Written by the Birdsville team. Last updated November 2026.

Looking for an axolotl for sale in Sydney? Birdsville sells axolotls at our store at 684 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW 2015, servicing the Eastern Suburbs and Inner South Sydney. With their feathery gills and permanent smile, axolotls are one of the most fascinating pets you can own, and they’re fairly low maintenance once their tank is set up properly. As Sydney’s small animal specialists, we stock everything you need under one roof, from tanks and filters to food and decor, and our team will help you set it all up before you take your axolotl home.

What You Need to Know Before Buying an Axolotl

An adult axolotl needs a tank of at least 78 litres, or 38 litres for a juvenile, with a gentle filter, a bubbler, a lid and a sand or bare bottom, as small gravel can be swallowed. The water must be treated with water conditioner and kept cool, ideally 16 to 20°C, so you won’t need a heater, but you will need to keep the tank cool in summer. Feed a meaty diet of axolotl pellets, frozen foods or earthworms, daily for juveniles and every second day for adults. Axolotls shouldn’t be handled with your hands, as their bodies are soft and easily injured, so move them with a soft net. The setup guide further down this page covers cycling the tank before your axolotl arrives and how to keep the water cool through a Sydney summer.

Visit our Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BirdsvilleRosebery/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/petsvillesydney/) and TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@birdsvillepets) pages for updated photos and what we currently have in stock.

Why You Should Get an Axolotl

• Fascinating to watch: axolotls are amphibians that stay fully aquatic their whole lives, with feathery external gills and the famous axolotl smile.
• Full of character: many learn to recognise their owners and swim up to the glass at feeding time.
• Low maintenance: no walking, handling or daily playtime, and adults only eat every second day.
• Quiet and clean: axolotls make no noise and have no fur or dander, so they suit apartments and allergy-prone homes.
• Amazing regrowth: an axolotl can regrow lost limbs and even parts of its gills.

Why an Axolotl Might Not Be Right for You

• Long commitment: axolotls usually live 10 to 15 years.
• Water quality is everything: the tank needs regular water changes and testing, and a poorly kept tank can quickly make an axolotl sick.
• Hot weather: water above about 22°C stresses axolotls, so in a hot Sydney home you may need a fan or chiller in summer.
• Not a pet to hold: axolotls are for watching, not cuddling.
• No tank mates: axolotls can’t live with fish, and they’ll eat smaller axolotls.
• Up-front setup: the tank should be cycled for one to two weeks before your axolotl moves in.

Axolotl Colours

Axolotls come in a range of colours. Commonly kept colours include:

• Wild type: the natural dark olive, brown or black colouring with flecks
• Leucistic: pale pink or white body with dark eyes and pink gills
• Golden albino: golden yellow body with light eyes
• White albino: white body with pink gills and light eyes
• Melanoid: solid dark black or grey, without the shiny flecks of a wild type
• Copper: a light brown, copper-toned body

Which colours we have depends on our current stock, so check our socials or call to see what’s in.

Setting Up for Your Axolotl

Choosing a Tank and Where It Goes

Plan for an adult-sized tank from the start, as axolotls grow to around 20 to 30cm. Bigger is always better, because more water stays cleaner and cooler.

The tank needs a nearby power point for the filter, bubbler and any light, and a full tank is very heavy, so use a strong, level stand. Keep it away from busy walkways where it can be bumped, and out of direct sunlight, which heats the water and grows algae. If you measure your space, our team can usually find a tank to suit. For larger glass tanks, put a foam underlay under the base to spread the weight. The Foam Booth in Surry Hills can cut foam to suit any tank size.

Setting Up the Tank

1. Rinse everything that’s going into the tank with tap water, including the tank itself, so nothing has soap, oils or chemicals on it.
2. Add the substrate, hides, plants, ornaments, filter and bubbler before filling.
3. Fill the tank, then add water conditioner and let it mix through.
4. Add the bio starter after the conditioner, as chlorine in tap water kills the beneficial bacteria.
5. Run the filter and bubbler for at least one to two weeks to cycle the tank before your axolotl goes in.

Choosing a Substrate

Axolotls suck up food from the bottom and can swallow small gravel, which can block their gut. Use fine sand, special axolotl pebbles bigger than your axolotl’s head, or leave the bottom bare.

Lighting

Axolotls don’t need a light, and they have no eyelids, so bright light stresses them. A low light is fine if you have live plants and plenty of shady hides.

Keeping the Water Cool

Indoor water in Sydney usually stays in a safe range for most of the year, so you won’t need a heater. In summer, keep the tank in the coolest room, run the air conditioning on very hot days, point a fan across the water surface, float sealed bottles of frozen water in the tank, or use an aquarium chiller. Check the thermometer daily through summer.

Feeding

Good foods include axolotl pellets, frozen bloodworms and other frozen foods, and earthworms. Feed juveniles once or twice a day and adults every second day, using tongs to place food in front of them, and remove leftovers after about 15 minutes. We place a weekly order, so ask our team to add any food you’d like us to stock.

Tank Maintenance

• Every 2 days: check your axolotl at feeding time, and check the filter and bubbler are running well.
• Every 2 weeks: scrub algae off the glass, brush debris off decor, then use a gravel vacuum to remove waste while changing about 50% of the water. Add water conditioner, then refill with tap water at the same temperature.
• Filter care: rinse filter media in the old tank water, never under the tap, and replace clogged media in stages so the good bacteria survive.
• Every month: test the pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate before a water change. Axolotls need a pH of 6.5 to 7.5, and Sydney tap water varies from suburb to suburb.

Tank Mates

Axolotls should only live with other axolotls of a similar size. Never keep them with fish, which can nip their gills or be swallowed. Ramshorn snails can help control algae, and we always have them in stock.

Decor

Driftwood is very popular. Our most popular pieces come pre-soaked with a slow-growing Anubias plant attached, which adds real wow factor. Dry driftwood needs soaking for at least 2 weeks, until it releases its tannins and sinks, before it goes in the tank. Our aquarium area downstairs and reptile area upstairs have plenty of rocks, caves and decorations to choose from.

Sexing and Refund Policy

Our axolotls aren’t DNA sexed. Axolotls are usually sold young, before they can be sexed, so their sex won’t be known until they mature at around 12 to 18 months old. No refund, credit or exchange is given if an axolotl turns out not to be the sex you wanted.

Health Guarantee

All our animals come with a health guarantee.

Are Axolotls Available at Birdsville?

Axolotls are regularly in stock at Birdsville, with availability and colours depending on our current stock. If you’re after a particular colour, get in touch and we can take a deposit to secure one from our next delivery.

Package Deals and In-Store Help

Our products are already competitively priced, but buying your axolotl and its full setup together brings even bigger savings than buying everything separately. Our team can put together a complete package for you:

• A suitably sized tank and lid
• A filter with a gentle flow
• An air pump and bubbler
• Sand or axolotl pebbles
• Hides, plants and driftwood
• Water conditioner, bio starter and waste controller
• A water test kit and thermometer
• Axolotl food and feeding tongs
• A gravel vacuum, fish net and algae scraper

Everything on this list, and plenty more, is available in-store at Birdsville. Aquarium products and tanks are sold in-store only, so come in and our team will help you choose the right setup for your space.

Taking Your New Axolotl Home

Your axolotl goes home in a sealed bag of water. Head straight home, keep the bag out of the sun and heat, and never leave it in a parked car. At home, float the sealed bag in your tank for 10 to 15 minutes so the temperature evens out, then gently net your axolotl into the tank. Throw out the bag water rather than adding it to your tank, and don’t feed your axolotl for the first 24 hours while it settles in.

Axolotls for Sale Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I buy an axolotl in Sydney?

Birdsville at 684 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW 2015, sells axolotls, servicing the Eastern Suburbs and Inner South Sydney. We also stock everything you need to set up an axolotl tank, including tanks, filters, sand, food and decor, and our team can help you put a full setup together in-store before you take your axolotl home.

Are axolotls always in stock at Birdsville?

Axolotls are regularly in stock at our Alexandria store, though the colours available change with our stock. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok to see what’s in, or call (02) 9669 1766. If you’re after a particular colour, we can take a deposit to secure one from our next delivery.

Do you need a licence to keep an axolotl in NSW?

No. Axolotls can be kept as pets in NSW without a licence. Rules differ between states, so check before you move interstate with one. Never release an axolotl into a creek, dam or pond, as it could harm local wildlife, and it won’t survive well in Australian waterways either.

How big a tank does an axolotl need?

A juvenile axolotl needs at least 38 litres, and one adult needs at least 78 litres, with water at least as deep as the axolotl is long. Bigger is always better, as more water stays cleaner and cooler. Add a gentle filter, a bubbler, hides and a lid, and cycle the tank before your axolotl moves in.

Can I keep more than one axolotl together?

Yes, as long as they’re a similar size and the tank is big enough for both. Axolotls will eat smaller axolotls, and even same-sized ones sometimes nip each other’s limbs and gills, which grow back. Allow extra space for each axolotl, and separate them if one keeps getting injured. Never keep axolotls with fish.

Do axolotls need a heater?

No. Axolotls need cool water, ideally 16 to 20°C, and most Sydney homes stay in that range without a heater. Summer is the bigger worry, as water above about 22°C makes axolotls sick. Keep the tank out of the sun, and use a fan, frozen water bottles or a chiller on hot days.

Visit Us

Come and meet our axolotls at Birdsville, 684 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW 2015, on the corner of Gardeners Road, with parking out the front. Call (02) 9669 1766 or email info@birdsville.net.au. We’re a small business that does things in a big way, and our team will help you choose your axolotl and set up a tank it will thrive in.