods: this is a good guide.

Example weekly feeding schedule for an adult

An adult over 18 cm eats every 2 to 3 days. Concretely, this means two to three meals per week. The simplest thing is to set days, then vary the contents of one meal to another. Here is an example, which you will adapt to the appetite and condition of your animal.

This pace leaves days without meals, which is normal for an adult. Take advantage of this to observe: a well-rounded but not swollen belly, an animal that moves calmly, and well-deployed gills are good signs. The partial water change of 20 to 25% per week easily fits the day after a meal, at the time when any leftovers are removed. To do it without buckets, an aquarium drainage system makes the task easier.

For a young axolotl, the principle remains the same, but with daily meals and smaller pieces. If your tank is still being set up, our article on the ideal aquarium for an axolotl explains how to prepare the bottom and filtration before reaching this pace.

Common feeding mistakes

Most feeding problems come from actions done in good faith. Here are the ones we encounter most often, and what is better to do instead.

• Feeding an adult every day because it "begs". An axolotl readily comes to the glass or hand, even when full. Stick to your feeding days: an overfed animal quickly gains weight.
• Leaving leftovers until the next day. They decompose, increase ammonia then nitrites, and unbalance the aquarium nitrogen cycle. Siphon them a few minutes after the meal.
• Serving a piece that is too large. The axolotl swallows without chewing. A piece wider than its head is spat out, or worse, swallowed sideways.
• Always giving the same food. A single ration is poorer. Rotate at least two or three different foods during the week.
• Picking up worms anywhere. An earthworm coming from a treated garden or a roadside can contain residues. Prefer a controlled source.
• Forgetting the temperature in summer. An animal that eats less in July is often too hot. Check the thermometer before changing food.
• Never testing the water. Degraded water kills the appetite. Regular testing, with the products from our aquarium water analysis section, avoids looking for the cause in the wrong place.

Holidays and absence: how to prepare

An adult fed every 2 to 3 days tolerates a short organized absence well. For a longer absence, entrust the meals to a trusted person. Prepare ready-made doses for them, one per planned meal, for example in a pill organizer or dated bags, and explain to them to remove what is not eaten after a few minutes. Sinking pellets are often the simplest in this case, because they require neither cutting nor defrosting.

Beware of automatic feeders: they are designed for fish that eat quickly at the surface. With an animal that eats slowly at the bottom, the unconsumed pellets accumulate without anyone removing them. Before leaving, do your usual water change, check the water and the temperature, and do not introduce new food just before leaving.

Frequently asked questions

Can an axolotl eat only pellets?

It can eat them regularly if they are sinking pellets, adapted for amphibians or carnivores. The consulted veterinary sources however prefer a varied ration, with earthworms cut into pieces.

How long can an axolotl go without eating?

We do not give a duration, because it depends on the age, size, and condition of the animal. An adult eats every few days. A refusal that lasts, especially with weight loss or abnormal behavior, justifies a veterinary opinion.

Can you give live fish to an axolotl?

Avoid feeder fish, such as minnows and goldfish: Chewy, with a veterinary review, advises against them because of the thiaminase they contain. They can also introduce diseases into the tank.

What size should a piece be?

Smaller than the width of its head. The axolotl does not chew and swallows at once: cut the earthworms for young animals.

Why does my axolotl spit out its food?

The piece may be too large or poorly accepted. Cut it, offer another food, and remove what remains. If the phenomenon repeats, check the temperature and water, then ask for a veterinary opinion.

Do you need an automatic feeder for an axolotl?

We advise against it. These devices are designed for fish that eat quickly at the surface. The axolotl eats slowly at the bottom, and the unconsumed pellets remain in the tank. For an absence, rather entrust prepared doses to a trusted person.

Can you feed an axolotl by hand?

It is better to use long tweezers. It allows presenting and waving the piece without touching the animal, whose skin is fragile, and without dipping your hand into the tank.

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Last updated: November 7, 2026.