uninvited visitors?

So I'm expecting some axolotls around wednesday and everything seems to be ok and ready!
but we just noticed a bunch of tiny white swimming things in the tank and on the walls -- this is a brand new tank and has been cycling for a few weeks..

i've read that they might be copepods or something like that but im very curious to find out if these would be harmful to axolotls?

and also we have pool filter sand as a substrate and the bottom of the sand seems to be turning a dark color? what could this be? thanks!

See if they look like any of the things here:
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/Tank_critters.shtml
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/Tank_critters2.shtml
It's very unlikely that they are anything harmful.

How thick is the layer of sand? Have you used a gravel vacuuming siphon to clean it yet?

I will bet good money those in fact are Cyclops sp., a type of freshwater Copepod . While they are predators, they are in fact "mostly harmless". They most often ride in in new live plants that were not sanitized and quarantined.

http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/Tank_critters.shtml

http://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=59795&highlight=plants%2C+quarantine

http://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=61782&highlight=plants,+quarantine

Note: it is sheer luck that my 7 day sanitizer test was completed this morning!

Oh wow I cant believe we didnt even think of sanitizing the new live plants we got...so whats the best way to take care of these critters?

Like many tank invaders, Cyclops can be very hard to get rid of once you have them, even if you take drastic measures, like a complete tank tear down.

Thankfully, since cyclops are predators, you can control them by taking away their food source. They feed on microscopic protozoa, which in turn feed on detritus in the tank.

To get started, I would recommend you remove all the plants from the tank and sanitize and quarantine them for a minimum of 2 weeks. A plastic shoe box with some clean, treated, aged water is perfect for this.

Next, you will need to change your tank maintenance routine a bit. If you are using a substrate, siphon this often. Try to get every bit of leftover food and animal waste out. Do not siphon out a lot at one time, just enough to get the gravel as clean as possible. Purchase an algae scrubber, if you do not already have one, and keep the algae off the sides of the tank.

Reduce lighting to only a few hours a day.This will keep the algae and photosynthetic organisms at bay, thereby starving out the predators like cyclops. After a week you will notice a decrease in numbers.

Make sure you change your filters regularly too, and keep the filter pump clean and free of sludge. Give any tank decorations a good scrubbing with a stiff bristled brush under hot tap water and allow them to air dry.

Keep checking on your plants daily, looking for signs of infestation. If you see any, resanitize the plants and start the quarantine session over. Once the plants have been critter free for at least a week, they are ready to be replaced in the tank.

Ok so we have a lot to do! but what are we do about our two new axolotls arriving tmrw?

There´s no need to get rid of the Cyclops...
In fact i´d say you should be happy they are in the tank, as it shows that the water quality is decent enough to sustain micro-life. They are a part of a chain food, and as mentioned, they will eat protozoans. They can´t harm your axolotls, so there´s no real reason why you should go to trouble to get rid of them,...just let them be. If your axolotls are still larvae, they´ll make a snack of the cyclops.

If the tank is properly cycled, which if cyclops can survive, it is...go ahead and let them adapt to their new home.

The cyclops will not harm them.

It can take weeks, sometimes months to rid yourself of these guys, but they are not detrimental to you axolotls health. In fact, the measures undertaken to controll the cyclops will be beneficial to your new pets!

thanks to everyone for all their help!!! so our axolotls should be safe when they come in tomorrow! =] should we quarantine down the road or just leave the plants be? Thanks again!

If they do not bother you, I would't worry about them. Little invasives like this are actually a good sign. It means your water chemistry is good.

Never thought I would wish for tank critters. But at least I would know my tank was healthy.

Hi Baurelio,

Most tank critters are harmless to your axie and can even help keep the tank cleaner and stable. Unless there is evidence that the axie's health is affected, i would recommend you leave them alone. Sometimes the attempt to rid of them can cause more problems such as water chemistry issues, especially with overzealous tank cleaning.

Cheers.

^^^ Hello to you too. Btw, this wasn't my post. Haha!