# Oh no? Mites? Unsure....



## frankrom (Jan 14, 2012)

Hi...

I opened my isopod culture today... it is really booming... but i am noticing a lot of little white bugs on top of the card board. they are VERY small and are about the size of an isopod baby.... but they seem to move faster than an isopod so I am thinking they are mites? Can't seem to find exactly what a mite looks like...

Any idea what this could be... I tried taking a picture but it is impossible to see on the image...

They are little, white, size of a baby isopod, move a bit faster, they are all over the decomposing cardboard in my isopod culture...

Thanks


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

If they move faster, I would think springtails over mites.


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## khoff (Feb 18, 2004)

Agreed. Sounds like springtails. A few of my isopod cultures are "infested" with springtails and they do great.

Kevin


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## frankrom (Jan 14, 2012)

Uh... i have springtails.... in a seperate culture and these do not look like springtails... look like little white flies? kind of...

What the hell does a mite look like...

These do not look like springtails


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Hey Frank, every mite I have seen looks distinctly spider-like. I have seen white bulbous ones that are extremely slow moving, but I have also seen reddish/yellowish ones that can move at a pretty good pace.


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## dysphoria (Apr 1, 2012)

Here's one of my cultures I set out without any mite spray/paper.. sort of as an experiment to show that they actually exist 









Close up of mites from U of Idaho entomology:


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## frankrom (Jan 14, 2012)

So confused now.... Maybe it is not mites.... so small it is hard to photograph so i know it is hard to get help...

the isopod culture is booming but i'm scared to use it not knowing what those bugs are...


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## goof901 (Jan 9, 2012)

remember there are a lot of different types of mites. if what you are seeing is not springtails, it is probably mites so i wouldn't really worry about it


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## frankrom (Jan 14, 2012)

Thanks... but not worry about it? I thought we DO NOT want mites in our tank.... I thought they destroy everything.

I was thinking this culture is gone now....?


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## frankrom (Jan 14, 2012)

Wow... who would have thought I could have got a closer image of these bugs with my iphone camera than my DLSR... i guess i dont have a macro lens.

Anyhow i was able to get half decent pictures of these bugs....

As you can see they look like little fies and wings ... very small and definitely not a springtail...

Now that I have pictures any ideas?


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## goof901 (Jan 9, 2012)

frankrom said:


> Thanks... but not worry about it? I thought we DO NOT want mites in our tank.... I thought they destroy everything.
> 
> I was thinking this culture is gone now....?


mites are ok in your viv. your frogs will eat the mites. eventually over time, you will have mites in your viv. mites in iso cultures are ok. we just don't want any mites in springs and not a lot in flies.


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## jhmreeves (Jun 23, 2010)

I've never seen any mites that look like that. But goof is right. Even if they are mites, they should be fine in your isos and in your tank. Your fly cultures, that's a different story.


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## frogfreak (Mar 4, 2009)

They look like baby Iso's to me unless I'm missing something...


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## kitcolebay (Apr 7, 2012)

Ok...this noob just found out real quickly what the problem is. My cultures look like the one in the picture. I knew something was wrong and thought that may have been the issue. Ordering new cultures today. Looks like I'll be making the simple investment of mite paper or spray. What's the recommendations for the spray or paper?
(Hate learning the lessons the hard way)
As always, thanks dendroboard for the readily available advice!
-Chris


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## Pacblu202 (May 8, 2012)

If they look like flies... There's not a chance your fruit flies dropped in there is there?


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## dysphoria (Apr 1, 2012)

kitcolebay said:


> Ok...this noob just found out real quickly what the problem is. My cultures look like the one in the picture. I knew something was wrong and thought that may have been the issue. Ordering new cultures today. Looks like I'll be making the simple investment of mite paper or spray. What's the recommendations for the spray or paper?
> (Hate learning the lessons the hard way)
> As always, thanks dendroboard for the readily available advice!
> -Chris


Spray works as long as you keep up with it. I have to spray down paper towels every couple weeks with jurasimite to keep mites away. Mite paper seems to be working really well for me. Also, putting cultures in a shallow pan of water works really well too. You may want to experiment and see what works best for you.


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## mad6291 (May 28, 2012)

If unsure, use a jewelers scope (dope scope)to check it out. You will then be able to confirm if it is mites or not and educate yourself as to what to look for in a mite infestation. 
Thanks for the tip on the shallow dish, I keep my cultures in a sterilite container already so this will be easy. Cheers!


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

dysphoria said:


> Also, putting cultures in a shallow pan of water works really well too. You may want to experiment and see what works best for you.


While this has been passed around for quite awhile, there is no evidence to support since 
1) mites do not penetrate the surface film of the water
2) they can swim/crawl in the surface film from one culture to another..... 

Some comments,

Ed


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## mad6291 (May 28, 2012)

Hey Ed, I am glad you responded with that, as I had imagined the mites just floating from one to another. I would think it would just create an "expressway" from one culture to the next. What about vinegar?? What are your thoughts on this??


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

I have significant doubts about vinegar since at least one of the major molds that attacks cultures (Aspergillus niger) has not problems with acidic conditions and in fact acidifies the culture media even further to prevent competition from other microbes or fungi..... 

Ed


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## mattolsen (Feb 26, 2009)

First off, do not look at all like a mite. I'm about 99.9% sure they're not mites. They almost look like they could be a tomoscerus springtail. If you ever collect leaf litter for your tanks locally and live in a somewhat temperate environment there's a chance you got a colony of those guys going. Although I'm assuming you're talking about the blackish fly looking thing in the pic?

And for mite spray...... Buy some felt squares at the hobby/fabric store and also buy "prevent o mite" spray at a good local reptile shop, or online. 
-Take the felt out to the garage, or well ventilated area
-spray the pieces of felt fairly liberally, on one or both sides(probably not much of a difference)
-Allow them to dry for 20-30 minutes(until dry)
-Use them to cover the areas where you store your fly cultures, making sure that none of the cultures are touching. 

Also, when making cultures the best thing to do is use the freshest, best looking cultures to take flies from. 

If you seem to have a mite population that's just out of hand ditch all your cultures, or move them from anywhere close to where you store your flies. Then, having already bought the new mite free cultures from any supplier with a good reputation use those to make your new cultures and just nip the problem in the butt instead of playing catch up with your frog food.


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## dysphoria (Apr 1, 2012)

Ed said:


> While this has been passed around for quite awhile, there is no evidence to support since
> 1) mites do not penetrate the surface film of the water
> 2) they can swim/crawl in the surface film from one culture to another.....
> 
> ...



I've done it with my own cultures. It seems to work well for me. Testing cultures with three different mite preventatives, as well as one with no preventative.. 
The one in a shallow pan of water performed at least as well as the "No Bugs" mite paper with no _visible_ presence of mites found in either cultures.
Paper towels treated with jurassimite still had mites, but seemed to take longer to appear than the unprotected culture, which was overrun very quickly. 

Because they don't penetrate the surface film, and _can_ swim/crawl from one culture to another, doesn't mean they will naturally be compelled to do so. My experience certainly seems to show that it works - your mileage may vary. Like I said, experiment, see what works for you.


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