← All species · 
Salamanders
Amphiuma
Amphiuma means · also called Congo eel
Expert Family Amphiumidae
A large, powerful aquatic salamander with a real bite — strictly for experts.
📋 At a glance
- Tank
- Aquatic 40 gal+ (1), tight lid + hides
- Temp
- Cool-temperate 60–72°F
- Floor
- Sand or bare bottom — no gravel
- Food
- Worms, fish, crustaceans (tong-fed)
- Lifespan
- 15–25+ years
✅ Extremely hardy and long-lived — but respect the bite; this is an expert-level animal.
🛒 Before you buy
- A large, secure aquatic tank with a tight lid + hides (they are strong and escape)
- Sand/bare bottom + strong filtration
- LONG feeding tongs — the bite is serious, never hand-feed
- The experience to handle a large, powerful amphibian
A healthy one: Long, muscular and eel-like · well-fleshed · clear skin · alert and hunting at night.
🚨 See a vet / act now if…
- Not eating / weight loss
- Skin lesions or fungus
- Bloating
- Open wounds (from thrashing)
⛔ Never
- Hand-feeding or careless handling (a powerful, damaging bite)
- Gravel
- An insecure lid
Common amphiuma questions
How hard are Amphiumas to keep — are they good for beginners?
Advanced. A large, powerful aquatic salamander with a serious bite — strictly for experienced keepers.
What do Amphiumas eat?
Worms, fish, crustaceans (tong-fed)
What size tank do Amphiumas need?
Aquatic 40 gal+ (1), tight lid + hides
What temperature do Amphiumas need?
Cool-temperate 60–72°F
What substrate do Amphiumas need?
Sand or bare bottom — no gravel
How long do Amphiumas live?
15–25+ years
What are the signs Amphiumas are sick?
See an exotics vet if you notice: Not eating / weight loss; Skin lesions or fungus; Bloating; Open wounds (from thrashing).
🧠 Myths, kindly busted
Common myths about this kind of amphibian, gently corrected — each one checked against a named source, never a pet-shop rumour.
“Axolotls are a kind of fish.”
They are actually amphibians — neotenic salamanders that keep their feathery gills and stay aquatic for life instead of transforming to live on land. Think aquatic salamander, not fish. — Animal Diversity Web
“Axolotls are fine in warm or room-temperature water.”
They are cold-water animals from cool high-altitude lakes and do best around 16–18°C, never above 24°C. Warm water stresses them and leaves them prone to illness, so many keepers use a chiller or fan in summer. — Royal Veterinary College
“Axolotls do fine sharing a tank with fish or other tankmates.”
Axolotls are solitary top predators that eat just about anything they can catch, including fish and even other axolotls. They are safest kept alone, where nothing nips their delicate gills and nothing becomes a snack. — Animal Diversity Web
🐸 Did you know? — Amphiuma fun facts
Little true delights about the amphiuma — each one checked against a named source, no old-wives' trivia.
- 🧬 The amphiuma has legs, but they are so tiny and vestigial that it is often mistaken for an eel or a snake. Wikipedia
- 🏆 The amphiuma carries one of the largest amounts of DNA of any living creature, roughly 25 times more than a human. Wikipedia
- 🏆 The two-toed amphiuma is the longest salamander species in the United States. Wikipedia
More amphibian fun facts →
📚 More salamanders guides
🎓 Ready to go deeper?
Past the basics — genetics & morphs, responsible breeding, tankmates, and advanced setups. Same plain voice, no ceiling:
Get the free Amphiuma Starter Kit
A one-page setup-criteria checklist and a first-30-days plan for your first amphiuma — what to get, what makes each thing matter, and the honest bits the pet shop skips. Join the burrow and we’ll send it over. Free sheets and tools always stay open, no gatekeeping.
Free amphibian care cheat-sheet when you join. No spam — pinky-promise. Unsubscribe anytime. See how we handle your data in our privacy notice. 
Free tools for the amphiuma
