Adult axolotls can go without food for 2 to 3 weeks, while young and baby axolotls should never be left without food for more than a week.
How long can axolotls go without food?
Adult axolotls (+7 inches) are opportunistic and can go more than two or three weeks without food when they are in their natural environment.
But young axolotls have neither the physiological capacity nor the patience to stay that long without food, so they can quickly attack their congeners if they stay more than a week without food.
The question is not how long an axolotl can stay without eating !!! I have heard stories where axolotls have survived more than a month without food, but I say “survived” but at what price?
An axolotl must always find food when he is “really hungry” otherwise, there will surely be repercussions on his health, his behavior, and his development.
Can axolotls not eat for a week?
Yes, an axolotl can stay without eating for a week, especially if it is well-fed at its last meal. The larger your axolotl is, the more it will resist hunger.
How often should axolotls be fed?
Young and baby axolotls should be fed every day or two, while a healthy adult axolotl may be satisfied with a meal every two or three days, or even longer for some individuals.
How can I feed my axolotl while I am away?
It is wise to ask someone or a pet sitter to come and feed your axolotl while you are away.
If your axolotl is fed exclusively with sinking pellets, you can set up an automatic fish feeder like DXOPHIEX, which will feed your axolotl for you.
The problem with this kind of feeder is that you can’t program it to feed your axolotl every two or three days, but at most once every 24 hours.
So you have to either cut the pellets into smaller pieces or limit the number of pellets that your feeder will release into the tank and you have to test it before leaving.
This solution is a bit risky and you risk breaking the nitrogen cycle if your axolotl does not eat all the pellets released by the feeder.
If you are only going to be away for less than a week, your axolotl can remain without food during this period, but you must feed it well before leaving:
Feed it well with a well-balanced and rich meal and give it an extra portion.
Check the water parameters and the proper functioning of the filters
Make sure to lower the water temperature a little to reduce the metabolism of your axolotl, so it will take longer to digest its meal and then spend less energy.
The best solution if you have to leave your axolotl alone for several weeks:
If you are going to be away for more than two weeks, I highly recommend introducing live food into your axolotl’s tank.
You will just buy some edible tankmates a dozen guppies or andlers and some river shrimp and introduce them in the tank of your axolotl.
This way, your axolotl will just hunt its tank mates if it is hungry and when you return, your axolotl will be in excellent shape.
Is it risky to leave my axolotl without food for several days?
Usually, axolotls are not at great risk if they miss a few meals, they will just wait patiently for the next opportunity to eat.
But in some cases, leaving an axolotl without food for several days can cause complications if it is already sick or weak; a disturbance in the digestive system, and the least, a slight loss of weight and muscle mass.
But if you have several axolotls in the same tank, especially if they are still young, they may attack each other and you will have several of them losing parts of their gills and even pasta or tails.
How to feed an axolotl that has gone a long time without eating?
It is recommended to start giving it small amounts of food and even divide its usual meal into two or three portions and give it gradually to prevent it from swallowing too much food and causing impaction or digestive problems.
Final Thoughts
It is not recommended to leave your axolotl without food for more than a week, but if you have no choice, it is recommended to leave him some small fish and shrimp so that he can hunt them and not remain completely without food.
