A leucistic axolotl looking straight at the camera on fine sand
The UK axolotl setup guide

Cool water. Clean water. A happy axolotl.

Axolotls are easy to love and easy to get wrong. Most problems come down to two things: water that's too warm and a tank that wasn't ready. We'll help you get both right.

Set up a tankCheck your water
16–18 °CThe temperature vets recommend. Never above 24 °C.
75 litresMinimum for one adult, on a floor of at least 90 × 45 cm.
4–8 weeksTo cycle a new tank before the axolotl moves in.
10–15 yearsHow long a well-kept axolotl lives.
Start here

The tank is the pet

An axolotl spends its whole life in the water you give it. It can't swim away from heat, it breathes through those feathery gills, and it lives on the floor. So a good setup is mostly about the boring parts: floor space, gentle filtration, a cool room and water that has been cycled.

Get those right and axolotls are calm, hungry and long-lived. Our step-by-step setup guide takes you from empty tank to first feed.

How to set up the tank
Two white axolotls lying on sand in a planted aquarium
Temperature check

Is your water too warm?

Warm water is the most common way axolotls get ill in UK homes, usually in a heatwave or a sunny room. Read the thermometer in the tank, not the room.

Where is the tank?
Ideal
Ideal
8 °C16–182430 °C
    A pink axolotl with bright red gills beside green plants

    They can't tell you they're too warm. Their gills can.

    Gill tips curling forward, a lost appetite or floating at the surface are early signs. Most of the time the fix is a fan, a frozen bottle and a quieter corner of the house.

    Keeping the tank cool

    The guides

    Plain English, UK-specific, and checked against vet care sheets.

    A pale pink axolotl resting on sand, gills fanned out
    Axolotl careThe whole picture on one page: what an axolotl needs every day, week and year.
    An axolotl in a home tank with sand, a pipe hide and a sponge filter
    Tank setupFrom empty glass to first feed, in ten steps, with a diagram.
    A pink axolotl with bright red gills beside green plants
    Water temperature16–18 °C, every day of the year. What to do when July has other ideas.
    Two white axolotls lying on sand in a planted aquarium
    Cycling the tankThe 4–8 week step most new keepers skip, and how to do it right.
    Two axolotls face to face on a dark tank floor
    FeedingWorms, pellets, how often and how much. Plus the foods to skip.
    A dark wild-type axolotl looking at the camera
    Buying an axolotlHealthy signs, good sellers and the colours, before you hand over any money.
    Tank size planner

    How big a tank do they need?

    Axolotls live on the floor of the tank, so length and width matter more than height. Plan for adult size from day one: a 5 cm baby can reach 25 cm in a year.

    How many axolotls?
    Same size as each other?
    Minimum water volume
    75 litres

      The checklist

      Everything you need, nothing you don't

      Fifteen items, in the order you'll need them, with the reason each one matters. Tick them off as you buy: your list stays saved on this device. Share it with whoever's paying for it.

      Open the checklist
      An axolotl in a home tank with sand, a pipe hide and a sponge filter
      Two-minute check

      Are you ready for an axolotl?

      Quick answers

      Do axolotls need a heater?
      No. They're cold-water animals: 16–18 °C is ideal and anything over 24 °C is dangerous. Most UK homes are cool enough for most of the year. The problem is summer, not winter.
      What size tank does one axolotl need?
      At least 75 litres with a floor of 90 × 45 cm. Use the tank planner for more than one.
      Can axolotls live with fish?
      Not really. They eat anything that fits in their mouth, and fish nibble their gills. Another axolotl of the same size is the only safe tank mate.
      How long do axolotls live?
      Usually 10–15 years with good care.
      Can I use tap water?
      Yes, treated with a water conditioner to remove chlorine and chloramine. Aim for a pH around 7.4–7.6.