How to breed axolotls in Minecraft (2023)

Axolotls have been popular in Minecraft since their Caves & Cliffs update debut, leading many players to seek out and keep them around. Though they can't be tamed in the traditional sense, they can still be kept around the player through a lead, and their ability to heal players and remove Mining Fatigue is a huge help.

While axolotls cannot be tamed like some other mobs, they can still be useful when taking on underwater structures like ruins or ocean monuments. Since this is the case, having a stable of axolotls at the ready may be something players consider worth investing time into.

Fortunately, Minecraft players can breed axolotls and quickly increase their numbers.

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How to Breed Axolotls as of Minecraft 1.19

A tasty tropical fish will put axolotls in Love Mode in Minecraft (Image via Mojang)

Players will need two specific things in Minecraft to breed axolotls: at least two axolotls and some tropical fish. However, axolotls like to eat their prey alive, so players must keep it alive with a bucket instead of simply fishing up tropical fish. Multiple buckets would be advised for any player who needs to breed multiple axolotls quickly.

It's also worth pointing out that after axolotls breed, they cannot breed again for five minutes in Java Edition and one minute in Bedrock Edition. Baby axolotls will also require 20 real-world minutes to grow into adulthood. However, players can accelerate this process by using tropical fish.

How to Breed Axolotls as of Minecraft 1.19 and Above

1. The first order of business is to find at least two axolotls and bring them together. These mobs now spawn specifically in lush cave biomes when a clay block is at least five blocks underneath a spawning area. Remember that the spawning area must be underwater since axolotls can't survive long on land. Check nearby lush caves for water pools, and keep an ear out for the distinctive chirp that the creatures make to locate them.
2. Though you could technically put an axolotl on a lead and return it to your base, bringing multiple buckets along with you into lush caves is better. This is because you can use a bucket on an axolotl and carry it with you. Then, you can capture two axolotls easily and relocate them to a body of water where they can be placed together.
3. Next, you must take your buckets and scoop up some tropical fish. These creatures can be found in warm oceans, lush caves, and mangrove swamps in Minecraft. They come in thousands of color variants, but axolotls aren't picky about their food. Once you've found at least two tropical fish, scoop them into your buckets and return to your axolotls.
4. Give each axolotl one bucket of tropical fish. This will place them in Love Mode, and as long as they're near another axolotl in Love Mode, they'll breed.
5. After a few moments, a baby axolotl should spawn near its parents; no eggs or waiting needed.

When a baby axolotl spawns in Minecraft, there is a certain chance it will take on one of five different colorations. The colors are Lucy (pink), Wild (brown), gold, cyan, and blue. Of all the variations, blue axolotls are incredibly rare and only have a one in 1,200 chance of being bred. However, it's also possible to use commands or Creative Mode to spawn blue axolotls without endlessly breeding the creatures.