GFP Axolotl For Sale in Australia

What a GFP axolotl actually is

GFP stands for green fluorescent protein, a gene originally taken from a jellyfish and introduced into axolotl lines by research laboratories decades ago, where it was used as a marker for studying tissue regeneration. Animals from those lines made their way into the pet trade, and the gene is now passed down normally from parent to offspring like any other inherited trait.

The effect is simple. Under ordinary room light a GFP axolotl looks exactly like its underlying morph, so a GFP copper looks like a copper and a GFP leucistic looks like a leucistic. Shine a blue or violet torch on it in a dark room and the animal fluoresces green, brightest through the gills, the spine and the softer tissue.

It is worth being clear about two things. The animal is not dyed, injected or treated in any way, and the gene has no effect on its health, behaviour or lifespan. GFP axolotls live as long as any other and need nothing different.

Which morphs show it best

Pigment blocks fluorescence, so the paler the animal the stronger the effect. A GFP leucistic glows brightest of all because there is very little pigment in the way. A GFP wild type still glows clearly but the response is patchier, filtered through the dark olive colouring, which some keepers actually prefer because it produces a mottled effect rather than a uniform one.

You will need a blue or violet torch to see it, roughly 395 to 440 nanometres. A standard white torch will not do it and neither will normal room light. They are inexpensive and easy to find.

Buying a GFP axolotl in Australia

GFP animals sit at a modest premium over the equivalent non GFP morph, typically $120 to $190 AUD depending on the base colour, with GFP leucistics at the top because of the brightness. We compare what every morph costs in our guide to axolotl prices in Australia.

Care is identical to any other axolotl. Cool water at 16 to 18 degrees, a cycled and gently filtered tank, fine sand or a bare base, and a hide. Do not leave a blue torch on the tank for long periods, it is for looking, not for lighting. Full details in the tank setup guide and the care guide.

Delivery of gfp axolotls across Australia

Animals leave us Monday to Wednesday on an express service, packed insulated with oxygen and a cool pack. Nothing is sent into a heatwave, and holding costs you nothing.

Local detail lives on the city pages: Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane. For how the box is built and what the guarantee covers, see shipping and delivery.

Related axolotl colours

If a gfp axolotl is not quite what you are after, wild type axolotls and albino axolotls are the closest alternatives we raise. You can also read axolotl care guide, or compare every morph side by side on the axolotl colours page.