Axolotls are one of the most sensitive pets out there. Their cuteness comes at a price, which is that they have very strict requirements so that they can live happily and stay healthy in your tank.
Well, high water quality is one of the most crucial aspects that ensure your axolotl’s well-being, and therefore, the filter is the most important part of your aquarium.
Simply, you can’t go to your local pet store and buy the first filter your eyes land on because, more often than not, it won’t be suitable for axolotls.
Luckily for you, I decided to go on an expedition to find the best filter for axolotls and figure out what they like and dislike, and I’m here to share everything I learned with you. So, keep on reading to find out everything you need to know before settling on your next filter.
TLDR – Best Canister Filter For Axolotl Tank
The Penn-Plax is the best filter for Axolotls, because of it’s overall quality and it’s available in a number of sizes for large and small tanks.
How to Choose a Filter for Your Axolotl
Choosing the perfect filter for axolotls isn’t the same as choosing a filter for turtles or fish. Axolotls have their own requirements that not all filters provide. Here’s everything you need to know before buying your next filer.
Biomedia Capacity
If there’s one thing to know about axolotls and their needs, it must be that they’re extremely sensitive to poor water quality. They suck water into their mouths in order to feed, meaning if there are any impurities in the water, they’ll go straight into their digestive system, which might cause problems later on.
That’s exactly why axolotls need biomedia in the tank. The biomedia can house enough beneficial bacteria, which can process waste to keep the water clean and filtered enough for your axolotl’s health.
To keep it simple, make sure you have enough room in your filter to house a suitable amount of biomedia. Filters with multiple media baskets are definitely the way to go here, especially considering you can use different media for different filtration techniques.
Additionally, make sure the biomedia is well-kept in terms of keeping it clean (but make sure you don’t overdo it, or you might kill the beneficial bacteria in the process).
Spread Out the Flow
Axolotls are pretty sensitive creatures, even to water flow. Make sure your filter or tank doesn’t produce strong water flow because that might stress your axolotls, which might lead to their death—yes, it’s that serious!
I strongly recommend using a filter with a spray bar because that helps disperse the water flow evenly, preventing strong flow that might harm your pets.
What’s more, you can determine whether the filter you have your eye on is suitable for your axolotls by looking at its GPH (gallons per hour). That number is the indicator of the water flow rate of the filter.
A good rule of thumb to follow is to double-check that the filter’s GPH is roughly four times the tank’s capacity. So, for a 20-gallon tank, a filter with a GPH of 80 should be the optimum choice for your tank.
Canister Filters For The Win
For axolotls, canister filters are definitely the way to go. They provide enough room for biomedia, which is necessary for a healthy environment, as we already established. Further, canister filters either come with their own space bar, or they can be fitted with an external one.
Even though canister filters are a little more difficult to maintain, they’re definitely worth the effort because they can cleanse the tank like no other.
So, canister filters combine everything you need for your axolotls, from biomedia to gentle water flow; they have it all.
Best Filter for Axolotl Tank Reviewed
Throughout this section, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about the best filters for axolotls on the market. Make sure you read the descriptions of each filter carefully to get the full image before settling on a filter.
1. Penn-Plax Aquarium Canister Filter (Top Pick
- GPH: 115 – 350, depending on the model.
- Tank Size: 30 – 100 gallons (113 – 379 liters).
- Includes Spray Bar
- No filter media
This Penn-Plax filter is the perfect choice for most aquariums because it’s available in multiple models with various features.
For example, you can find ones with GPH as low as 115, which is perfect for smaller tanks sizing 30 gallons. You can also find models with 350 GPH that can be suitable for 100-gallon tanks (or 90-gallon ones, if you’re sticking to the previously mentioned rule of thumb).
Because axolotls don’t like strong water flow, this filter comes with a spray bar so that the water flow is dispersed. Additionally, it has rotating valves that you can control and adjust however you like.
The filter also comes with 2 – 5 large media baskets, depending on the model. You can use these media baskets and customize them however you like for the best environment for your axolotls.
Design-wise, the Penn-Plax filter is quite convenient, considering that the baskets come with a handle so you can easily remove them. Besides, the flow valves can be removed for clean-up without having to remove the whole filter too.
Did I also mention that the filter is extremely quiet? You won’t hear it even when you’re in the same room.
If there’s one thing to complain about, it would be that there’s a little too much water flowing through the sides of the filter without actually getting filtered—but I’m just nitpicking at this point.
2. Fluval 107 Performance Canister Filter
- GPH: 95.
- Tank Size: 20 gallons (76 liters)
- Spray bar sold separately
- No filter media
If you’re in the market for a high-quality filter, you must have heard of the Fluval 107 filter, and it totally deserves its reputation! This canister filter is one of the most reliable options on the market; your axolotl will thank you. So, let’s take a closer look at what this filter is known for.
First of all, the Fluval 107 has one of the most ergonomic designs out there. It comes with rubber feet that provide the filter with stability on the tank’s floor. It also comes with raised valves and a dual locking system over the motorhead.
Further, the filter’s media is so effortless to remove and change or clean, thanks to the media basket’s handle. Overall, the filter is very easy to handle and clean, which is always a bonus.
Operation-wise, the Fluval 107 is as reliable as it can be. The filter operates smoothly and quietly; you won’t even notice it there.
When installing this filter, I strongly recommend closely following the user manual and really taking your time to learn what you need to do. It’s not necessarily difficult to figure out, but the manual makes the process infinitely easier.
Despite the filter’s spray bar being sold separately, I strongly recommend purchasing the bar and installing it immediately. Strong water flow is something you’d want to avoid at all costs in aquariums with axolotls, and the spray bar is an instant fix with very minimal cost.
3. Marineland Magniflow Canister Filter
- GPH: 160.
- Tank Size: 40 gallons (151 liters)
- No spray bar
- Includes filter media
If you’re on the lookout for a filter that has it all, you can’t find any better than the Marineland Magniflow. This filter has four stages of filtration, ensuring the purest and cleanest water possible for your axolotl.
First and foremost, the filter has a water polishing pad that removes fine particles and debris. Secondly, it has a biological filter that consists of ceramic rings, which allow bacteria to grow. That bacteria is what causes biological filtration.
There’s also a chemical filtration layer that uses black carbon, which is known for removing odors and water impurities. Lastly, the mechanical filtration layer consists of filter foam pads that physically filter out dirt particles.
Even though the filter comes with the filter media, all assembled and ready to go, it’s not an easy device to maintain. You’ll have to replace or rinse different parts of the filter like the polishing pad and the filter pads every three weeks, which isn’t the most manageable schedule to keep up with.
Because the filter has so many layers and parts, it’s not the easiest device to install. It might take you a couple of hours to get the filter running, which is an inconvenience, to say the least.
It’s also worth mentioning that the filter might trap some air bubbles and then purge these air sockets into the tank. It’s by no means a deal-breaker, but the air purging is quite loud.
Further, the filter doesn’t come with a spray bar, but its water flow is gentle enough for axolotls, so there’s no need to worry about that.
4. SunSun HW-404B 525 GPH 5-Stage External Canister Filter
- GPH: 525
- Tank Size: 120 gallons (454 liters)
- Includes spray bar
- No filter media
The SunSun GW-404B Canister Filter is one of the most optimum filters for axolotls, simply because you can control its filtering techniques however you like.
This unit is advertised to be a five-stage filter, and let me tell you how. It comes with four large media baskets but no filter media, so you can fill those baskets with whatever media you like—be it mechanical, biological, chemical, or a combination of all these techniques.
Of course, I strongly recommend having multiple layers and types of filtration to guarantee the cleanest water possible for your pets, considering each technique filters out different impurities.
What’s more, this filter is equipped with a 9-watt UV sterilizer. That sterilizer prevents the growth of algae and bacteria that might pollute your water by passing the water through ultraviolet lights, which kills that harmful bacteria.
For your convenience, each media basket can be lifted up and removed from the filter so you can clean and maintain the media without disturbing the whole filtration system. Additionally, the SunSun GW-404B is easy to set-up; you’ll have it up and running within minutes.
Besides offering excellent bang for your buck, I have to mention how spacious the media baskets are. They can fit a lot more media than you think, so you’ll be getting unmatched levels of filtration with this unit.
Furthermore, the SunSun GW-404B has an outlet tube that is fitted with a spray bar that helps oxygenate the water and disperse the water flow to an appropriate flow that wouldn’t harm your axolotls.
5. Polar Aurora 3-Stage External Aquarium Filter
- GPH: 265
- Tank Size:75 gallons (284 liters)
- Includes spray bar
- Includes filter media
The Polar Aurora 3-Stage Filter is one that speaks for itself. The unit comes with three media trays, providing and ensuring thorough filtering of the water.
It also comes with the filter media itself, including activated carbon, ceramic rings, 30 bio-balls, and a coarse blue sponge. That variety in filter media means you’ll be getting mechanical, biological, and even chemical filtration in just one device.
The Polar Aurora filter comes with an adjustable spray bar, ensuring the perfect water flow to keep your axolotls healthy and not stressed. Also, the spray bar helps with the overall water movement in the tank, which is a welcomed addition.
Moreover, this filter comes with a self-priming pump with just a press of a button, so you won’t need to do anything yourself. However, the button might need a few hits to get started, and then it takes a little while to fully finish priming, but it’s by no means a deal-breaker.
Operation-wise, this filter is extremely quiet; you won’t even hear a hum. It’s perfect if you have your tank in a quieter area, and you don’t want any uninvited noise in the room.
I have to mention the set-up of this filter because it wasn’t the most pleasant experience. The filter comes in many different parts, and you need to assemble them together using the manual.
Also, the priming might take a few tries to start working properly, so it’s not the most straightforward set-up out there. Be prepared for a few splashes of water if you don’t assemble the parts correctly.
Which Filter Is Best For Axolotl?
Deciding on the best filter for axolotl depends on many different factors; there’s no one-size-fits-all unit.
Primarily, choosing your next filter is heavily dependent on your tank size. As mentioned before, I strongly recommend getting a filter with GHP four times the tank’s capacity. Also, you’d need a filter with a spray bar because axolotls really don’t like strong water flow.
So, a filter that works for a 20-gallon tank won’t work for a 100-gallon tank because it’ll be too weak to keep the tank clean. On the flip side, a filter that’s designed for 100-gallon tanks would be too strong for 20-gallon ones and might stress out your axolotls.
To keep it simple and straightforward, the Penn-Plax is the most inclusive filter on this list because it comes in a variety of different models that you’re guaranteed to find the perfect model for your tank capacity and conditions.
For large tanks, the SunSun HW-704B has a lot of great features. I especially like the UV sterilizer because that can majorly cut down on bacteria, viruses, and algae spores in the water column. For smaller tanks, the Fluval 107 has awesome biomedia capacity.
Lastly, the Marineland Magniflow filter has four stages of filtration, and it comes with its filter media. You’ll be getting water polishing as well as chemical, biological, and mechanical filtration all in one device. Also, the Polar Aurora offers excellent value for the money, thanks to its three-stage filtration.
