Question: Bloodworms living in the bottom of my tank?

[Benjenkins163]

Hello,

Second post now!

Just a quick one on anyones opinions..... I was rummaging around in my tank yesterday and i found what looked to be long (1-2cm) cylinders in my sand. Pull them out and they were dead bloodworms..... Found a few more and then one was alive, So i have come to the conclusion that i have bloodworms in my tank, Living in my sand.

Will this be ok for the axolotls? Should i take all the sand out and put new sand in?

I believe they are bloodworms, I mean, They look just like them....

Thanks

Ben

 

[auntiejude]

Have you been feeding live bloodworms to your axies? If so then it is quite possible they are bloodowrms that have escpaed the feeding jar.

If not then you need to remove them as they are 'insect larvae of unknown origin', and as such may be carrying disease or parasites, or even be harmful to your axies.

Posting a picture will help identify them.

 

[Benjenkins163]

I have before hand, But this was a month or so ago. They are so small, They just hide! Im thinking about taking all the sand out and putting new sand in. Would that be ok?

 

[auntiejude]

Im thinking about taking all the sand out and putting new sand in. Would that be ok?

You'll upset the cycle a bit, but as long as you monitor the water quality and change water accordingly it should be fine.

You don't get the same issues with handfed earthworms or frozen bloodworms. And you're lucky the bloodworm in question didn't pupate and emerge as a midge and start buzzing round your room!

 

[Benjenkins163]

I have got some bites on my legs! Haha.

I think i will remove all the sand out tonight and put fresh new sand in. Surely if its just the sand im taking out, It wont affect the parameters too much? I thought that was more a water and plant thing?

 

[Sweetie]

No, it's more a surfaces thing than a water thing. The bacteria colonise all the surfaces in the tank. They don't float in the water - well, not much.

 

[HayleyK]

A fair amount of beneficial bacteria live in the sand too. It might muck up your parameters for a while but it's not like you would have to cycle the whole thing again. Just a mini cycle

 

[Benjenkins163]

A fair amount of beneficial bacteria live in the sand too. It might muck up your parameters for a while but it's not like you would have to cycle the whole thing again. Just a mini cycle

I ended up taking all the sand out, Put the axies in a spare tank, And am resanding the whole thing tonight