Can Axolotls Eat Snails? (7 Interesting Food Facts)

Meeting the axolotl’s needs with the right food is the job of every owner. Due to the large number of food choices to choose from, we need to be careful in choosing what our axolotls will eat. Axolotls are carnivores, and they will eat meat-based foods. If you put tank mates like snails or smaller fish, they will become axolotl food.

Can axolotls eat snails? Axolotls will eat snails as long as they fit in their mouths. Giving axolotl snails is not recommended. Axolotl can eat snails at once with its shell. It is better to provide the axolotl with fish food or other live foods such as crustaceans or worms.

To find out more details about the effects of axolotl when eating snails, let’s read this article.

Can Axolotls Eat Snails?

Axolotls love to eat snails. It is one of their favorite foods. Pay attention to what kind of snails the axolotl will eat. The snail’s shell will clog up in their digestive system and cause constipation.

It won’t be a problem if the axolotl eats the snail’s soft body. But it will be a severe problem if the axolotl eats the snail’s shell because they can’t use their teeth to chew and crush the shell. If the axolotl insists on eating the shell, they will suffocate, suffer internal injury, or perforate.

Since there are more harms than benefits when axolotls eat snails, it is best to avoid feeding snails as axolotls. Many other foods are safer for the axolotl. Do not force the axolotl to eat the axolotl. If you feed them enough, the axolotl will not approach the snails or eat the smaller fish.

How Many Snails Can You Feed Axolotls?

There is no definite amount for axolotl if given snails as food. It is because snails were not recommended to be axolotl food. If you use snails as an algae cleaner, there is a chance that the axolotl will eat the snails beyond your control.

But if axolotls get enough food and a regular diet, axolotls will not act aggressively and eat their tank mates. But if you often see axolotls eating snails, you have to get rid of snails from the tank for axolotl health.

Can axolotls eat snails? It won’t be a problem if the axolotl eats the tiny snails. Sometimes the shell will come out with the poop intact and do not affect the axolotl. But it’s even better not to allow the axolotl to eat too many snails.

How Often To Feed Snails To Axolotls?

Try to give snails one time to your axolotl by removing the snail from its shell. If you can’t get the shell off, don’t give the snail a whole. Giving snails for routine food is also not something recommended by vets.

Many other proteins can provide benefits for axolotls, such as worms or crustaceans. Even some crustaceans can cause constipation because the axolotl eats its tough skin. The same goes for the axolotl when it eats the snail’s shell.

Can axolotls eat snails? Axolotls can eat snails, although it is dangerous for them if the snails are huge. The shell can be a cause of choking hazards and constipation.

Do Axolotls Get Impaction From Snails?

Yes, snails can cause constipation if the shell is large enough and cannot go through the axolotl’s digestive system. Check out axolotl eating snails YouTube reference to see how they react to eating snails. See how difficult it is for them to swallow the snails.

If the type of snail that is eaten has a shell that is not so hard and is small in size, the axolotl will swallow the snail whole. After going through the digestive system, all that’s left is the shell and will come out together with the axolotl’s poop.

Can axolotls eat snails? Axolotls have poor eyesight. They will eat moving snails, and the axolotl knows the movement.

Can Axolotl Eat Dry Snails?

Until now, there is still no reference to dry snails as axolotl food. No axolotl owners provide dry snails as the primary food for axolotl. Axolotl owners prefer to feed pellets or dry worms for axolotl’s proper meal.

Can axolotls eat snails? An axolotl can eat snails, but it is not recommended to give snails in dry or live form. Feeding axolotl snails without a shell may not be a problem, but feeding axolotl snails with the shell will cause bad things to happen.

Can Axolotls Eat Live Snails?

Yes, the axolotl can eat live snails. For young axolotls, they prefer live food that has a lot of movement. Meanwhile, the snails don’t move much, and sometimes the axolotl doesn’t notice any snails near them.

Sometimes snails are on top of the axolotl’s body to eat the slime on the axolotl’s body. If the axolotl is annoyed, it will eat the snails as a whole. The shell is the main problem for the axolotl. You should not allow axolotls to eat snails in any form.

Even if axolotl doesn’t have strong teeth, can axolotls eat snails? Axolotls can only swallow snails as a whole. They had no other choice but to swallow it straight away. Sometimes they will find it challenging to eat snails because the large shell does not fit in their mouth.

Can Axolotl Eat Frozen Snails?

Frozen foods that are commonly given by owners are frozen shrimp or frozen worms. There are still no owners who provide frozen snails as general food for axolotls.

If the snails already have a hard shell that is difficult for the axolotl to swallow, the frozen form will make the shell harder and harder to swallow.

Ask your vet if frozen snails are a portion of suitable food for the axolotl. Although snails contain protein and axolotls love the taste, the shell will be a problem for axolotls. If axolotls act carelessly, they can suffocate and get injured by the snails’ shells.

Can Axolotls Eat Freeze Dried Snails?

You are better off feeding the axolotl with freeze-dried shrimp than giving it freeze-dried snails. Maybe it won’t be a problem if the snails you give are without the shell, and you have to process the snails yourself until they can be stored in storage.

Snails can become a favorite food for axolotls if served without a shell. Giving axolotls a whole snail will be bad for their health. Snails have many species, and each snail has a different shell structure.

Can axolotls eat snails? Axolotls can eat snails. Do not give snails, and give other proper food such as worms, pellets, or shrimp. There are still many other types of food that do not have any adverse effects on axolotls.

Can Baby Axolotls Eat Snails?

Baby axolotls have small bodies, and they still can’t tell what foods they can eat and what they can’t. It all depends on the owners how they provide proper food for them.

Pest snails or several species of snails with small bodies such as ramshorn, bladder, and Malaysian trumpet snails may be targets for baby axolotls.

Do not allow baby axolotls to approach any kind of snails, because the effect can be fatal if baby axolotls cannot swallow snails or develop constipation. Baby axolotls must be kept healthy because they still need to eat a lot, and there should be no health issues to reach their life expectancy.

Can axolotls eat snails? Baby axolotls cannot eat snails. Besides not being enough in the mouth, snails will only have a bad effect on the health of axolotls. Provide baby axolotls with baby brine shrimp or enough food for them to swallow.

Do Axolotls Eat Snails In The Wild?

Yes, axolotl eats snails in the wild. That’s why snails are one of the axolotl’s favorite foods because it’s easy to find water snails in the wild. As long as the snail size is sufficient for the axolotl to swallow, they will have no trouble finding snails as their proper meal.

But this does not apply to axolotl in captivity. There are still many other food options to axolotls and don’t focus on snails even though they are one of the favorite foods. Thinking about the health of the axolotl for the food you choose is the main thing.

Can axolotls eat snails? In the wild, many types of snails can be found. Axolotls will enjoy eating snails as long as their mouths are enough to swallow them.

What Are The Health Risks Of Eating Snails?

Snails have protein suitable for axolotls to eat, but the shell is one thing to watch out for. The shell cannot be broken or crushed in the digestive system and will pass directly along with the axolotl’s waste.

The table below is the possible health risks when axolotls eat snails.

Indeed, snails are not a serious matter if they are much smaller than the axolotl’s mouth. Many ask about “can axolotls eat snails” because snails are often pests because there are too many in one tank.

How To Prevent Axolotls From Eating Snails Excessively?

You can avoid axolotls from eating snails by taking the snails in the plant or the glass tank if there are too many of them. Give axolotls enough food until they refuse the food you give.

When the axolotl is full, they will not be interested in anything that moves near them. Adult axolotls are more often at the bottom of the tank. If the snails don’t move freely at the bottom of the tank, the axolotl won’t hunt them.

If you see an axolotl eating snails, the axolotl is having a hard time swallowing it. Move the axolotl immediately until they can expel the snails’ shell through the poop.

Can axolotls eat snails? Yes, axolotls can eat snails with some possible health issues if the axolotl insists on eating snails with a hard shell.

How To Get Rid Of Snails In Axolotl Tank?

Several snails can become pests in the aquarium because of their ability to breed quickly. Axolotls are predators that can eat anything as long as their prey moves freely.

If the axolotl notices that there are lots of moving snails near them, the axolotl may eat the snails out of your control.

Remove the live plants from the aquarium and check for snails attached to twigs or leaves. Use a weak bleach solution to kill snail eggs. Leave it to soak for 10 minutes and clean the plant before returning to the tank.

Can axolotls eat snails? Yes, and axolotls love the taste of snail meat. If you can provide snails without a shell, it shouldn’t be a problem for your axolotl.

Final Verdict – Can Axolotls Eat Snails

Some owners have axolotls in their tanks and choose snails as algae cleaners. If the axolotl is hungry or acting aggressively, the axolotl may eat the snails whole with their shell.

Snails are one of the axolotl’s favorite foods, and their protein content is also perfect for axolotls. But the problem is the snails’ shell which is dangerous if eaten by axolotls.

Snails’ shells will not break or crumble in the axolotl’s digestive system but will come out intact with the axolotl’s poop. If the axolotl eats a sizable snail, the shell can clog up and cause constipation.

The hard shell can cause internal injury or choking hazards for the axolotl that can lead to fatal conditions.

As a pet lover, make sure to learn about pet more and give your pet axolotl a good and comfortable life!

Rajkumar Ravichandran

Welcome to Learn About Pet. My name is Rajkumar Ravichandran and I love all pets, travel, and amazing food. I write about my passion and personal experience caring for multiple pets in this blog! ❤️