Black Axolotl For Sale in Australia

Black axolotl, melanoid and axanthic explained

Black axolotl is the search term, but it covers two genuinely different morphs and it is worth knowing which one you are buying.

A melanoid axolotl produces extra melanin and no iridophores. The result is a uniformly dark animal, near black or very deep grey, with dark gills and no shine or speckling anywhere. Melanoids look almost matte.

An axanthic axolotl is the opposite problem. It produces no yellow pigment at all, which leaves a cool, flat grey body, often with pinkish gills that contrast against it. Axanthics photograph as charcoal or slate rather than black. Most of the dark animals we have available at any time are axanthics, and they are listed as such below so you know exactly what you are getting.

Choosing a dark morph

Dark axolotls need thought about the tank before they arrive. Against pale sand under bright light a melanoid looks like a silhouette and you lose all the detail in the gills and face. Against a dark substrate with moderate lighting the same animal shows its shape, its gill structure and the subtle tonal shift down the flanks. If you want a black axolotl to look good, plan the background.

Colour also changes with age. Both melanoids and axanthics generally darken over their first twelve months rather than lightening, so a juvenile that looks mid grey now will usually be noticeably deeper by the time it is fully grown. Expect to pay $75 to $110 AUD for a healthy juvenile in Australia. We break down what every morph costs in our guide to axolotl prices in Australia.

Care for black axolotls

There is nothing unusual required. Water between 16 and 18 degrees, a cycled filter with gentle flow, fine sand or bare base, and a hide. Dark morphs are no hardier or more delicate than any other, but because they show stress less obviously than a leucistic does, you should rely on behaviour rather than appearance. An axolotl that stops eating, sits with curled gills or floats persistently needs attention regardless of colour.

Read the axolotl tank setup guide before the animal arrives, and the axolotl care guide for settling one in. If you are weighing a dark morph against a wild type, our wild type axolotl page covers the other naturally coloured option.

Delivery of black axolotls across Australia

Every black axolotl leaves in an insulated carton with a cool pack, oxygen and damp foam, on an express overnight service wherever the courier offers one. Dispatch is Monday to Wednesday, and we will hold at no charge if your week is forecast hot.

City specific pages set out what the trip actually looks like: Brisbane, plus Perth and Melbourne. Packing, timing and the guarantee are all on shipping and delivery.

Related axolotl colours

If a black axolotl is not quite what you are after, white axolotls and copper axolotls are the closest alternatives we raise. You can also read axolotl prices in Australia, or compare every morph side by side on the axolotl colours page.