If you own axolotls, then it might be because of their exceptional ability to breed. Put a female and a male axolotl in the same tank, and you can expect to see some results in no time. But many people still don’t know how axolotls breed. Do axolotls lay eggs?
Yes, axolotls will lay eggs once they breed. It’s advisable to breed the axolotls when they are fully grown, because of the amount of eggs they can lay. In one breeding cycle, a female axolotl can lay up to 1000 eggs or even more, which no doubt brings a lot of stress on their bodies.
If the female is still too young and small, it can stress their metabolism a lot, and they can endure a lot of physical stress as well. So, it’s not recommended to breed them so early. You might be surprised at just how many eggs a female axolotl can lay after just one session of breeding. So, you might want to control the population if you don’t want to have that many of these amphibians.
In this article, we’ll take a look at everything about axolotls, eggs, and their breeding patterns.
How Many Eggs do Axolotls Lay at Once?
Axolotls will lay eggs over a prolonged period of time, such as a few hours or even days. This process of laying eggs will last for some time, and the amount of eggs that will be laid can vary significantly.
In some cases, the number might be small, such as 100 to 200 eggs. But in more severe cases, there might be so many eggs that it’s hard to count them. If the breeding is more powerful, there might even be 1000 eggs or more that are laid at once.
And combine that with the fertility of the axolotls, and you might find yourself overwhelmed by the amount of eggs that are laid. Axolotls can breed at any time of the year, but the most effective period to breed them is between December and June. This is when most eggs will be laid.
Where do Axolotls Lay their Eggs?
The position of where the eggs will be laid depends. It’s recommended to have some plants in your aquarium, especially if you intend to breed the axolotls. That way, the female can dump its eggs on the leaves of the plant, which is usually where you will notice the eggs after they are spawned.
If you don’t have any plants, then you can expect to find these eggs scattered all over the tank. Most commonly, they will be found on rocks if you have them, or flat surfaces in your tank. It might be the bottom of the tank, or even in the substrate of your aquarium.
If the egg is attached to a plant, it’s better because the eggs will hatch faster, as they will have more access to oxygen and the gas exchanges will happen faster and better.
How Long Does It Take for Axolotl Eggs to Hatch?
Hatching of the axolotl eggs will happen after a couple of weeks, depending on the place where the eggs will be placed, and the size of the eggs. If the eggs are more fertile, they will hatch much faster than if they are not. Another consideration is the water conditions: the water shouldn’t flow too fast, and if the temperatures are slightly higher (they should not be too high, about 20 degrees Celsius.)
In general, the eggs will hatch after 2-3 weeks after they are laid. The process will be slightly faster if the eggs are located on the plants, and if the water parameters are at the right levels. In some cases, if the eggs are not as fertile, it can take to up to a month to hatch. Don’t be surprised if it takes longer to hatch.
Can Axolotl Female Lay Eggs Without Male?
No, it’s not possible for the female to lay eggs without a male presence. That’s because the male will swim around the tank and spawn spermatophores around the tank. Usually, the male will spawn 5-25 of these, and will then lead the female to them. This way, the female will breed.
The breeding happens when the female picks up the sperm cap from these spermatophores, and places them in their cloacas. After this, it will take about a day or two, or even more days for the eggs to be spawned.
The spawning of the eggs itself can be done without a male, though. It’s better to remove the female and male from the tank once the eggs are spawned, so it makes sense to have a separate breeding tank in place.
How to Tell if Axolotl Eggs are Fertilized?
The eggs will appear black if they are produced by a regular axolotl, and they will be white if they are spawned by an albino axolotl. So that’s a way to tell if the eggs are fertilized or not. After a week or two, you should see the eggs become bigger, as the axolotl baby gets prepared to be hatched.
How to Remove Axolotl Eggs from the Tank?
For beginners, it becomes a problem of how to get rid of these eggs and remove them, or place them in another container. The good news is that these eggs are relatively tough, so you can easily place them or remove them with your bare hands.
They stick to the surface, so you can also replace them or remove them with your fingernails. Or, you can try to hover them with a vacuum cleaner. Removing them makes sense if you want to avoid an abundance of newly-hatched axolotls. You will want to place them in another tank or get rid of them completely.
Conclusion
Breeding axolotls is relatively easy. You only need a male and a female axolotl for breeding, and it takes a couple of weeks for the axolotls to breed. The female will then lay eggs, which will be hatched after a couple of weeks. It’s not recommended to breed axolotls if you have no knowledge of it, so get yourself informed.
