Axolotl

Common name : Axolotl or Mexican Walking Fish
Scientific name : Ambystoma mexicanum
Description : There are 5 different colour variations in Axolotls. The wild types are
                                   either olive green to dark grey or brown, whilst the black, albino and
                                   leucistic (golden coloured) .All Axolotls keep their larval appearance
                     throughout their lives and have 3 noticeable gills branching out from
                                   either side of their neck area. These gills have a feathery appearance.
                                   Axolotls also have four lizard like legs and a long, flat tail.
Size : Axolotls can grow up to 25 - 30cm (10 – 12 inches).
Life span : Axolotls can live up to 15 years with appropriate care, but average at
                            about 10 years generally.
Origin : Mexico. The only place that they can be found in the wild is in the canals
                      of the former Xochimilcho Lake, where they are now considered to be an
                      endangered species. They were originally also found in Lake Chalco in
                      Mexico, but this lake has since been drained and Axolotls can no longer be
                      found there.
Habitat : Axolotls are a fully aquatic species that appreciate heavily vegetated
                         waters and  freshwater lakes at high altitudes. They prefer cool water, as
                         the water from the lake of their origin is glacier fed and cool throughout
                         the year.

                                 Top : Male                               
Below : Female

Males generally reach sexual maturity slightly earlier than females, and mature males tend to be more elongated, and longer tails than females.One point of note is that white, golden, and albino axolotls that have reached sexual maturity will have dark brown tips to their toes. The soles of their feet may even appear "dirty" (see the photo below). In wild type and melanoid animals the toe tips become slightly paler than the rest of the body, at maturity, but it is harder to see than in the lighter colour variants.

Breeding : Axolotls attain sexual maturity somewhere between 5 months and
                            several years. Reaching sexual maturity depends on regularity and
                            quality of food with water temperature in which they are kept. Usually
                            when they reach to the length of about 18 cm or 7 inches, they start
                            maturing. Don’t breed Axolotls before they are 18 months old. During
                            this time they reach the size greater than 12 inches or 30 cm in several
                            cases and a condition where female ready to breed will be round
                            towards the body’s end. It is suggested that it is safe to breed males at
                 an earlier age than females as their physical output is much lesser than
                            females during mating. Thus, the male’s body has less strain. It should
                            also be remembered that females should not be bred before they attain
                            their full body size.The breeding season for Axolotls is widely believed to
                            be from December to June. Though you can breed them in any season,
                            breeding them in a year’s early part has reported most successes.