Question: Sand irritating axies

[crazydragon89]

I'm still sorta new to this whole axolotl thing. I've had my two for only 2 months or so, so i'm constantly reading up on things since i keep expecting them to be dead the next morning from not knowing some simple, yet critical, care information. x_x;

anyway, i just switched to sand today from a barren/small rock bottom. however, as soon as i put my axies back in, they both started jerking wildly and freaking out all over the place! i noticed when they stopped they had a small piece of sand either on the edge of their eye, or on a gill.

i'm horribly worried they're going to hurt themselves; i thought the sand i purchased would be suitable enough, but does this mean the grains were too big and i should buy another kind somewhere else??? is this normal since they're not used to it, or do i need to get my guys out ASAP?

help is greatly appreciated... D:

 

[Zalth]

Sounds like they're just really stressed up.
How long have they been doing this for?

 

[Kaysie]

Did you rinse the sand thoroughly before putting it in your tank?

 

[crazydragon89]

i only just put them in an hour or so ago. but they seemed perfectly content beforehand...am i just freaking out too soon?

i assumed the sand since they've never done this before, and it does look like they're trying to jerk something off their head, including rubbing against the glass...

 

[carsona246]

What kind of sand was it, and what are the parameters in your tank? I've never had a problem with sand in my tank. If you used aquarium safe sand I'm thinking it might be something else

 

[crazydragon89]

Did you rinse the sand thoroughly before putting it in your tank?

multiple times. and the water should be cycled enough, plus they weren't acting like this anytime before i put them back in with the sand.

 

[crazydragon89]

2 juvie axies, 3-4inch. 10 gall tank (dorm room, prepped for one, got two). temp is about 64 degrees. water is the kind and about the same concentration and filtratation and what not as its been since i got them 2 months ago. hiding places, 3. filter is strong, so i usually would only turn it on to move the water around for a bit, and would turn it off afterward (meh, came with the tank). its been off for the last couple of days, but with cycled water and everything like that. food every day...i think that's all the info i can give you.

are they finally sick of being near each other? i only have them in such a small tank since i'm dorming at the moment in college; i was hoping i could finish out the semester (barely a month) before i got a bigger one, since i'm not allowed to keep a larger tank in here. should i just figure out a way to keep them separate in two smaller tanks, or what would be my best option in this case?

 

[carsona246]

10 gallons is pretty small for 2 3-4 inch axolotls. How much ammonia/nitrite/nitrate do you have? I'm assuming it's a HOB filter right? I'd either not use it, or figure out a way to lower the flow. Turning it on and off doesn't help anything. I use a waterbottle cut in half to lower my flow, and stick a sponge in the intake, and it lowers the flow considerably in my hob filter. it's rated for a 20 gallon(it's in a ten), and with the sponge in the intake there is very little flow. It's probably terrible for the filter, but I'm not using it for anything else.
Are you guys allowed to have twenty gallons in your dorm? A twenty wouldn't hold 2 for life, but it would be better than a ten gallon.