A simple water testing routine

Testing is how you read the tank before the animal has to show you something is wrong.

Clear water can still be unsafe. A test result gives you something better than a guess.

Core tests

For everyday axolotl care, track:

• Ammonia
• Nitrite
• Nitrate
• Temperature
• Chlorine or chloramine treatment for new water

In a stocked, cycled tank, ammonia and nitrite should read 0 ppm. Nitrate should be managed with water changes and waste removal.

When to test

Test more often when:

• A tank is new
• The cycle is being established
• A filter has been cleaned or disturbed
• Feeding has changed
• The axolotl is off food
• The animal is floating, curled, irritated or unusually inactive
• The weather has changed the tank temperature

Stable tanks still deserve routine testing. The goal is to notice drift before it becomes a welfare problem.

Write exact numbers

Write down the result, not just “fine.”

Useful notes look like this:

• Date
• Temperature
• Ammonia
• Nitrite
• Nitrate
• Water-change amount
• Feeding and waste notes
• Any behaviour changes

Exact notes make it easier to ask for help. They also make it easier to see whether a change helped.