How Often to Feed Axolotl Worms?

Does your pet axolotl enjoy munching on worms and you are wondering how often to feed axolotl worms?

The idea of axolotls being carnivorous predators is not foreign to you. Choosing what to feed your Axolotl is something you can do quickly because their menu comprises so many food options.

They have many favorite foods, but worms are number one on the list.

Some axolotls show a big appetite for food and will only rest once they empty all the food from their dish, especially if they eat worms.

That’s why it’s very easy to overfeed these animals, which brings about many digestive problems.

You need to be careful with how much and how often to feed axolotls. Without further ado, let’s see how often axolotls should eat worms.

How Often to Feed Axolotl Worms?

How often you feed axolotl worms depends on their size and age, whereas adult axolotls eat less often than their young ones and juveniles.

While the latter can eat every day, the adults need a one- or two-day break to digest and assimilate their food.

You may want to feed your juvenile axolotls with bloodworms daily, but adult axies need to eat roughly 2-3 days per week.

Axolotls can survive for an extremely long time without food; some can even go for two weeks, but this is not something you should try.

Feeding axolotls with worms most frequently can result in constipation or impaction, which can be bad for your lotl’s health.

Feeding axolotls worms alone subject them to malnourishment. Worms cannot supply all the nutrients that axolotls need.

Even if your axie loves worms like crazy, you should always alternate this favorite with other foods.

You can feed worms every few times and alternate them with different kinds of foods for the axy to get various nutrients. You can also feed daphnia, crustacean, gel foods, etc.

How Many Worms Should My Axolotl Eat?

As axolotls continue to grow, the amount of food they eat decreases. Therefore, fully grown axolotls don’t eat as much and don’t require eating every day.

You have to limit the level of the worm’s intake every time you feed them. If you wish to know how many worms your Axolotl can eat, you can examine how much it will eat within two minutes.

Ideally, old axolotls can feed one to two larger worms per day. However, young axolotls will consume anywhere from half a worm to two worms per day.

Juveniles will be okay eating one to two medium-sized earthworms per day.

If you own axolotls of different ages, you have to be watchful that each one of them is getting the right type and amount of food. Feeding them together might cause others to starve, which is never good.

How Long to Leave Worms in Tank?

Maybe you have come across articles that advise people to leave worms in an axolotl’s tank for not more than five minutes—removing worms from the tank soonest after feeding is a sure way to avoid overfeeding.

But note that not all axolotls will start eating immediately after you provide the food.

Some will not waste time coming for the food, while others grab it after some time. For this reason, it would be necessary to allow some more time.

You can feed your Axolotl as many worms as they can consume in two minutes. However, the young axolotls will eat less food within this time period than adults.

I have always found it perfect for leaving the worm in the tank for about 15 minutes and then removing the excess.

Start your timer once the axie begins to eat actively, and not immediately when you put the food in the tank.

Best and Worst Worms for Axolotls

You should be aware that axolotls are not picky and consume almost any prey they can find and swallow in their habitat.

In their natural ecosystem, these creatures mainly eat worms, larvae, mollusks, crustaceans, arthropods, etc.

The idea of not being fussy can result in axolotls eating harmful worms. Captivated species don’t have much problem because you tailor what they eat.

The finest thing you can do for your axie is invest in highly nutritious foods.

Best Worms

Most owners go for earthworms (nightcrawlers). It’s a healthy and nutritious food item, and axolotls love munching on it the most.

Blood worms are also a popular food choice for axolotls. You can feed them as larvae of the midge fly or marine worms.

Though, blood worms are not very nutritious and should serve as an occasional treat.

Blackworms are an ideal food choice for young axolotls and are the best substitute for earthworms.

They are an excellent source of protein and are easily available everywhere, like nightcrawlers.

White worms are not left behind. They are extremely nutritious and calorically dense and among the top list of live foods that axolotls love to eat.

We cannot talk about worms and fail to mention micro worms. They are among the best nutritious foods to feed to young axolotls.

Acrylic Coral Spot Feeder Long Tube

Last update on 2022-12-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Worms to Avoid Feeding to Axolotls

Some worst worms to feed axolotls are red wigglers, waxworms, and super worms. Red wiggler worms are in the group of nightcrawlers.

The good thing about them is that they are easy to breed, easily accessible, and come in small sizes.

However, red wigglers are not ideal for axolotls. These worms excrete a foul, stinky substance that is enough to keep all axolotls away; they don’t like it. Red wiggler even causes some axolotls to vomit.

Axolotls should also not eat mealworms, wax worms, and super worms because they contain a chitin exoskeleton. They are not good because the chitin is hard for axolotls to digest.

Moreover, their exoskeleton may become embedded in the Axolotl’s gills, leading to choking.

Can I Feed My Axolotl Garden Worms?

Yes, axolotls can eat garden worms. Many axolotl owners prefer this kind of worm because they contain all the nutrients and vitamins that axolotls need.

However, garden worms pose the risk of spreading parasites to axolotls and perhaps even to you.

To avoid this problem, it would be great to buy garden worms from a pet store locally or a reputable online seller.

These garden worms are free from parasites and are safe for axolotls. You can get them from your garden, but you need to ensure they don’t contain parasites.

Check out: Can You Feed Axolotls Earthworms From The Garden? 

Your Axolotl Won’t Eat Worms

Some circumstances can force an axolotl to refuse to eat worms, be picky about the worms they eat or avoid all foods.

If your axolotl is anorexia completely, this could primarily be due to stress, poor water quality, constipation, overfeeding, aggressive tank mate, impaction, egg/water retention, parasite infection, bacterial infection, etc.

However, if the axolotl only refuses to eat some worms and doesn’t forgive others, the problem lies in the rejected worms.

Maybe the axie find them unpleasant or smelly, or perhaps due to other reasons.

Axolotl is likely to completely stay away from worms (either live or frozen or both), although this is rare because worms are their favorites.

If the pet hates live worms, you can opt to feed it frozen worms and vice versa. But if it can’t eat both live and frozen worms of all kinds, you can try pelleted foods and other foodstuffs suitable for axolotls.

Zoo Med 78065 Can O’ Bloodworms

Last update on 2022-12-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Conclusion

Young and juvenile axolotls have a high metabolism and digest their food quickly because their bodies need many nutrients to grow.

But when these animals are fully grown, they need about a day to assimilate and digest food.

Consequently, adult axolotls are required to eat less frequently, but their young counterparts must feed daily.

Worms are the best foods for axolotls; however, you should always avoid worms with a chitinous exoskeleton.

Warms from outside or in your garden can harbor parasites which they spread to axolotls, and thus it’s better to avoid them.