Question: Sudden copepod infestation? How can i move sponge filters to new tank, and keep them.im check if they come back?

[Mr_Vild]

Hi, km currently in the throes of such a severe copepod infestation, I crashed my cycle, and have been tubbing my axltolol. I figured, between water changes and them having nothing to eat it would calm down....boy was I wrong. He's been out if the tank for about 7 days and every where you looks they are buzzing around, crawling...ugh makes my skin crawl. Forced my hand to upgrade to my bigger tank sooner than I wanted. I want to move at least one sponge filter and his pvc hide aways, but I'm afraid it will get out of control again. The new tank is a 40 gallon with a aquatop forza fz7. Do I need to just wash the pvc hides and sponge filter, or try to just clean the sponge filter In tank water? I'm gonna turn this old tank into a ghost shrimp tank, to quarantine them and get them used to eating copepods, so I can put them I'm the new tank if needed... any help would be appreciated.

 

[JM29]

Why are you bothered about these copepods ?

 

[Mr_Vild]

Because they are out if control. The population has kept growing to the point where they cover all sides of the glass. There's nothing to keep them in check. Every square inch of space in the water there is like 15-20. And it looks like my axlotol is having a problem breathing there are so many. He's flapping his gills rapidly. And everyday since they showed up it's gotten worse each day, there's no balance. Plus it's disturbing when every surface in the aquarium is just crawling.

 

[JM29]

Except for parasitic species like anchor worms, copepods are carnivorous (little preys, animal food waste) or herbivorous (algae).
Try to find the cause (food in excess ?)

 

[Mr_Vild]

Except for parasitic species like anchor worms, copepods are carnivorous (little preys, animal food waste) or herbivorous (algae).
Try to find the cause (food in excess ?)

Cause as in where they came from, I have NO clue, either the eggs were In my cities tap water or the two large rocks I bought from my local aquarium had them dried on them, and as far as the rapid growth, it makes ZERO sense. I flat out removed my axlotol, did several water changes and cleaning of waste, and filter cleans, and yet they still continue to grow. There's so many that they make a noticeable amount of waste on their own. Only thing they could be eating is biofilm/bacteria.

 

[Niels D]

In time they will disappear almost entirely in most cases.