Feeding & Nutrition

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What Axolotls Eat in the Wild

In their native Lake Xochimilco, axolotls are opportunistic predators that eat worms, small crustaceans, insects, and small fish. In captivity, we replicate this diet as closely as possible using live, frozen, and prepared foods.

All Shoreline Axolotls juveniles are eating well before they leave us — established on blackworms and live brine shrimp, two of the best foods for young axolotls.

Feeding by Life Stage

Juveniles (under 4 inches)

Young axolotls need to eat daily. Their metabolism is fast and they are growing rapidly. At this stage, live foods are the best option because they trigger a natural feeding response.

• Blackworms (live) — our first choice for juveniles. Highly nutritious, easy to culture at home, and axolotls go crazy for them. Available at most fish stores.
• Live baby brine shrimp — excellent supplemental food. Easy to hatch at home from eggs.
• Frozen bloodworms — a good supplement but should not be the sole diet. Thaw before feeding.

Sub-adults (4–7 inches)

At this stage axolotls can begin transitioning to larger foods. They are still growing quickly and should be fed every 1–2 days.

• Nightcrawlers (earthworms) — excellent nutrition, high protein. Cut to appropriate size. Rinse before feeding.
• Blackworms — still a great option at any size
• Hikari Carnivore pellets — a quality prepared food once the animal is trained to accept them
• Frozen bloodworms or mysis shrimp — as supplemental variety

Adults (7+ inches)

Adult axolotls only need to be fed every 2–3 days. Overfeeding adults is a common mistake and can lead to obesity and water quality problems.

• Nightcrawlers — our preferred staple for adults. One large worm every 2–3 days is plenty.
• Repashy Grub Pie or Soilent Green — a gel food that can be made in batches and stored in the fridge.
• Hikari Carnivore pellets — convenient and nutritionally complete.

Foods to Avoid

Training to Pellets

Getting an axolotl to accept sinking pellets makes long-term care much easier. The trick is to wiggle the pellet gently with tongs or tweezers near the animal to simulate movement. Most axolotls will accept pellets within a few weeks of consistent training. Never drop pellets in and walk away — uneaten pellets foul water quickly.

Feeding Tips

• Always feed at the same time of day — axolotls develop a feeding routine
• Use tongs or a turkey baster to target-feed and avoid uneaten food in the tank
• Remove all uneaten food within 30 minutes
• Do not feed for 24 hours after a water change if the animal seems stressed
• A healthy axolotl will lunge at food aggressively — a sluggish response can indicate illness or poor water quality