Blue Axolotl - Fake or Real? 3 Interesting Facts - Axolotl Nerd (2024)

Perhaps you’ve already seen videos or pictures of blue axolotls online, but are they real? It’s an interesting phenomenon that many people are wondering about. Here, we’ll talk about blue axolotls – do they exist?

Axolotls will appear blue on pictures or videos, but there is no such thing as a blue axolotl. Perhaps you’ve seen a blue axolotl on a picture, but they are actually grey or black. It’s the camera that changes the conditions and makes them appear as blue, but they aren’t blue in reality. A camera can’t return the true colors.

Do Blue Axolotls Exist?

No, blue axolotls don’t exist. While many will appear like they are blue or maybe purple, they are actually dark grey or black. It’s the camera that makes them appear blue, as the camera can’t return the true colors.

In truth, there’s no such thing as a blue axolotl. You can make them appear as blue in various conditions; maybe it’s the LED lighting that makes them appear as blue, or they die them blue so that they appear in that way.

You can easily find pictures or videos of blue axolotls online, but those pictures are not real. They either appear blue, or they are dyed blue, but true blue axolotls don’t exist. Many people confuse blue axolotls with Melanoid axolotls, just because these will adapt to the overall color of the tank and the lighting conditions.

The Melanoid axolotl will be black, and will be mostly black in color, and that’s especially true if the lighting conditions are especially dark. But in other cases, the Melanoid will adapt to the color, and will appear slightly lighter in color if the lighting conditions are not as dark.

Some variations of axolotls might even have bright gold flecks on their skin, which, under the proper lighting conditions, will make them appear as though they are blue. That’s especially true when we take a picture of them with a camera, which doesn’t portray true colors. In such cases, they will appear as though they are blue.

On the other hand, some axolotl owners decide to dye them in blue just so they appear blue. But the color will go away after a while, and it can do more bad than good to the axolotl.

Can You Dye an Axolotl?

Some people choose to dye their axolotls so they appear blue. But I highly advise against this practice. It’s an interesting method, but it’s not the best for axolotls.

It can massively impact their health, and they might suffer as a result of it. The toxins from the dye might cause them to get them into their system, which might harm them in the long-term.

Additionally, the dye that you might use might pollute the water in the tank, and it will be incredibly hard to remove the dye from the water. In the worst-case scenario, you’ll need to change the water completely, which is a hassle and something you don’t want to do.

So not only you will harm your axolotl on the long-term, but you’ll also heavily pollute the water, leading to additional, unnecessary problems that might happen as a result of this.

This practice might result in your axolotl suffering from various diseases and intoxications, which will be very hard to get rid of or cure. But a bigger problem comes when you have to clean the water on a daily basis, as the dye wears off and comes off the axolotl.

So because of these two things, I highly advise against this practice of dying axolotls.

How to Make Your Axolotls Blue?

You can make your axolotls appear blue without taking such measures as dying them. One of the easiest ways to make them appear more blue is by using a dimmable LED light with multiple colors, although the light needs to be as dim as possible.

That’s where a good, dimmable LED light comes in. Note that it won’t make the axolotl blue, but it will make them appear as though they are blue. But the light should not be too bright, as it can cause a lot of stress on the axolotl, and might harm them in the long-term.

Look for a light with a dimmable lighting system, and preferably an LED lighting system with various colors. Again, this won’t make the axolotls blue, but it will make them appear as though they are blue.

Where Can You Buy Axolotls?

So now you’ve decided that you want an adorable axolotl. You might be wondering where can you buy one?

Well, first, you’ll have to make sure that the axolotl is even legal in your country or state. In some US states, the axolotl is legal, while in some, it’s illegal to buy and own an axolotl. In states such as California, Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico, and Virginia, owning or buying an axolotl is or might be partially illegal.

Before you buy an axolotl, you should always check your state’s or country’s laws. If it’s forbidden to buy one, then I don’t recommend you buy one, although you can. Buying online is also not recommended, especially from questionable sources. There also comes a question of transportation, quality of axolotl, and more.

So your best bet is to buy from a reputable, local pet seller. That’s provided that they sell axolotls in the first place. Then, you should always check on the state of the axolotl before you buy.

While you won’t be able to buy blue axolotls, you can buy Melanoid axolotls with golden flecks on their skins, which will make them appear as blue in certain lighting conditions.

Conclusion

So blue axolotls don’t exist. You might have seen them in pictures or on videos, but in reality, they don’t exist. They just appear as though they are blue, and that’s due to lighting conditions, or it can be because the owner has dyed them blue.

I don’t recommend that practice, and there are other ways to make your axolotls appear blue, if that’s what you desperately want.

Updated: September 3, 2022