Can you keep axolotls alone or will they get lonely? And what do you have to watch out for when you socialize axolotls? Should they be kept in pairs?
Axolotl are solitary animals that dont need tank mates and don’t get lonely. But they also have no problems with sharing their tank with other axolotl and even seem to enjoy laying next to each other.
Can I keep only a single Axolotl?
Axolotl can be kept without tank mates without problems. They are not social animals and do not need a friend or partner for company. However, it is perfectly fine to keep several Axolotls in one aquarium as long as they are about the same size.
Axolotls are solitary animals and only come together in the wild during mating season. Therefore, they can be kept alone in the aquarium without becoming lonely. They tolerate other axolotl, usually without problems and often lie in hiding places next to or on top of each other.
Is it better for Axolotl, when they are kept alone?
Although you can keep axolotls with other axolotl, there are a few reasons to keep them alone:
Axolotls are cannibals
Even though it sounds creepy, it is normal for axolotls to be more or less cannibalistic depending on their age.
Especially young axolotls tend to nibble on their tank mates gills or legs, or even bite off a whole leg. Due to their regenerative ability, the limb will grow back in a few weeks to months.
In wild axolotls cannibalism is usually much more pronounced than in our pet axolotls and after they grow bigger than 4 inches (10 cm) they are usually much less interested in biting their fellow axolotls.
Smaller axolotls run the risk of being eaten
Axolotls consider almost anything that moves near them as food, this includes smaller axolotls and their own eggs. Thus, a much smaller axolotl could quickly be eaten by its larger tank mate.
Despite all of this, adult axolotls in particular can usually live together without any problems.
Tips for keeping two axolotls in one aquarium
The cannibalistic tendencies of young axolotls can be reduced by giving them enough space and making sure that they are always well fed.
From a size of about 4 inches (10 cm) axolotls can usually be kept together without problems and adult animals usually discard the cannibalistic tendencies of their youth completely.
If you keep several Axolotls together, you should make sure that they are about the same size. Ideally you should keep axolotls of the same size and sex together if you want to prevent them from preproducing.
You should also make sure to feed the Axolotl regularly, because hungry Axolotls are much more likely to bite their tank mates.
It is also important that the Axolotl have enough space and hiding places, like tunnels or small caves in the aquarium.
How much space do two Axolotls need?
One adult Axolotl alone needs a 20 gallon tank (100 liter), per additional Axolotl another 10 gallons of water should be calculated. Shallow aquariums are preferable to high ones, as the animals usually stay on the bottom.
2 to 3 Axolotls should live in a 40 to 55 gallon tank (150 to 200 liter), e.g. an aquarium with the dimensions 48x13x21 inches.
What should be avoided when keeping Axolotls together?
Only Axolotl that have a maximum size difference of 1 inch (2 to 3 cm) should be housed together, because the bigger one might think the smaller Axolotl is prey and hurt or eat it. Also you should not keep young axolotls together, unless they have a lot of space to avoid each other.
Conclusion
Axolotls are loners and do not need tank mates, as long as their housing conditions are appropriate, they can live a long and healthy life alone.
They also have no problem sharing their tank with other Axolotl, as long as you make sure that they are the same size and have enough space.
If you want to know how big a tank should be for one or even 5 axolotls, you can read this article.