Axolotl breeding?

Hello, today I introduced one of my new axolotls to my older axolotl. Onyx is 8 1/2 inches and is still growing. The new one that I have not named, is 6 inches. I don't know if this one is a girl or a boy as it is showing no signs, but Onyx seems to want to breed with it?

He's following it around, nudging at its cloaca and laying on top of it. He obviously loves the company, but the little one is definitely too young to breed if its a girl. Does he know that the new axolotl is a girl or is it just a guess? Also if it is a girl, is it physically able to breed now? I certainly don't want that to happen for both of their health, but I also don't want to seperate them either.

Has anyone had this experience or have any advice?


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I experienced this with my very very first axolotl, Gonzales. After a few days he was nudging laying and dancing on Josè (which I thought was a boy!). Gonzales left spermatophores all over the tank and I cleaned them up when I saw them.

If yours is a girl, it's really stressful and can cut her life span dramatically if bred too young. I have read it should be 12-18 months old before her first batch. Do you know how old she is?

I'm afraid to find those laying around in the morning!

Yes, that is exactly my concern. I just don't actually know if its a girl and if it is, if she will try to breed or just ignore him.

I don't know how old she is exactly, but my guess is five or six months which is far too young to my understanding. I will ask the person I got them from to see if they know but it will have to wait since it is late.



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Axies are optimistic little things, and if you have a tank full of males they will 'court' each other, so it doesn't necessarily mean your little one is a girl. I think Onyx is just excited to have a new friend.

But yes, 6" isn't usually sexually mature, and even if she is a girl will not be ready to breed. If you see spermatophores just remove them, but your little one probably won't have picked one up anyway.

You might want to consider putting in a divider if you're really concerned.

Alright, thank you both! I think he's probably just excited then. He didn't leave any laying around overnight and I don't think the little one is interested in that anyway at this time. He looks as if he's amazed by it, hes just keeps staring. I find it rather adorable!

If he does start to become a problem, I will seperate them again. Right now it doesn't seem to be getting out of hand or anything. Once we move, I may put up a divider since they'll be in a much larger tank, but right now it would be better for both of them (room wise) to seperate them again.

This was just a new situation to me as he has always been alone (since I've had him) and the little one arrived to me with two others, so Onyx isn't really that different from the others from the little one's perspective. I'm just incredibly happy he loves the company! My cat Squidward will actually sit on his tank and Onyx will swim right up to him to greet him


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