Forget about puppies: Check out the incredible axolotl, Ireland's latest pet craze

Irish pet shops have been reporting a surge in demand for the 'Mexican walking fish', the easy-to-care-for amphibian that scientists find so fascinating 

'They’re an easy pet, children absolutely love them and even adults are fascinated by them.'

As we locked ourselves indoors last year and braced against a solitary winter, many sought the company of a pet, with Google searches for dog adoption up 250% in 2020.

Even 18 months on from the onset of the pandemic, Ireland’s pet suppliers are still busier than ever before. But did you ever consider a more unique, easy to care for, animal when browsing the pet shop aisles? A walking fish, perhaps?

The axolotl has been a rising star in the pet world, with its small frame, viral-worthy smile and colourful gills. The subject of internet memes, artwork, and even stuffed animals, the amphibians seem to be everywhere these days, with more and more Irish people opting to add them to the family.

“They’re getting a lot more popular. They’re an easy pet, children absolutely love them and even adults are fascinated by them. People come in asking for them all the time,” says Chloe Cassidy of Pets Plus in Cork.

"They're practically the same thing as fish. They're cold-blooded and are amphibians but what's really amazing is that they can detach their own limbs and grow them back. So, there have been a lot of studies done on them as well.” 

If it wasn't for their value to science, it's believed that axolotls would be extinct.

The salamanders, which don’t undergo metamorphosis thus stay underwater, were originally found exclusively in the lake complex of Xochimilco near Mexico City and according to National Geographic, are critically endangered in the wild. If it wasn’t for their value to science, many believe the species would be extinct.

The increase in the number of animals as household pets may help this, Chloe says.

"They're endangered in the wild. They're known as Mexican walking fish, but you would rarely see them in a river anymore. They're usually kept as domestic pets now. People are actually breeding them now and even selling them on DoneDeal. It’s a good and a bad thing. At least we can still study them and enjoy them. But it is important to recreate their natural environment.” 

Axolotls can be found in a variety of colours, live up to 15 years, and only require a few hours a week of care.

You can keep them in fish tanks, as long as it has a secure lid and is kept away from sunlight. Feeding only needs to take place once a day and though commercial fish food will do - Chloe recommends feeding them their natural diet of worms, blood worms, and snails. You can consult with your pet shop about this.

The tank's water temperature is very important.

"They're such a nice animal to have and there's not a lot of care in them. It’s basically the same level of care as for a fish,” says Chloe. “Their tank temperature is really critical though. You can't have the temperature below 15 degrees or higher than 22 degrees.” 

When it comes to cleaning, an axolotl's water needs to be changed just once a week.

"You're better off having them in a filtered tank for cleaning and I wouldn’t keep them in a bowl as it would be a shock to change their water after they get used to it. Doing a 10% water clean every week is the best thing to do," Chloe says.

"They're an easy animal. They rarely get sick. The only thing that might stress them is if the water filter is too strong in the tank. The only other thing to keep in mind would be the material you put at the bottom of the tank. The worst thing to use is pebbles because they might try to ingest them. You’re better off using sand.” 

Another thing to remember if you wish to house one is to keep your axolotl away from other aquatic animals as they may nip at other fish - or even other axolotls.

Cheap at about €40, easy to care for, fascinating to watch, and even illegal to own in some US states, axolotls might seem a lot more interesting than the average goldfish. Just make sure to care for them properly.

“You do need to do your research on them. A lot of people who buy them don’t realise the water temperature needs to be so specific for example. There’s no point getting an animal if you don’t know how to properly care for it,” Chloe says.

“It’s easy to research though. There’s so much information on them out there from reliable sources.”