- What happens if the axolotl is exposed to cooler or freezing temperatures?
- What if my hamster’s tank water is consistently too cold?
- Move your axolotl to a larger tank
- How do you heat the water in your axolotls’ tank?
- What is the best heater for my axolotls’ tank?
- What to do when the room temperature starts to rise?
- Final Thoughts
Axolotls only need a heater if the water temperature in the tank is consistently below 10°C/50°F. In this case, you should use a heater to keep the water temperature at about 60°F to 64°F (16° to 18°C).
In most cases, axolotls may need a chiller, they will usually not need a heater since most homes are heated and heaters are often not part of the axolotl needs, but if you live in an area where temperatures can be extreme, you should definitely consider purchasing a heater to deal with any sudden temperature changes.
What happens if the axolotl is exposed to cooler or freezing temperatures?
When the temperature of your axolotl’s tank begins to drop below 60°F/15°C, it will start to slow down its metabolism, will start acting weird, and most likely enter a hibernation-like state to save energy.
Your axolotl will then stop feeding and if the water temperature continues to drop, your axolotl will begin to breathe only through its skin to avoid moving its gills as the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water will increase.
If the water temperature continues to drop and reaches 4°C/39°F and remains this cold for several days (more than 2 weeks), your axolotl will unfortunately die. Most of your axolotl tank mates will suffer the same fate, unfortunately.
Your live plants will also start to have trouble withstanding the cold water and start to wilt and die as well.
Finally, when the water temperature in your axolotl’s tank remains too cold, you will probably have problems stabilizing the nitrogen cycle in the tank, since the solubility of nitrogen will quickly increase with decreasing water temperature.
What if my hamster’s tank water is consistently too cold?
In the event that your hamster’s tank water remains consistently below 60°F/15°C, it is recommended that you bring it back to the ideal range of 59 – 65 degrees Fahrenheit (or 15°C – 18°C).
Move your axolotl to a larger tank
If the water in your axolotl tank gets just a little too cold, just a few degrees, it is best to move your axolotl to a larger tank.
By doing so, you will have a better chance of avoiding the use of a heater since the larger the tank, the more stable the temperatures will remain.
How do you heat the water in your axolotls’ tank?
When it comes to heating or cooling your axolotls’ aquarium water, it is always recommended to go gradually to avoid stressing your axolotl.
Start by locating an area in your home where the temperature is ideal for your axolotl to avoid installing a heater.
If you find an ideal spot where you can move your axolotls’ tank, don’t ignore the other conditions, as the tank should never be directly exposed to sunlight, drafts, noise, or any other danger.
If you have no other place to move your axolotls’ tank to increase the temperature of the water, you will be left with the last solution, installing an aquarium heater.
What is the best heater for my axolotls’ tank?
If you need to install a heater for your axolotl’s tank, I recommend an aquarium heater with a thermostat and the best is Fluval E200 Advanced Electronic Heater.
You have to choose the right heater for your tank size :
- E 100 for 30 Gallons tank
- E 200 for 65 Gallons
- E 300 for 100 Gallons
The other heater I recommend for your axolotls’ tank is Hygger, you can also adjust it to your tank size.
- 200 Watt for 15~30 Gallon tank
- 300 watt for 30~60 Gallon
- 500 watt, for 60~120 Gallon
You must read the instructions to use these heaters correctly, like not installing them horizontally and always leaving 2 inches of the heater out of the water.
Then adjust the heater setting to gradually increase the water temperature in your axolotl (just a few degrees every day) until it stabilizes around 60°F and 65°F.
Finally, these kinds of heaters are very robust but it is always recommended to buy at least two of them in order to replace them quickly in case one day your heater stops working or you have to remove it for cleaning for example.
What to do when the room temperature starts to rise?
If the ambient temperature starts to rise, after the end of winter, for example, you will probably remove the heater and this operation should be done gradually too.
The best thing to do would be to fill a container with water and place it in the same room as your axolotl’s tank and continue to monitor the temperature of the water until you are sure that it is finally ideal for your axolotl.
You can then safely remove the heater while monitoring the behavior of your axolotl and the water conditions and parameters to avoid disrupting the Nitrogen cycle.
This operation should be done over several days to make sure that it is not just a temporary increase in temperature.
Final Thoughts
Axolotls do not usually need a heater but in special cases where the water in the tank is always too cold, you should install a heater to ensure that your axolotl has a stable water temperature and parameters
