Question: Feeding Axolotls

I need some help.
I've got a bit of a limit on what I could feed my Axi. This is due to mum having an objection (I don't know why) to animals being raised or cared for, purely to be fed to another animal.
For that reason I can't raise or keep worms or similar for my future axolotl.
However.. she doesn't object to frozen, but I can't find any frozen black worms in my area that are not hugely pricey...
So my question is, is it alright to feed an axolotl on pellets mainly and the occasional bloodworms (which I can get at a fair price. Will this provide them with everything they need?

The short answer to this is yes, as long as you have suitable pellets.
I have attached some links that mention pellets, so I hope that the information is useful.

Caudata Culture Articles - Food Items for Captive Caudates
Axolotls - Feeding

I am also fairly certain (although this is while trawling through my memory) that a few people on this forum mainly use pellets for feeding their axolotls, so it's not uncommon. You can provide your axolotl with a healthy and balanced diet without earthworms
My sympathies are with you for the limits you have on feeding your axolotl. 3 of my gang were from someone who had to rehome their axolotls because they didn't like handling worms, and their Mum was tired of having to do the feeding for them. My younger ones used to be fine on pellets and bloodworms when they were growing up, but it is difficult to get them to eat pellets since they were intriduced to worms. I occassionally hide pellets in defrosted prawns just to get a bit of variety in their diets.

Best of luck, please keep us posted on your progress.

I can't find any of the recommended pellets online.. Am I allowed to post outside links? if so I could post the ones I was thinking of getting to be scrutinised.

As far as I'm aware you can post links.
It would be good to get the opinion of the more experienced keepers & breeders.
Have you also spoken to the breeder who you are in touch with? Perhaps they will be able to help you to wean your axolotl of choice onto the pellets that you are going to use. That would be fairly awesome. :happy:

I haven't asked the breeder that yet, but she knows my intention is to feed pellets so I'm sure we'd be able to work something out.

These are what I was thinking: http://www.luckyreptile.com/products/145/en/pid1,5$pid2,7775229$pid3,7779256/products.html

That packaging looks familiar. I think I may have used those previously with my gang. The younger ones ate a mixture of those pellets, Tropical brand axolotl sticks (not as soft as the smaller pellets though), and bloodworms when they were growing up.
I've attached a link to information on nutritional values of certain foods, so you can see the levels of protein, fats, etc, and other important considerations.
Caudata Culture Articles - Nutritional Values

Thank you. I'll keep it all in mind and do some more research.

What about these? Axolotl Pellets from

I'd guess that pellets specifically manufactured for axolotls would have a good ratio of protein to fat, and contain a small amount of the other vitiamins and minerals mentioned in the article about amphibian food, and would be pretty good for your future axolotl. Hopefuly some of the people with more experience of using pellets will offer some guidance as well, but I'd have thought that most pellets would have everything that an axolotl needs.
When my younger ones ate mainly pellets I had a feeding area in the tank (a piece of slate) so they knew where the food was and didn't ingest too much sand as well. They would also eat out of an upturned lid of a jar, which was handy for stopping the pellets from travelling around the tank and getting lost.
I have also offered small amounts of seafood to my gang, they still like the occassional prawn, but they never really went wild for things like mussels, small strips of cod, etc. but those foods are all available for you to try, along with the pellets and bloodworms, as an altetnative to earthworms.

I'll probably go for those then.. Thanks for the advice on how to feed them.

Depending on the size of the axie, if it's an adult I wouldn't bother with bloodworms - no nutritional value for an adult.

Could you explain to her that earthworms can't feel pain? Or anything really? They just sense light patterns and chemicals.

You can use just pellets. Axolotl pellets though. Also what about prawns? Buy frozen prawns in a pack and it will last you ages, cut them up into bite size and defrost them in some water and feed! Mine LOVE them way more than any other food.

Good luck!


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What sort of prawns? I'm guessing you don't mean ordinary shop bought prawns from the supermarket, or am I wrong?

Yep, just a bag of frozen prawns cut them up defrost them and feed!


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It shouldn't be the main diet, earthworms would be best. But they're still a decent option to feed, especially when they're refusing everything else.


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Is she a vegetarian? If not, she does realize that animals are kept and raised for her to eat, riget?

Honestly, earthworms really are the best. I feed mine night crawlers and some of the "can-o-shrimps" by zoomed.

Yes, axies can do very well on an axolotl formulated pellet diet or night crawlers.