Question: Can I keep them from breeding?

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NaterPotater

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I just set up a 40-gallon aquarium, so I want to get 4 axolotls. I really do not want to accidentally become an axolotl breeder, so I've been looking for confirmed male sub-adults. I have gradually discovered that hardly anyone sells sub-adults. A vast majority of bred axolotls are purchased as eggs or juveniles. So I guess I have to either choose from the very limited selection of sub-adults or get 4 juveniles and just roll the dice on gender. If I end up with some male, some female, what is the likelihood that I'm going to end up with babies (babies that I do not have the means to care for)? I know that everyone's first response is to say "just use two tanks." I have one tank that I just got and ended up spending a little more money than I originally intended to get everything I needed for it. I want to be able to have them all in one tank. So, in everyone's experience, will they usually only breed if you help them along with temperature and light changes to stimulate breeding, or are they pretty much going to whether I want them to or not? I could get or make a tank divider, but I'm wondering if males and females can be together with a fairly limited chance of them breeding? I know that they'll usually eat the eggs if you leave them in there, so theoretically you're very unlikely to end up with accidental babies making it to adulthood. However, I've also read in multiple places and posts that it can be very unhealthy to let a female lay eggs constantly. So... can I get away with putting 4 juveniles in a tank and not ending up with unhealthy females and a bunch of babies getting eaten?
 
My partners Axoltols have bred many times, usually once or twice a year and its often a messy job if you don't act fast and deal with it asap, as the eggs stick to everything, gum up your filter and when certain amounts of the eggs die they can foul your water.

You can buy plastic mesh dividers which work well which will stop the females fertilizing the spermatophores, but this only works if you know which Axolotl is male and female.

Personally I think if you have the time its easy enough to just pull all the eggs out the tank asap and you can then cull them by putting them in a tub of water and popping it in the freezer, this is much better than putting them down the toilet or sink which is rather inhumane.

There are tank conditions which will promote breeding, you can get lots of information on:
Axolotls - Breeding Axolotls Successfully
 
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  • Shane douglas:
    with axolotls would I basically have to keep buying and buying new axolotls to prevent inbred breeding which costs a lot of money??
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  • Thorninmyside:
    Not necessarily but if you’re wanting to continue to grow your breeding capacity then yes. Breeding axolotls isn’t a cheap hobby nor is it a get rich quick scheme. It costs a lot of money and time and deditcation
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  • stanleyc:
    @Thorninmyside, I Lauren chen
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