Axolotl description. Axolotl animal. Axolotl lifestyle and habitat. Extraordinary water monster

One of the most amazing creatures of the underwater world is the axolotl. It is also often called the Mexican water dragon. Axolotl (Axolotl) is a creature of the order of caudate (ambistoma), whose amphibious relative is the mole salamander. It can also be said that the water dragon is an amphibian, since it belongs to the class of vertebrates and has several pairs of legs. It reaches its sexual maturity without transforming into an adult, which is associated with its relationship with salamanders. Before coming to the attention of aquarists, they were used as laboratory animals for research.

The habitat of axolotls is the rivers and lakes of Central America. These include Lake Xochimilco and Chalco, located in Mexico. At the moment, these lakes have practically disappeared (Chalco was drained, and Xochimilco is on the verge of extinction). One of the advantages of axolotls is their ability to join life in captivity and reproduction. For science, they are of great interest because they can regenerate the tail, gills and limbs.

For the first time, the axolotl left its native habitats only in 1864. At this time, scientists became interested in him and brought him to the Paris Museum of Natural Culture. Currently, the water dragon is considered an endangered species and is listed in the Red Book.

Feature of the axolotl

The Mexican axolotl is ready to breed before reaching maturity. To create the necessary conditions for these individuals, it will be enough to reduce the amount of liquid or move to a cool, dry environment. With home breeding from these manipulations, the axolotl transforms into an adult ambistoma. Another option that allows these creatures to “grow up” quickly is the addition of the thyroxin hormone to the feed. The transformation is carried out within a week, while the individual changes color, body shape and gills disappear. Only it is highly discouraged to engage in the processes of metamorphosis for untrained people or without the supervision of a specialist. These are living beings and may die if handled improperly. According to statistics, 99% of independent attempts to turn a dragon into an adult lead to the death of the latter.

If you translate axolotl, you get "water dog", which is quite fair. It is similar to a large-headed newt, which has three pairs of external gills on its head, and two pairs of legs allow it to stand on the bottom of the aquarium. The shape of the body is somewhat disproportionate. The head is very large and wide, the mouth is wide, and the eyes are small, which gives the impression of a smile. Thanks to this feature, the axolotl in the photo looks very attractive. In nature, a water dragon like the axolotl is able to regenerate its limbs. In the process of existence, it can reach an average of 30 cm in length. Like all amphibians, the axolotl or Mexican ambistoma leads a predatory lifestyle.

A sexually mature axolotl in freedom is able to grow up to 45 cm, but at home, an adult specimen above 23 cm rarely grows. The duration of their existence ranges from 10 to 15 years. One of the main features of these creatures are the external gills, which look like processes from the head. The axolotl, a curing ambistoma, is able to breathe with both gills and lungs. It all depends on the degree of saturation of water with oxygen. Since the axolotl fish is a predator, it has teeth. They are used solely to hold food, not tear it. In rare cases, they can use their teeth to raise their own "authority" among the inhabitants of the aquarium.

Currently, there are many color varieties, ranging from white to dark. In nature, the white axolotl is rare, because it is very noticeable. Mostly you can find tiger coloring. The black axolotl looks beautiful. In addition to monochromatic, there are a huge number of spotted colors. One of the most popular is the albino axolotl. They can be white or golden. Currently, scientists have bred new specimens with a fluorescent protein. Such specimens of axolotl can glow in ultraviolet rays.

The maximum duration of existence is about 20 years, but in captivity the axolotl (ambystoma leech) lives for about 10 years.

For a comfortable existence of an axolotl in an aquarium, it is necessary to comply with some formalities on which their life expectancy depends. The most important thing is the temperature of the water. Since an animal such as the axolotl is cold-water, high temperatures can become critical for it. If for simple fish that flooded aquariums, 25⁰ is optimal, then water dragons in such water will first begin to get sick and eventually die. The most ideal and comfortable temperature for keeping and breeding axolotl is 19-21⁰. If, nevertheless, it is not possible to provide the required low water temperature, then you will have to equip the aquarium with aeration and filtration systems. Thus, there will be more oxygen enrichment. It is necessary to update the water once a week. To lower the temperature of the water, many aquarists use frozen water containers. They are preliminarily kept in the freezer, and then placed in a tank of water. Thanks to such operations, it is possible to lower the temperature in the aquarium by several degrees, which is simply necessary in the summer.

Aquarium for axolotl should be large. In a small volume, large creatures are very uncomfortable. For one, maximum two large individuals, you will need an aquarium of 100 liters. As a decor at the bottom, it is necessary to place aquarium soil or sand, install uncomplicated structures for camouflage. How many of them should be - at least one more than the individuals themselves in the aquarium, which gives them the right to choose. The more secret places, the less often the Mexican salamanders will collide with each other, and, consequently, there will be less conflicts and injuries. It is desirable to use sand as a soil. Small granules of gravel can be mistaken for food and swallowed by these individuals, which leads to stomach problems and death of the creature. Due to the fact that the axolotl is a nocturnal creature, very bright lighting is not recommended. Small or young axolotls can safely live in small containers, but only until they grow up. Any elements of the aquarium interior should have smooth edges, in order to avoid damaging the delicate body of water dragons.

The body of representatives of this species has practically no bone structure, especially in young individuals. Almost the entire skeleton of the axolotl consists of cartilage, and the skin is soft and very delicate. Therefore, picking up this fragile creature is recommended in rare cases. If it is necessary to move it to another place from the aquarium, it is caught with a net on a soft basis.

Keeping a dragon in a community aquarium

Many people think that it is normal to keep an axolotl in an aquarium along with other fish, but this is not so. For simple aquarium fish, the temperature regime is not very important, but for a dragon this is an important criterion. It is also necessary to take into account the acidity and hardness of the water. That is why it is worth thinking about keeping with the axolotl fish that live in soft water (neons), or hard water (pecilia, guppies). We must not forget the fact that the water dragon is a predator and will hunt at night, but during the day other fish will be able to pluck its gills. Based on everything, it is clear that it is simply not advisable to keep an axolotl animal and other varieties of fish in the same aquarium.

The only great neighbors in the water "apartment" can be goldfish. They, like axolotls, prefer cool water temperatures. Their temperament is calm, not aggressive. Of course, they can try to show “who is the boss in the pond”, but as a result they will get a pinch by the tail and will no longer climb. They feed on the same food as water salamanders.

Axolotl food

What and how much does the axolotl (ambystoma leech) eat? Since water dragons are predators, they prefer protein-based foods. Varieties of dipping predator food, which come in the form of tablets or granules, are well suited to them. Shrimp meat is very popular with the albino axolotl. Also, all representatives of this individual love to eat mussels, fry, fish fillets. They will not refuse the usual earthworm either. It just needs to be cut first.

Such an individual should be fed, like ordinary fish: do not pour a lot so that they do not overeat. It is advisable to immediately remove all residues from the aquarium, as they very quickly begin to disappear, rot and turn into toxic substances. The meat of mammals for axolotls is contraindicated. Although it contains a lot of protein, the stomach of these creatures cannot cope with it.

It is enough to feed large representatives of this species three times a week, but newborn larvae should be fed every day.

In axolotl, reproduction is an absolutely outstanding and simple process. Individuals reach sexual maturity by the first year of existence. In females ready for breeding, the body shape is much larger than in males. But the “male half” has very pronounced cloacal lips. To stimulate the breeding process, the habitat of these animals should be slightly changed. Water can be made a little warmer. If the water dragons are in a room where the temperature is constantly changing, then this process will happen on its own.

Another option to stimulate reproduction is to reduce the length of the day and slightly increase the temperature. Then again increase the daylight hours and lower the degree in the aquarium. The female and male should be kept separately, and then placed in a tank with cool water.

The breeding process of water dragons is as follows. The male secretes spermatophores from himself, and the female collects them with her cloaca. Thus, fertilization of eggs is carried out. When the process of insemination is completed, the female places the eggs on the surface of the leaves of plants in the aquarium. After that, future parents can be transplanted into separate "apartments". The incubation period directly depends on the temperature regime and ranges from two to three weeks. After its expiration, axolotl larvae are born.

Newborn larvae are very small (only up to 1 cm) and for the first week of life they receive the necessary nutrition due to the yolk sac. If the temperature in the aquarium is maintained at 20⁰, then after a week the larvae grow to 1.5 cm, and after the third, the hind limbs begin to form in small axolotls. At this time, they are about 3.5 cm long. Toward the end of the fourth week, their size is 4 cm, and the hind limbs are almost completely formed. At the end of the third month of the existence of axolotl juveniles, their body size varies between 12.5-14 cm. For this period, fish food, only grated, daphnia and other varieties of live food, is perfect as food.

Newborn axolotls should be fed every day. In this regard, it will be necessary to renew the water in the tank of their stay more often. Since the development of dragons is uneven, larger cubs must be transplanted to another tank. Otherwise, they will not allow others to develop.

Among aquarists there are real lovers of the exotic. And in their home reservoirs you can find not only interesting specimens of fish - amphibians also come across there. Among the most unusual are salamander larvae.

Story

Axolotl (that's her name) naturally lives in the waters of Mexico and is one of the oldest representatives of the fauna. The name of the amphibian was given by the Aztecs, and translated into Russian it means "water monster". But this nickname does not fit in the least with that pretty face that looks at you through the glass of the aquarium.

The ancient Indian tribes ate axolotl meat, something reminiscent of the taste of eel. Nowadays, catching this amphibian is prohibited - the axolotl is listed in the Red Book. But this does not prevent to breed it at home.

Description of the axolotl

So, the axolotl is a salamander larva, which, bypassing all intermediate stages, becomes an adult without changing its shape, but purely by the age of development. In mature larvae, the average body length is about 300 mm. On both sides of the axolotl's head, long processes (3 pieces each) grow, which perform the function of external gills. It is they who create the "image" for the salamander larva - thanks to these gills, the amphibian really looks like a dragon (but quite cute in appearance). In nature, axolotls are found in various colors: black and gray, brown and brown. There are pure albinos and golden ones, but with such a color it is difficult to survive in the harsh world of water elements. But in an aquarium, amphibians of light shades will feel more comfortable.

It is difficult to say for sure how long axolotls live in a natural reservoir, but at home, this representative of the salamander lives no more than 12 years.

• Salamanders are cold water creatures. And this means that the temperature of the water in the aquarium must always be below the optimum, i.e. less than +20 0 C. It will be possible to change it only to stimulate reproduction.
• The content of these "dragons" is allowed only in clean water. Do not forget to regularly clean the reservoir and change the water in it more often.
• The axolotl is active at night. Therefore, the aquarium should have enough dark nooks and crannies where the larvae could hide from bright light during the day. A pile of large pebbles, a chipped coconut shell, an overturned earthenware pot with a hole to enter, etc. will help to create a cosiness for your salamander.
• The bottom of the reservoir should be covered with clean sand at least 3 centimeters thick. It will be more convenient for the axolotl to move along it with its paws. But shells, small pebbles and other little things in the aquarium should not be, because. an amphibian can swallow them and then suffer from stomach pains (perhaps even die). Pebbles that you will use to create shelters in the aquarium should be of such size that the axolotl will not be able to swallow them.
• Be sure to get vegetation in the aquarium - its leaves will become a place for the fertilization of eggs. Instead of live algae, you can decorate the aquarium with artificial flowers. It doesn’t matter how many of them there will be, the main thing is that it is convenient for axolotls to move around.
• Everything that will be in the home pond should not have sharp corners and edges that salamanders can cut themselves on (they have a very delicate body).

Axolotl nutrition

How to feed axolotls should be discussed in more detail, because. there is a difference in the diet of a sexually mature salamander and its fry. The common thing is that aquatic salamanders belong to the category of predators with teeth in their mouths. And predators need animal protein to develop.

• It is preferable to feed fry with microworms, mosquito larvae, daphnia, naupilia. You can soak the pellets of feed for predatory fish in water.
• In addition to this assortment, adult “monsters” are fed with shrimp, mussels, and fish fillets. But live fish should be given with caution, because. they can be carriers of diseases.
• Some owners of home aquariums try to feed the axolotl also with pieces of lean veal or beef heart. Of course, this is a good protein food, but the amphibian will struggle to cope with it.

Fry should be fed daily, adults - 3 times a week. In this case, food residues should be immediately removed from the aquarium, because. axolotl prefers clean water.

Coexistence

It is advisable to keep salamander larvae in a separate aquarium, while all individuals should be of the same size. The water "dragon" is still a predator and can eat other inhabitants of the reservoir at night - fish and snails (he loves the latter very much). But some fish can become a threat to the axolotl because of its bright appearance. Any part of the body can be attacked, but most of all the inhabitants of the reservoir are interested in external gills. Minor damage to the salamander can regenerate, but large damage will damage health. Therefore, keeping axolotls is allowed only with goldfish, which are not interested in salamanders.

But. and living in a separate colony, axolotls can eat their own kind (i.e., they are characterized by cannibalism). Adults eat their fry if they do not have enough protein food (and sometimes just like that). But sexually mature larvae can also fight for existence if they do not have enough "place under the sun."

Try to give each axolotl as much space as it needs for normal development. Each adult should have at least 50 liters of water. Only such content will be comfortable enough. Yes, and caring for an axolotl at home will be easier.

Axolotl- This is the larva of the ambistoma, one of the species of amphibian caudates. This amazing animal is characterized by the phenomenon of neoteny (from the Greek “youth, stretching”).

Hereditary deficiency of the hormone thyroidin does not allow the amphibian to move from the stage of the larva to a full-fledged adult. Therefore, axolotls live in this phase, reaching puberty and the ability to reproduce, without undergoing metamorphosis.

Axolotls are commonly called larvae of two types of ambist: mexican ambistoma and tiger ambistoma. In the wild, ambistoma can be found in two forms - neotenic (in the form of a larva), and terrestrial (developed adult).

Features and appearance of the axolotl

Literally translated, axolotl means "water dog" or "water monster". On the photo axolotl doesn't look threatening. Rather, he looks like a cute home dragon. This similarity is given to the axolotl by three pairs of gills symmetrically sticking out at the head, resembling fluffy twigs.

They help the animal breathe underwater. The axolotl is one of those rare amphibian species that, in addition to gills, also have lungs. The animal switches to pulmonary breathing when living conditions change, or oxygen in the water is not enough for normal life.

With prolonged use of such breathing, the gills atrophy. But the axolotl is not afraid. The little dragon has the ability to regenerate its tissues and, if necessary, the gills can be restored.

The good-natured appearance of the “water monster” is given by small round eyes on the sides of the flat muzzle and a wide mouth at the bottom of the head. It seems that the axolotl is constantly smiling, arriving in a great mood.

Ambystoma larvae, like all amphibians, are predators. The teeth of the animal are small and sharp. Their function is to hold, not tear food. The length of the axolotl reaches 30-35 cm, the females are slightly smaller. A long, well-developed tail helps the amphibian move easily in the water.

The axolotl spends most of its time at the bottom. Two pairs of paws end in long fingers, with which he clings to stones to make a push when moving. In their natural habitat, axolotls are most often found brown in color, with dark peas scattered over the body.

Domestic axolotls usually white (albinos) or black. Because of their characteristics, these animals are of considerable interest in scientific circles. In laboratories conditions for keeping axolotl close to natural. Amphibians breed beautifully, delighting scientists with new shades of skin color.

Axolotl habitat

Axolotls are common in the lakes of Mexico - Xochimilco and Chalco. Before the invasion of the Spaniards, locals ate ambista meat. In terms of taste, it is similar to tender eel meat. But in the process of urbanization, the number of axolotls has significantly decreased, which led to the inclusion of this endangered species in the Red Book.

I am glad that the salamander feels great at home. Axolotl is one of the most common pets for aquarium amphibians.

In the wild, axolotls spend their entire lives in the water. Choose deep places with cold water and an abundance of vegetation. The lakes of Mexico, with floating islands and isthmuses of land connecting canals, have become the ideal home for water dragons.

The habitat of axolotls is quite extensive - about 10 thousand kilometers, which makes it difficult to accurately count the remaining individuals.

Keeping axolotl at home

The biggest problem with axolotl content the house will maintain a certain temperature of the water. Animals feel good at temperatures from 15-20C. The boundary mark is 23C. The oxygen saturation of water depends on its temperature.

If the water is too warm, the pet starts to get sick. It is recommended to install axolotl in the aquarium water-cooling equipment, but you can also resort to the advice of experienced salamander breeders.

A plastic bottle of frozen water is lowered into the water, thereby lowering the overall temperature in the aquarium. The second bottle should always be ready in the freezer.

When choosing a container for keeping an axolotl, proceed from a volume of 40-50 liters per pet. Water is poured with medium or high hardness, purified from chlorine.

The bottom of the aquarium is covered with river sand, adding a few medium-sized stones. It is not recommended to use small pebbles, since axolotls swallow soil along with food.

If the sand freely leaves the body, then the pebbles can clog the excretory system of the amphibian, which leads to disastrous consequences for the animal. Axolotls love to hide in hiding places, so make sure that there are hiding places in the aquarium.

For this, snags, pots, large stones are suitable. An important point - all objects must have streamlined shapes. Sharp surfaces and corners easily injure the delicate skin of an amphibian.

The presence of plants in the aquarium is also very important. Axolotls during the breeding season lay eggs on their stems and leaves. Water change is carried out once a week. Half of the volume is poured out, and supplemented with fresh water.

Empty the aquarium monthly and do a general cleaning. It is highly undesirable to leave the remains of food and natural secretions of pets in the water. When organic matter decomposes, substances are released that adversely affect the health of the amphibian.

Nutrition, reproduction and lifespan

Being a predatory amphibian, the axolotl consumes protein in food. With pleasure he eats worms, mussel and shrimp meat, dry food for predators in the form of tablets. It is undesirable to give the salamander live fish, as many of them are carriers of various diseases, and axolotls are very susceptible to them.

The meat of mammals is banned. The dragon's stomach is not able to digest the protein found in such meat. Reproduction is fairly easy. Individuals of different sexes are placed in one aquarium. The female and male differ in the size of the cloaca.

A more noticeable and protruding cloaca is in the male. Smoothed and almost imperceptible - in the female. After a short mating flirting, the male releases clots of spermatophores. The female collects them from the bottom with her cloaca and after a couple of days lays fertilized eggs with fry on the leaves of plants.

Depending on the conditions, axolotls Babies hatch in two to three weeks. The babies are fed naupilia brine shrimp, as well as tiny worms. Daphnia also serves as a suitable food during this period.

In their natural habitat, axolotls can live up to 20 years. When kept at home, the life span is halved. Buy axolotl you can in pet stores specializing in the sale of aquatic pets: fish and various amphibians.

Online stores also provide an opportunity to purchase aquarium axolotl fish. Axolotl price varies from 300 rubles for a larva, and within 1000 rubles for an adult.

Axolotl (lat. Axolotl) or, as it is also called, the Mexican salamander is part of the ambist detachment. This species is considered to be the larval form of such a species as the tiger ambistoma. The axolotl can reproduce before reaching the age of an adult, due to the fact that its thyroid gland is underdeveloped.

The axolotl dragon reaches a length of 30 cm, and its mass exceeds 300 grams. These creatures look funny and, thanks to their crest, look like little fantasy dragons. On the body of the axolotl there are gills shaped like feathers, they enable them to receive a sufficient amount of oxygen from the aquatic environment for their life. 70% of the axolotl's body length is its tail, it is long and wide, slightly flattened on the sides, like other amphibians, and consists of fifty vertebrae.

The shape of the axolotl's head is slightly flat, slightly wide, and sharp teeth are located on the lower and upper jaws. With the help of them, axolotls hunt for prey.

The skin of these reptiles is smooth, 15-17 grooves run vertically on the sides, and because of this, the body seems to be ringed. The fingers on four limbs are free, without membranes. There are four toes on the front legs, five on the back.

The water dragon axolotl, which has reached adulthood, is slimmer. It has no external gills and fin folds. Axolotls are inherent in regeneration, but if an individual undergoes a natural or artificial metamorphosis, it will lose this ability.

The color of the axolotl is dark brown, sometimes there are dark yellow or black spots on it. Even with the help of an artificial environment, albinos were bred, their colors are as follows: milky white, pink with red gills (you can see the pattern made up of blood vessels).

The natural habitat of axolotls is Mexican lakes, reservoirs with a weak current and low water temperature. Ambistomes are nocturnal, during the day they stay in various shelters, such as: holes, tree roots, have poor eyesight. The axolotl is a predator, it can lie motionless at the bottom for hours, waiting for its prey. Catching the movement, the amphibian makes a dash forward and captures the prey, then swallows it with ease. The survival rate of these individuals is very high, they can starve for 1-2 weeks. Axolotl at home lives up to ten to fifteen years.

Interesting facts about axolotls:

In Spanish, the word "axolotl" means "playing in the water", translated from Greek - "water toy";

- due to the exotic species of amphibian, she was given the nickname water dragon;

The Mexican axolotl is a predator, however, a calm and beautiful representative of amphibians, it is interesting to watch them;

The body of axolotls is very delicate, it is easy to damage it. An amphibian requires caution when keeping it in an aquarium;

The axolotl is capable of regeneration: a damaged paw or fin can grow back and take on its former appearance, but if it injures the gills, then they will no longer be so beautiful, but rather look like a disheveled bush;

Ambystomas that have reached adulthood breathe with lungs, skin and gills.

Historical origin of the species:

Axolotls are suitable for keeping in an aquarium, but so far they are very controversial inhabitants. Mexican amphibians were discovered in 1830, they were given the name Siredon pisciformis, which means fish-like siredon.

In 1864 axolotls were brought from Mexico to France. Their permanent residence was the Paris Museum of Natural History. A year later, scientists bred the first offspring of axolotls, and the fact of the reproduction of larvae that had not undergone metamorphosis aroused great interest. In 1867, the herpetologist described the process of growing up of the ambistoma, followed by giving the appearance of naming Ambistoma mexicanum.

In 1884, the process of larval reproduction was also named, which was called neoteny. The reason for this was that lakes, the natural habitat of axolotls, contain a small amount of iodine, but when thyroidin is added to water or food, the axolotl gradually loses its swimming membrane and gills, after which it begins to look like a salamander.

Maria von Chauvin, who lived in Freiburg, made many observations on the subject of "axolotl, maintenance and care", and her laboratory animals were brought to aquariums and terrariums in Europe. In Russia, these ambistomes appeared in the 1900s, but survived the war, only two pairs. They remained in the possession of the Moscow Zoo, but did not have the ability to reproduce. With the help of hormonal injections, scientists obtained the offspring of these amphibians.

Today, the axolotl is a very rare species that has been included in the Red Book. They remain in only a small number of lakes in Mexico, and their population continues to decline.

Breeding and reproduction of axolotl

Sexual maturity of axolotl occurs by the 10-12th month of life, they have the ability to reproduce without reaching the adult form. Most often, axolotl breeding occurs in spring or autumn, it is easy to distinguish a male from a female - the female is much thicker, the males are endowed with distinct cloacal lips. They spawn in the evening: the female collects spermatophores deposited on the ground by the male, fertilization of the axolotl is internal. In the next two days, the female is engaged in throwing eggs on the leaves of plants (their number reaches 600 eggs at a time).

Only the larvae that were born during the first week of their life feed thanks to the yolk sac, during this period the water temperature, as a rule, is raised to 20 degrees, after three weeks the limbs of the rear part of the body are formed in young individuals, by this time the size of the larva reaches 26 millimeters. By 60 days of age, the largest individuals reach a size of 10 cm.

In captivity, the adult axolotl breeds throughout the year. In order to stimulate reproduction, the temperature of the aquarium water should be lowered by four to five degrees, you can temporarily protect the producers from contact. To grow offspring, a separate vessel with aeration and filtration is used, periodically removing dead eggs and replacing water with a third.

In order to feed the larvae, boiled egg yolk is used, then shrimp or daphnia. Later, small frozen bloodworms, tubifex, food intended for fry, enchitreya, cyclops and other food are suitable. The remaining feed must be removed in time.

Uneven growth of tadpoles is possible, thus, individuals that have reached larger sizes should be provided with a separate vessel.

About keeping axolotls

If you have an axolotl in your house, then good conditions in a terrarium can make it possible for representatives of this family to live up to 15 years. It is recommended to keep them separate from other fish species, since small fish will be swallowed by these predators, and axolotls can get damaged from larger individuals.

For two adults, a 30-40 liter aquarium with water at room temperature should be enough. Also, the expanses of the aquarium are supplied with aquatic plants and smooth round stones, make sure that there are no sharp objects in the aquarium. There is no need for additional lighting, a good solution would be to install a fluorescent lamp with a soft glow nearby. It is undesirable to use sand as a ground, since amphibians can eat it, the best bottom surface is medium-sized pebbles.

The Mexican axolotl should be kept in well-oxygenated water with a slightly elevated or neutral pH. Every week up to 20 percent of the water must be changed. Do not expose reptiles to overheating, like other amphibians, they have a negative attitude to temperature fluctuations. The most suitable water temperature is about 18-20 degrees during the day and 16-18 degrees at night.

What does the axolotl eat? Amphibians should have a varied diet: they can be fed lean pieces of veal or beef, raw beef heart, bloodworm, peeled tubifex, lumbricus, insect larvae, snails. In order to diversify the diet, softened food for turtles and trout, live shrimp larvae are suitable. Young animals need to be fed daily, mature individuals - two or three times a week.

Wintering is not characteristic of the axolotl, respectively, the water temperature should not be artificially lowered. When the water temperature rises above 25 degrees, it must be cooled. To do this, you need to move the aquarium to a less lit place or add the required number of pieces of ice to the water. Food that axolotls have not finished eating should be removed in time. You shouldn't overfeed them.

Amphibians quickly get used to interacting with a person, especially with a person who feeds them, and do not feel fear towards him and even swim up to their hands. Do not be afraid if your finger turned out to be slightly bitten by an axolotl, you need to carefully release it from the reptile's mouth, human skin is too rough for them to bite through.

When keeping several adult axolotls, care must be taken that they are of the same size, otherwise small individuals will be infringed by larger ones.

Axolotls are passive creatures, they easily lie at the bottom for hours, sometimes they wag their tail, and the upper layers of the water can be the point of their stay, where they twitch their paws, do not be alarmed if the fish spends a couple of hours in a motionless state. Watching axolotls is very interesting, so you will not regret if you decide to have such a pet.

Veterinary center "DobroVet"

These funny creatures are sometimes called water dragons or salamanders. In fact, the axolotl is a neotenic larva of some species of ambistomes (mole salamanders). The main feature of water dragons is that they reach sexual maturity without ever turning into an adult form. For such a monster to become an adult ambistoma, he needs special conditions - a decrease in the water level or an injection of the thyroxine hormone. However, it is the larval form that has gained particular popularity among aquarists. Mainly because of the stamina and fantastic appearance.

Small dragons live in the reservoirs of Mexico (there are especially many of them in the lakes of Chalco and Xochimilco). In nature, in recent years, the number of these individuals has been rapidly declining, so now water salamanders are successfully bred in captivity. The colorful appearance ensures universal love for this little aquarium miracle.

Extraordinary water monster

From the Aztec language, the word axolotl is translated as "water dog" or "water monster". There is nothing terrible in the appearance of our hero - this salamander is more like a small funny dragon. The colors of cute monsters can vary from dark gray to very light whitish. Albinos bred in captivity are white. There are also brown and brown color options, they are great for camouflage and make the water dragon almost invisible.

The axolotl is easily recognizable by the funny and slightly bushy outgrowths (three on each side) on its head. In fact, these are its external gills. Dragons also have small eyes and a very wide mouth, which constantly gives them a laughing, smiling look. They also have small teeth.

Unlike most of the inhabitants of the aquarium, nature gave baby monsters short paws with fingers (4 on the front, 5 on the back). The tail of the larvae is long and wide, helping to swim.

The usual size of the axolotl is 20-25 cm, but some specimens can reach up to 35-45 cm. Weight - 300 g. Males are usually slightly larger than females - mainly due to the length of the tail. In an aquarium, dragons usually live up to 10 years, with very good care they can reach a very respectable age - 15-20 years. One of the most unusual abilities of these creatures is the ability to regenerate. They can re-grow not only gills or a tail, but entire limbs.

Features of keeping axolotl in an aquarium

• it is better to arrange a species aquarium for them - even the calmest and most peaceful fish can try to bite off the gills of unusual neighbors. The dragons, active at night, will not remain in debt and will take revenge after dark - they will simply eat the dormant fish. The only exception is goldfish, which are too slow for a serious fight with monsters;
• despite the Mexican origin, water salamanders prefer cold water - no higher than 20-21 ° C (at night it needs to be lowered to 16-18 ° C). This is due to the fact that their favorite habitats are located almost 2.5 km above sea level. Temperatures above 23-24 ° C are uncomfortable for them, can lead to illness and even death;
• The bottom of the aquarium for axolotls is best covered with fine sand - this will allow them to move freely. It is strongly not recommended to cover the bottom with gravel - your pets can swallow it and die from blockage of the gastrointestinal tract. Stones for aquarium decoration should be used with a smooth surface;
• one large individual will need at least 30-40 liters. Experts advise keeping axolotls one at a time, in case of a fight they can cause serious injury to each other;
• the water in the tank must be well oxygenated (7.0-8.2 pH). Water change (20%) and soil cleaning should be done once a week. It is better to make lighting fluorescent, short-sighted larvae do not like bright light.

Experts do not recommend turning the dragon into an adult ambistoma - it will be more difficult to care for a real salamander, and for a water monster it will become a terrible stress. In addition, the larval form is more valued in modern aquarism.

Axolotl - care, feeding and maintenance

You need to feed the water monster regularly, otherwise he will start to get his own food on his own and eat his cohabitants. His diet should be varied enough. To make the conditions for keeping the axolotl comfortable, the menu includes:

• fish fillet;
• earthworms (chopped);
• mussel meat;
• beef heart;
• protein feed (these are still predators);
• bloodworm and tubifex (peeled);
• finely chopped beef or veal (rarely).

These creatures will gladly feast on sinking food for predatory fish (usually they are made in the form of small granules). You should only avoid feeding live fish - there is a big risk that the dragons will become infected with something from them.

Young animals need to be fed every day, adults - once every 2-3 days. It is important not to overfeed your pets, because the leftover food in the aquarium rots very quickly, which negatively affects the quality of the water. When feeding, an axolotl may try to swallow a finger that is in the water. However, this does not cause any discomfort to a person, since dragon teeth are not at all sharp.

Breeding Secrets

Before breeding, males and females should be placed in separate aquariums with a water temperature lower than normal by 4-5 ° C (but not lower than 12 ° C). Then they are again populated in a common spacious tank with water at the usual temperature. Here, males lay spermatophores in the ground, and females spawn (the ratio of males and females is 1: 1-3). After that, future dads are put away again. The ripening period is 2-3 weeks. As soon as the larvae become larger than 2-2.5 cm, they should be sorted by size and seated in different tanks. The first food for young animals is crushed boiled egg yolk, after 2-3 days you can give daphnia and shrimp. The remains of food must be caught from the water, otherwise the fry may die from overeating. Gradually, cyclops, brine shrimp, tubifex, special food for fry are added to their diet.

If you want to have an unusual pet that is easy to care for, you should opt for the axolotl. Contact Aqua-store, our staff will provide complete information about these incredible creatures and help you manage their care.