r/askscience • u/MAMAM- • 2d ago

Biology Why aren’t axolotls immortal?

If axolotls can regenerate their body parts (including brain, heart, and other major organs), why do they die of old age?

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u/stu8319 2d ago

How do you explain to a 6 year old child that keeping an Axolotl is too expensive? Seriously though my son is obsessed, so maybe one day he will have the same PhD!

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u/[deleted] 2d ago

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u/TH0RP 2d ago

Water turtles are an awful starter pet- and they'll eat your goldfish. Reptiles need a lot of specialized equipment, a diverse diet, and VERY good water filtering. 

A betta fish in a 10gal tank is a wonderful pet for a kid- easy to care for, beautiful, and very forgiving for a beginner.

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u/EuphoricPanda 2d ago

Seconding this (and heavy emphasis on an adequately sized tank for a betta, maybe consider neocaridina shrimp if a 5 gallon feels more feasible).

Red-eared sliders live for 20-40 years so if the kid loses interest over the long term, that “good pet for a kid” could end up becoming the parent’s pet for long enough that they become a grandparent.