Fridging Guide: When and How to Use Cold Therapy
Fridging itself is not a cure — it’s meant to help support your axolotl’s own healing. Reserve it for more severe illnesses, when the bowels need emptying, or when you simply can’t keep the axolotl’s water cool enough any other way.
1. Preparing the Fridge
Set the fridge to a temperature between 5.5–9°C, never lower than 5°C. It’s worth testing the actual water temperature before putting the axolotl in: place a thermometer in a glass of water and position the glass wherever the axolotl’s container will sit in the fridge.
2. Preparing the Axolotl for Fridging
Select a container with enough space for the axolotl to stretch out to its full length, ideally with a lid. Fill it with as much dechlorinated freshwater as practical — more volume helps dilute waste while the axolotl is in this confined space. If possible, leave 2–3cm of clearance between the water surface and the lip of the container in case the axolotl wants to gulp air at the surface.
If you’re fridging to treat a floating issue, add just enough water to cover the axolotl’s back while still letting it touch the bottom.
When you’re ready, gently transfer the axolotl from the tank into the container, and make sure the lid is secure — this stops the axolotl jumping out, keeps fridge odours from reaching the water, and keeps the murky water from affecting any food stored nearby.
3. During Fridging
Change the water completely each day using fresh, fridged, dechlorinated water. Before bed, check the water and remove any waste or regurgitated food (a turkey baster works well for this). An axolotl’s metabolism slows right down while fridged, so it’s normal for it to stop eating — which is also why fridging isn’t appropriate if you’re trying to encourage appetite. On the plus side, weight loss slows too. The axolotl can stay in the fridge for as long as it takes to see improvement.
4. Returning the Axolotl to the Tank
Once your axolotl looks like it’s on the mend, start preparing to move it back into the tank. Because a cycled tank’s water chemistry will differ noticeably from the fridging water, you’ll need to acclimatise it gradually — this adds a few extra days to the process, since axolotls need time to adjust to changes in water chemistry and shouldn’t be rushed.
Fill two or three bottles with cycled water from the tank and keep them in the fridge alongside the fresh water, labelling them if needed so you don’t mix them up.
- 1st water change: 75% fresh fridged water, 25% fridged tank water
- 2nd water change: 50% fresh fridged water, 50% fridged tank water
- 3rd water change: 25% fresh fridged water, 75% fridged tank water
- 4th water change: 100% fridged tank water
The next day, the axolotl should be ready to return to the main tank. Float the tub on the tank’s surface for an hour or so, and once you’re confident both waters are the same temperature, gently lift the axolotl out and transfer it in.
