# Spider mites in my isopod culture?



## exmortis (May 28, 2007)

I just bought an isopod culture from a well known supplier and it looks like there are hundreds of spider mites in the culture. This is the first time I’m dealing with isopods so I’m not sure if this is a normal thing or not. In fact I’m not even sure if they are spider mites they are white in color and look like tiny spiders and move fast. Anyone know if they would be harmful to my viv or fly cultures?


----------



## captreedean (Oct 19, 2007)

Are you sure they are not Springtails


----------



## exmortis (May 28, 2007)

Positive I culture springtails regularly an they are not springtails they look a lot like spiders but super tiny


----------



## Corpus Callosum (Apr 7, 2007)

It sounds like you have mites.. just on a side note, spider mites is a common name that usually refers to a type of mites that are a pest to the plants which they inhabit and produce a noticable web on the leaves. Yours are likely another type of mite (which do look like tiny spiders, but aren't named after this as far as I know).


----------



## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

There are little red compost mites that tend to show up in springtail and isopod cultures... I should know, I've got plenty of them :roll: 

Spider mites are also little red mites, but smaller, much harder to see with the naked eye, occur on plants and are usually seen well after their damage and webbing has:


----------



## BYHGAB (Jun 13, 2011)

Are the brownish red compost mites bad? should I start a new culture or can i seed the take with the culture and let the frogs take care of the mites? Do they target live or dead plant material?


----------



## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Are the mites attacking your springtails at all? If so, then they are predator mites. You would be best to trash a culture with predator mites as that is a headache you don't need.
If they are not attacking springtails, then they are probably detritus or grain mites. Those are more of less harmless other than competing with your springtails for food. Those can be seeded into your viv. Sooner or later every viv ends up with mites so no big deal. Your frogs will eat those too. You should, however, look for a clean culture to continue culturing with.


----------



## BYHGAB (Jun 13, 2011)

They are in my isopod cultures I just got from the NARBC in Chicago this past weekend. They didn't seem to be attacking any of the isopods but I also looked found them last night around 2 in the morning and was about to go to bed so I didn't observe them for too long.


----------

