Axolotls, sometimes affectionately referred to as \u2018water dragons\u2019, belong to the genus Ambystoma. Many species of these so-called \u2018mole salamanders\u2019 share a genetic quirk that delays the metamorphosis into their adult forms, remaining larvae for far longer than typical for other amphibians. Axolotl are the most famous example of this, and, in nature, retain their larval forms throughout their entire lives. They are strictly aquatic and are kept exclusively in aquariums without land. <\/p>\n\n
At up to 30 cm in size, they also get quite large. And: Axolotls never stop growing! <\/p>\n\n
Incidentally, axolotls are considered a cult animal in Mexico: they are regarded there as a kind of \u2018sacred animal\u2019, and have also been enjoying growing popularity in Europe for some time now.<\/p>\n\n
Unfortunately, the species is critically endangered, mainly due to pollution and loss of habitat.<\/p>\n\n
If you would like to give one or more axolotls a new home, there are a lot of important points to consider!<\/p>\n\n
Firstly, buy your animals from responsible breeders who do not breed \u2018wildly\u2019 but pay attention to the genetics<\/strong>: Most axolotls kept today carry some amount of tiger salamander genes — some colour variants in particular would not be possible without this. The disadvantage of this is that excessive cross-breeding or \u2018wild\u2019 reproduction can result in the animals not remaining in the larval phase, but instead undergoing spontaneous metamorphosis. The animals rarely survive this and afterwards require a different terrarium setup, and often suffer a reduced quality of life still. Therefore, you should under no circumstances buy axolotl eggs<\/strong>, not only is raising them anything but easy — with eggs it is mostly up to chance whether you will end up with viable, robust and healthy animals. In addition to the suffering of the animals, this can also result in considerable follow-up costs! <\/p>\n\n The aquarium must not be treated with starters or other chemical-biological aids, so you should expect a possibly long maturation time.<\/p>\n\n As mentioned, axolotls must be kept in relatively cool temperatures. There are several reasons for this: Firstly, their biology means that they are simply adapted to very cold water. In warmer water, they age more quickly and fall ill more easily. This is in part due to their immune defence relying on certain substances in their mucus coating. However, these defensive peptides in the mucus only work at temperatures below 20 \u00b0C. <\/p>\n\nThe Tiny Dragons’ Particularities<\/h1>\n\n
Cool Temperatures<\/h2>\n\n
The BD fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis<\/em>)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n