Things Axolotls Are Surprisingly Good At... and Terrible At

Axolotls are extraordinary animals.

They can regenerate complex tissues, detect tiny movements in the water and inhale a worm with astonishing efficiency.

They can also spend several minutes trying to walk through the same piece of aquarium glass.

Nobody is perfect.

Behind those fluffy gills and permanently cheerful faces is an animal beautifully adapted to a very particular aquatic lifestyle. Some of their abilities are genuinely remarkable.

Others?

Well...

Let's just say nobody is hiring an axolotl to solve an escape room.

Here are some things axolotls are surprisingly good at, along with a few things they are spectacularly terrible at.

GOOD AT: Regenerating Body Parts

We have to start with the superpower.

Axolotls are famous for their extraordinary regenerative abilities.

They can regenerate damaged or lost structures including limbs and parts of other tissues and organs without the extensive scarring humans typically experience.

This remarkable ability is one reason axolotls have become important animals in scientific research.

But there's an important distinction for pet owners.

Regeneration does not mean invincibility.

An axolotl's ability to regenerate should never be treated as a reason to allow injuries to occur. Prevention through appropriate housing, water quality and husbandry is always better than relying on an animal's ability to heal.

Superpower?

Yes.

Excuse for questionable aquarium decisions?

Definitely not.

TERRIBLE AT: Sharing a Tank With Anything That Looks Delicious

Axolotls are predators.

Admittedly, they are predators that sometimes look as though they've forgotten why they entered a room.

But predators nonetheless.

If something small moves nearby, an axolotl may investigate whether it is edible.

Fish can therefore become expensive snacks.

Unfortunately, the problem can work in the opposite direction too. Some fish may nip an axolotl's delicate external gills.

For this reason, axolotls are generally best kept in species-appropriate setups rather than being treated like community aquarium fish.

That colourful little fish may look like a friend to you.

Your axolotl may see lunch.

GOOD AT: Detecting Movement

Axolotls aren't relying entirely on spectacular eyesight to find dinner.

They are highly responsive to movement and vibrations in the water.

Their lateral line system helps them detect changes in water movement around them, which is particularly useful when locating prey.

This explains one of the most familiar axolotl behaviours.

Worm moves.

Axolotl notices.

Axolotl turns.

Worm suddenly regrets several life decisions.

TERRIBLE AT: Recognising That Your Finger Isn't Food

Movement attracts attention.

Unfortunately, fingers also move.

An axolotl investigating your hand isn't necessarily displaying aggression. It may simply be applying the traditional axolotl scientific method:

Step 1: Something moved.

Step 2: Could be worm.

Step 3: SCHLOOP.

Axolotls have small teeth designed primarily for gripping rather than chewing, but unnecessary handling should still be avoided.

Their skin and protective slime coat are delicate, so admire with your eyes whenever possible.

GOOD AT: Eating Worms

There are ordinary skills.

Then there is the axolotl's ability to make an earthworm disappear.

Axolotls feed using suction.

When they strike at food, they rapidly open their mouths and draw water and prey inside.

The result can be remarkably fast.

One moment you're holding a worm.

The next moment your axolotl is staring at you.

There is no worm.

There was never a worm.

Do you have another worm?

TERRIBLE AT: Chewing Dinner Politely

Axolotls don't chew food the way humans do.

Their small teeth help grip prey, while appropriately sized food is generally swallowed.

This is why food size matters.

Earthworms are an excellent staple food for axolotls, but larger worms may need to be cut into appropriately sized pieces, particularly for younger animals.

Dinner etiquette rating:

2/10.

Efficiency:

Excellent.

GOOD AT: Looking Completely Innocent

This may be their greatest non-scientific achievement.

An axolotl can knock something over, uproot a plant, sit directly on another axolotl and inhale dinner in under a second...

Then look at you with exactly the same expression.

The lack of eyebrows certainly helps.

No guilt.

No explanation.

Just gills.

TERRIBLE AT: Interior Design

You have carefully arranged the aquarium.

The plants are positioned beautifully.

The hide sits perfectly in the corner.

Everything looks wonderful.

Your axolotl has notes.

Aquarium plants may become chairs.

Leaves may become beds.

Decorations may become things to climb around, squeeze beside or investigate repeatedly.

This doesn't mean you shouldn't create an attractive aquarium. Live plants and hides can provide enrichment, cover and shaded areas.

Just understand that you've hired an interior-design consultant who works exclusively at night and refuses to discuss the brief.

GOOD AT: Finding the Weirdest Possible Sleeping

Position

Provide a lovely hide.

Provide shaded areas.

Provide comfortable resting spots.

Your axolotl may choose...

the plant.

Not beside the plant.

On the plant.

Perhaps halfway through the plant.

Axolotls often rest for extended periods and can select some wonderfully strange positions while doing so.

Because they don't have eyelids, resting axolotls don't close their eyes like we do.

They simply remain still.

Watching.

Always watching.

TERRIBLE AT: Bright Lights

Axolotls don't have eyelids and generally prefer subdued lighting.

Bright aquarium lighting without adequate shade can be uncomfortable.

If you use lighting for aquarium plants or viewing, make sure your axolotl has access to suitable hides and shaded areas where it can retreat.

A normal day and night cycle is also important.

Your axolotl does not need its aquarium illuminated like a supermarket at 2 am.

Let the little creature have some darkness.

GOOD AT: Making You Think Something Is Wrong

New axolotl owners quickly discover an interesting phenomenon.

Axolotl in normal position:

Cute.

Axolotl standing strangely:

Is that normal?

Axolotl floating:

WHY IS IT FLOATING?

Axolotl sitting perfectly still:

IS IT OKAY?

Axolotl swimming:

WHY IS IT SWIMMING?

Axolotl not swimming:

WHY ISN'T IT SWIMMING?

Many harmless behaviours can look strange when you're unfamiliar with axolotls.

Learning your individual axolotl's normal behaviour is incredibly useful because it makes genuine changes easier to recognise.

When in doubt, check the fundamentals: water temperature, water parameters, appetite, physical condition and recent changes to the aquarium.

TERRIBLE AT: Telling You What's Wrong

Unfortunately, your axolotl cannot tap the glass and announce:

"Excuse me, the ammonia appears to be elevated."

This is why regular observation and water testing are so important.

At Little Lotl's, we recommend keeping axolotl water between 14–18°C, with:

• Ammonia at 0 ppm

• Nitrite at 0 ppm

• Nitrate below 20 ppm

• KH at 4-8 dkh

• GH at 8-14 dgh

Stable, clean and appropriately conditioned water is fundamental to good axolotl care.

You are essentially the aquarium's water-quality department.

Your axolotl's contribution is producing the waste.

GOOD AT: Growing Back Gills... But Let's Not Test It

Axolotls can regenerate damaged gill tissue.

Again, this doesn't mean gill damage should be considered harmless.

Gill condition can also provide useful clues about an axolotl's environment and health.

Nipping from tank mates, poor water quality, inappropriate conditions and other problems can all affect the appearance of the gills.

Healthy husbandry should always focus on preventing damage rather than celebrating the regeneration afterwards.

TERRIBLE AT: Gravel

Axolotls feed using suction.

This means objects near their food can accidentally enter their mouths.

Small gravel can potentially be swallowed and may create serious problems.

For this reason, suitable axolotl substrates require careful consideration.

Fine sand appropriate for axolotls or a bare-bottom setup is generally much safer than small gravel that can fit inside an axolotl's mouth.

The rule is simple:

If your axolotl can swallow it, assume it may eventually attempt to.

Remember the scientific method.

Something exists.

Could be worm.

SCHLOOP.

GOOD AT: Training Their Humans

You may believe you're training your axolotl to recognise feeding time.

Interesting theory.

Consider the alternative.

Your axolotl swims to the front of the aquarium.

You see it.

You get a worm.

You deliver the worm.

The axolotl eats.

Who trained whom?

Within surprisingly little time, many owners develop an impressive response to a particular look through the aquarium glass.

The axolotl has successfully domesticated another human.

TERRIBLE AT: Knowing When You've Already Fed Them

Your axolotl ate.

You know this because you personally supplied the food.

Five minutes later, your axolotl is at the front of the tank.

Apparently there has been a terrible administrative error.

No food has ever been provided.

Not once.

Your records are clearly inaccurate.

Please provide worm immediately.

It's important not to confuse enthusiasm for food with a requirement for unlimited feeding. Appropriate feeding frequency depends on the axolotl's age, size and condition.

Those little faces are persuasive.

Stay strong.

GOOD AT: Being Completely Different From Each Other

Axolotls aren't identical little robots.

Spend enough time around them and you'll notice behavioural differences between individuals.

Some seem adventurous and investigate everything.

Some are incredibly food motivated.

Some spend more time exploring.

Others discover one favourite location and apparently sign a 20-year lease.

Learning your axolotl's usual behaviour is part of the fun of keeping them and can also help you notice unusual changes.

TERRIBLE AT: Understanding Personal Space

This one becomes particularly obvious when multiple appropriately housed axolotls share an aquarium.

There may be an enormous amount of available floor space.

Yet somehow...

both axolotls occupy exactly the same 15 centimetres.

One may sit on the other.

Neither appears particularly concerned.

Of course, cohabitation requires appropriate aquarium size, compatible animals, adequate feeding and careful monitoring.

Axolotls don't understand concepts such as:

"Excuse me."

"That's my seat."

"Could you move your tail?"

Apparently these are human problems.

GOOD AT: Surviving in a Very Specialised Environment

The axolotl's unusual characteristics make much more sense when you understand where the species came from.

Axolotls originate from the ancient lake and canal systems around Xochimilco in Mexico.

They are neotenic salamanders, meaning they retain juvenile aquatic characteristics throughout adulthood rather than undergoing the typical metamorphosis seen in many other salamanders.

Those famous external gills aren't just decorative fluff.

They're part of an extraordinary evolutionary story.

TERRIBLE AT: Being "Just Like a Fish"

This is one of the most important points for new keepers.

An axolotl lives in an aquarium.

That does not make it a fish.

Axolotls are amphibians with different anatomy, environmental requirements and sensitivities.

Products, medications, aquarium setups and husbandry practices suitable for fish aren't automatically appropriate for axolotls.

Before using a product in an axolotl aquarium, always check whether it is suitable for axolotls specifically.

The aquarium may look familiar.

The animal inside it is anything but.

GOOD AT: Making People Fall in Love With Them

This ability remains scientifically suspicious.

Maybe it's the fluffy gills.

Maybe it's the tiny hands.

Maybe it's the permanent smile.

Maybe it's the fact that an animal capable of remarkable regeneration can simultaneously look confused by a worm sitting directly in front of its face.

Whatever the reason, axolotls have become one of the world's most recognisable amphibians.

And once you've spent enough time around them, it's easy to understand why.

The Final Score

So what are axolotls good at?

Regeneration.

Detecting movement.

Finding food.

Eating worms.

Looking adorable.

Training humans.

Sitting in ridiculous places.

And convincing us that we definitely need another axolotl.

What are they terrible at?

Interior design.

Personal space.

Bright lights.

Recognising fingers.

Explaining what's wrong.

Remembering they ate five minutes ago.

And behaving normally the moment you try to show someone the funny thing they've been doing all afternoon.

Perfect?

Absolutely not.

Fascinating?

Completely.

And that's exactly what makes them such extraordinary animals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are axolotls intelligent?

Axolotls can respond to their environment and learn associations, particularly around feeding. However, their behaviour and cognition shouldn't be interpreted exactly like that of mammals.

Can axolotls recognise their owners?

Axolotls may learn to associate movement around their aquarium with feeding and can respond when someone approaches. Whether this represents individual human recognition in the way people commonly imagine is much harder to establish.

Why does my axolotl try to bite my finger?

Moving fingers may trigger an axolotl's feeding response. Avoid unnecessary handling because axolotl skin and the protective slime coat are delicate.

Can axolotls regrow their legs?

Yes. Axolotls are famous for their ability to regenerate limbs and other complex tissues. However, preventing injury should always be the priority.

Are axolotls fish?

No. Axolotls are amphibians. More specifically, they are salamanders that retain aquatic juvenile characteristics throughout adulthood.

What temperature should an axolotl tank be?

Little Lotl's recommends maintaining axolotl water between 14–18°C.

Discover More With Little Lotl's Australia

At Little Lotl's Australia, we're passionate about helping axolotl keepers understand these fascinating animals and provide the environment, nutrition and care they need to thrive.

Whether you're preparing for your first axolotl or you've already surrendered your home to several aquatic potatoes, there's always something new to learn about them.

Explore our axolotls, care guides, aquarium supplies, plants, food and water-care products at Little Lotl's Australia.

Because life is simply more interesting with a little lotl in it.