Axolotls and Substrate

[Speeding Sloth]

Hi everyone I am new to axolotl keeping i was given this little guy because the owner (a kid) wasn't taking care of him so now I'm trying to learn about him.

So, I was wondering is it safe to put an axolotl in a planted aquarium with a soil substrate? The soil is in pellet form and they are soft and they can be squished flat or broken apart.

There isn't any fish in the tank at this time and the tank is 3 years old so I thought I'd ask since 20 gallons is better then 5.

 

[Linkisnotzelda]

I keep my axolotl in a planted tank with sand, and he does fine. One thing I would highly recommend is getting a feeding plate or a similar surface to feed him on, that way he won’t swallow as much soil and stuff. As long as it is soft and small, it should be okay if he swallows a bit, but try to avoid fertilizer in the soil as eating that would probably not be good. Overall, if you watch him and are attentive on sudden behavior changes, he (or she) should be fine!