# From Courtship to Hatchlings (first foods & daily care) Axolotls will breed without asking your permission. Your job is to make the process safe, ethical, and clean. Here’s a practical, metric-only workflow from “wooing” to well-fed larvae. ## 1) Ethics & readiness (don’t skip) - **Breed only healthy, mature adults** (≈18+ months, good body condition). Big clutches are normal—**hundreds of eggs**—so plan homes ahead or be ready to responsibly cull early. [Ambystoma](https://ambystoma.uky.edu/images/suppleguide.pdf) - **Limit frequency.** Females pay the physiological bill; repeated spawns deplete reserves. Give long recovery windows. [Ambystoma](https://ambystoma.uky.edu/images/suppleguide.pdf) ## 2) Courtship, spawn, and egg collection - **Courtship**: male deposits **spermatophores** on the substrate; the female picks one up; **egg-laying follows** and eggs are stuck to plants, decor, or glass. [Ambystoma](https://ambystoma.uky.edu/images/suppleguide.pdf) - **Move eggs or remove adults.** Axolotl eggs are **tough and can be handled**; transfer them to a rearing tub to keep adults from trampling/eating them. Use dechlorinated, cool water and mild aeration. [Axolotl](https://www.axolotl.org/rearing.htm) **Practical setup** - Shallow plastic tubs or small aquaria, **water depth 10–20 cm**, temperature **16–20 °C**. Gentle air stone. No strong flow. [Axolotl](https://www.axolotl.org/rearing.htm) ## 3) Incubation timeline (temperature-dependent) - At **\~20 °C**, expect **hatching in roughly 10–14 days** (warmer = faster, cooler = slower). Around **18 °C**, hatching can take **\~20+ days**. [Axolotl](https://www.axolotl.org/rearing.htm) - Use a turkey baster or pipette to remove dead/opaque eggs quickly to protect the rest. [Axolotl](https://www.axolotl.org/rearing.htm) ## 4) Hatch → first feeding (what, when, how) - Fresh hatchlings still carry yolk; **wait \~24–72 h** until they are upright and snapping before first feed. [Axolotl](https://www.axolotl.org/rearing.htm) - **Best first foods (live, moving):** - **Newly hatched brine shrimp (Artemia nauplii)**—gold standard for the first weeks. Rinse well to remove salt/shells. Feed **little and often**. [Ambystoma](https://ambystoma.uky.edu/images/suppleguide.pdf) - **Small Daphnia/Moina** once they’re striking reliably. [Axolotl](https://www.axolotl.org/rearing.htm) - **Microworms** can supplement but foul faster; keep water extra-clean. [Axolotl](https://www.axolotl.org/rearing.htm) **Simple brine-shrimp routine (lab-proven)**\ Hatch 18–24 h under light and aeration; **siphon only the swimming pink nauplii**, avoid floating/bottom **egg casings**, **rinse** with axolotl water, then feed. Clean out leftovers a few hours later. [Ambystoma](https://ambystoma.uky.edu/images/suppleguide.pdf) ## 5) Density management & cannibalism control - **Low density** early reduces nips and losses. As a concrete benchmark from axolotl husbandry notes: **≤25 larvae in \~45 × 20 × 25 cm (\~22.5 L) tanks** once they reach \~25 mm—about **1 L per larva**. Spread thinner if you see nipping. [Axolotl](https://www.axolotl.org/rearing.htm) - **Separate at 15–20 mm** if nipping starts; individual cups or compartment racks work. [Ambystoma](https://ambystoma.uky.edu/images/suppleguide.pdf) - **Feed generously** during growth spurts; hungry larvae nip more. [Ambystoma](https://ambystoma.uky.edu/images/suppleguide.pdf) ## 6) Daily maintenance (weeks 1–6) - **Feeding cadence**: 1–3 times/day in small amounts; you want **rounded orange bellies** after brine-shrimp feeds. Remove uneaten food after a few hours. [Ambystoma](https://ambystoma.uky.edu/images/suppleguide.pdf) - **Water changes**: small, frequent changes (e.g., 30–50 %) with temperature-matched, dechlorinated water. Keep current very gentle. [Axolotl](https://www.axolotl.org/rearing.htm) - **Hygiene**: dedicated tools, rinse nets and containers between batches; avoid cross-contamination. [Ambystoma](https://ambystoma.uky.edu/images/suppleguide.pdf) ## 7) Milestones & upgrades - **Front legs** appear first; once larvae hit **35–50 mm**, introduce larger prey (cut earthworms, larger Daphnia, soft pellets) and give more space and hides. [Axolotl](https://www.axolotl.org/rearing.htm) - Maintain **16–20 °C** and **dim light**; stress delays growth and invites problems. [Axolotl](https://www.axolotl.org/rearing.htm) ## 8) Reality checks (hard truths) - Expect attrition from non-viable eggs and early failures. Cull humanely **early** rather than raising animals you cannot house. That’s part of ethical breeding. [Ambystoma](https://ambystoma.uky.edu/images/suppleguide.pdf) - If water quality or feeding slip, you’ll see **nipping, stunting, and deaths**—fix density and hygiene first. [Axolotl](https://www.axolotl.org/rearing.htm) --- ### Quick checklist you can tape to the tub - Adults conditioned & mature; homes planned. [Ambystoma](https://ambystoma.uky.edu/images/suppleguide.pdf) - Move eggs; 16–20 °C; gentle air. [Axolotl](https://www.axolotl.org/rearing.htm) - Hatch \~10–14 d @ 20 °C (slower if cooler). [Axolotl](https://www.axolotl.org/rearing.htm) - First feed at 24–72 h: **rinsed** Artemia nauplii. [Ambystoma](https://ambystoma.uky.edu/images/suppleguide.pdf) - Density ≲25 larvae / \~22.5 L at 25 mm; separate nippers. [Axolotl](https://www.axolotl.org/rearing.htm) - Feed small/frequent; clean a few hours later; steady water changes. [Ambystoma](https://ambystoma.uky.edu/images/suppleguide.pdf) --- **Sources for deeper diving** - Axolotl.org — breeding & rearing eggs → larvae (time-tested care notes). [Ambystoma+1](https://ambystoma.uky.edu/images/suppleguide.pdf) - Ambystoma UKY “Compendium of Axolotl Husbandry Methods” — lab protocols for nauplii prep, cleaning, spacing, and cannibalism prevention. [Ambystoma](https://ambystoma.uky.edu/images/suppleguide.pdf)