One of the first things you need to understand about axolotls is that they are carnivores. They need meat-based foods that contain protein and maybe some fat. Too much fat is also bad for them, except if we are talking about baby axolotls.
If you have a growing salamander at home, it is actually a good idea to introduce some fat to its diet. It is going to help your pet grow in moderate amounts. When it comes to vegetables, the thing is that axolotls won’t digest it at all.
Their digestive system is simply not developed to process vegetables nor algae. Of course, vegetables contain plenty of fiver and vitamins, which is good but not for the axolotl. Meat-based foods can actually provide them with all the nutrition they need for a healthy and happy life.
Vegetables Make Your Axolotl Sick?
Axolotls are definitely willing to suck in many things they see in front of them. However, they are going to refuse to eat vegetables most of the time. It is simply not good for them and they know it. Also, vegetables don’t move so they are not going to be excited.
When you put a live worm in front of them, on the other hand, they don’t hesitate at all. If it fits in their mouth, it is going to be gone in a second. Now the thing is that there are many axolotl keepers out there that would suggest feeding them a little bit of veggies.
This is something we don’t recommend you trying at home. If you would give, let’s say, a piece of carrot to your salamander, then it would take him a very long time to digest. Meanwhile, chances are that he will suffer from impaction for a long time, maybe even weeks.
Therefore, vegetables are the type of food you should forget when it comes to axolotls.
Can Axolotls Eat Veggie Pellets?
Veggie pellets are manufactured mainly for herbivorous fish species. They contain all the vitamins, fibers and other nutrients they need. If you would give these pellets to your axolotl, he would most likely eat them. However, this is the equivalent of keeping him on an herbivore diet while axolotls are carnivores.
So yes, they can eat it for sure but there is very little nutritional value in those pellets for them. You can’t feed veggie pellets to them every day because they are going to crave meat-based foods. They can only thrive on a high-protein diet.
If you want to feed your axolotl fish pellets, then it is better to buy the carnivore ones.
Can Axolotl Eat Cucumber?
Sometimes when you want to mix things up, it might seem like a great idea to give your axolotl a piece of cucumber as a treat. Unfortunately, it is not something they can digest. Just like any other veggie, cucumber is actually pretty bad for axolotls.
Can Axolotls Eat Carrots?
Carrots are also one of the wide range of veggies that an axolotl cannot eat. Something like a piece of carrot can stay in their gut for weeks. Their digestive system simply doesn’t know what to do with that type of food.
It would stay there for a long time, causing impaction in most cases. If you want your axolotl to feel well, make sure to only feed him meat-based foods.
Can Axolotls Eat Lettuce?
It is not that your axolotl would not eat the lettuce but it would cause more harm than good for sure. A vegetable such as lettuce can make your salamander feel full. The problem is that it provides no nutritional value and it won’t even be digested properly.
Many owners think that reducing the ammonia output of axolotls by feeding them veggies is a great idea. The thing is that if you want your pet to be healthy then this is definitely not the right way to go about it.
Do Axolotls Eat Aquatic Plants?
Although axolotls have no interest in eating aquatic plants, they definitely enjoy sitting on them. As mentioned, they live on a meat-based diet full of proteins so plants are completely out of the question. However, it is still important to choose the right plants because they put their weight on them.
Go for some of the stronger live plants such as the Java Fern, Water Lettuce and Amazon Frogbits.
How do Axolotls Get Vitamins?
Assuming that plants are the only source of vitamins for axolotls is wrong. In fact, they have specific needs when it comes to vitamins and they are able to extract all of them from meat-based foods. Since their digestive system is not developed in a way to digest vegetables, they are not nutritious for them at all.
Just by feeding meat to your salamander, you can provide him with all the vitamins he needs. Axolotls can thrive on pellets made for them or carnivorous fish as well. There are plenty of vitamins in those pellets and other elements with high nutritional value.
Carnivores also need vitamins, as the only difference is that their digestive system prefers different types of vitamins.
Wrapping Up
We can conclude that axolotls are strictly meat-eaters. Keep them on a carnivore diet with lots of protein and they are going to be full of energy all day. They are not even close to being herbivores or even omnivores because you can’t find a single plant or veggie they would eat.
Axolotls are not interested in eating algae either. They are strictly carnivores and the only way they can destroy your aquatic plants is by sitting on them. We would also recommend you not to feed your axolotl veggies for the sake of reducing ammonia output.
An aquarium has to be properly maintained either way with regular water changes and proper filtration. It is also important to clean it every now and then. If the well-being of your axolotl really matters to you, then you are going to put some time into maintenance and keep them on the proper carnivore diet.
