Tiny tiny tiny bugs??

suitable4frank · Jul 5, 2015

So I decided to have a good 10 minute stare around my axy tank, as I sometimes do, and I noticed some strange tiny specs floating around.

I've always thought they were just specs of dirt, but when I looked at them closer they appear to be tiny little bugs! They're dark in colour, almost black, and they're so tiny I literally can't get a good photo to show you.

Just imagine specs of dust. There we go.

I'm really worried what they are and if they'll do harm to my axy.

Water quality is all as normal. I've had the lid off because of the heat and theres been lots of bugs around, so could they be some form of larvae??

suitable4frank · Jul 5, 2015

literally the only image I could get. the tiny things lining the top of the ornament... what are they?????!!!!

suitable4frank · Jul 6, 2015

Another update: they keep latching to my little axy!!! I came home today and she/he was literally covered in them :-( I've done a water change but it hasn't stopped them

KombatVirus · Jul 6, 2015

Oh no man, that sounds awful! Do a quick google search for common aquarium pests and see if anything matches your description. Sorry, wish I could be more helpful

silk · Jul 6, 2015

No clue what those are, but I'd contain your axie in some cool, clean water and do a deep scrub of your tank. Take everything out and rinse it in hot water, scrub down the walls and corners of the tank and let it dry completely by air. I'd probably scrub it twice. This will kill your cycle of course, but if they're covering your axie... I think it's better to do daily water changes for a bit then risk whatever it is they are harming them.

suitable4frank · Jul 7, 2015

I google searched EVERYTHING and nothing matches them.
You can tell she's getting distressed from them and she's not been herself since they've infested the water.
When I say infested, I mean there's literally thousands.
They're really latching onto her too, I thought I might try to siphon them off of her (don't worry, it was a very very very weak tiny tube) and they weren't coming off.

Would moving her to a 20L aquarium and doing daily water changes be alright whilst I do a thorough clean out? I feel awful putting her in this smaller tank (I usually do for water changes) seen as she's used to this 180L one.

suitable4frank · Jul 7, 2015

Would I be able to have kind of step by step instructions or kind of some form of help on how I'm going to more or less break down my tank then set it back up??

I have about 5KG of sand in there which I'm just going to assume I should bin, seen as the little f**kers are in there too. Should I put all of my ornaments in boiling hot water and scrub them to the high heavens??
Should I keep some of the water from the main tank to swap into the new temporary tank when I do every day water changes? Should I have a filter in the tiny tank?

Hopefully I will start this tomorrow as I feel like it will be a very big day job, so I'd like as much advice as possible.

KombatVirus · Jul 8, 2015

suitable4frank said:
Would I be able to have kind of step by step instructions or kind of some form of help on how I'm going to more or less break down my tank then set it back up??

I have about 5KG of sand in there which I'm just going to assume I should bin, seen as the little f**kers are in there too. Should I put all of my ornaments in boiling hot water and scrub them to the high heavens??
Should I keep some of the water from the main tank to swap into the new temporary tank when I do every day water changes? Should I have a filter in the tiny tank?

Hopefully I will start this tomorrow as I feel like it will be a very big day job, so I'd like as much advice as possible.

Get a magnifying glass and try to spot some characteristics of whatever this is. Check out this thread here, and maybe you will identify what these 'bugs" are

Bugs you might encounter in your aquarium

After going through all of that, if you need to restart the tank, it doesn't really make sense to run the risk of keeping the sand. I would nuke the tank, run everything in boiling water, scrub it down, and start over. Hopefully it won't come to that. Best of luck and please keep us updated!

suitable4frank · Jul 10, 2015

Literally none of them look like what's in my tank. Only thing that I've found that slightly similar is something just called water mites? but there's next to no information on them anywhere :-(

blushed · Jul 11, 2015

That's sound horrible. I wonder if they actually a came from your sand somehow! I've actually known a few people to have issues like that, and after doing a tear down of the tank, and trying bare-bottom, voilá! No more pesky bugs!

I'd make sure to soak everything at least in the hottest water possible, and you can use white vinegar to scrub them with a clean sponge or toothbrush (that's how I clean the rocks in my tank).

That stinks you have to crash your cycle but since there are so many it's most likely they are infesting your filter too. :/

If you have a fresh filter, I would add it to the smaller tank during the tank tear down and clean out, and do large 50%+ water changes a day. You may be able to start your cycle with that media as well once you put your axxie back into her real home. Plus having carbon would help you out with water quality between water changes, ya know?

Hoping you get rid of the problem bugs & get your axxie back into her aquarium soon!

suitable4frank · Jul 17, 2015

I'm still delaying the bombing of the tank as I'm so scared to put my axy in such a tiny tank and I'm so scared that I'll kill her by doing it.

I've done a further 2 water changes and these things are brutal. I have to keep brushing my poor baby with a plastic stick to get them off her.

I'm going to be keeping my her in an 18L tank for about 3 weeks I'd imagine whilst I try and stat again with her big tank.

I'm thinking about doing it on Monday (I have work all weekend and I've needed to buy more cycling stuff), but is there any chance I could have advice from everyone? Any ways to speed up cycling to get her into her usual home quicker?

I use the fluval biological enhancer and water conditioner, is there anything else that I should use?

KombatVirus · Jul 23, 2015

Additives won't do much, you just have to do water changes every day and test the ammonia and nitrates every day until the cycle starts going

Maybe consider having a vet look at these pests, or try your best to see them with a magnifying glass and perhaps you will find some identifying features with which to google them

suitable4frank · Aug 10, 2015

Water changes should be a workout.
Finally got round to the nuking of the tank and wow, an hour later and I've only half emptied the tank and put all the ornaments in boiling water.
Poor baby is in her tiny tank hiding under a fluffy plant, being rather confused.

So much lifting and tipping and oh my goodness how am I not ripped.

KombatVirus · Aug 10, 2015

Hopefully this will pay off! Try getting some of those nasty bugs in a container then perhaps you can take them to a vet or some kind of specialist to get an ID. Once you know what they are maybe you can get a solution for the future

blushed · Aug 11, 2015

suitable4frank said:
Water changes should be a workout.

Finally got round to the nuking of the tank and wow, an hour later and I've only half emptied the tank and put all the ornaments in boiling water.

Poor baby is in her tiny tank hiding under a fluffy plant, being rather confused.

So much lifting and tipping and oh my goodness how am I not ripped.

My exact thoughts every water change!

Hang in there!

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