# Mites!



## mfsidore (Oct 10, 2012)

How do i get rid off mites from a 55 gallon tank!!!!!!! Help!!!!!!!!


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

What's living in the tank? If there are dart frogs in there, they will probably eat them.


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## mfsidore (Oct 10, 2012)

frogface said:


> What's living in the tank? If there are dart frogs in there, they will probably eat them.


I thought mites made them toxic?


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

In captivity they don't. Mites are everywhere. Show me a viv without mites, and I will show you a frogkeeper in need of a pair of glasses. You will never eliminate mites from your viv. Just try to control them in your cultures.


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## mfsidore (Oct 10, 2012)

Pumilo said:


> In captivity they don't. Mites are everywhere. Show me a viv without mites, and I will show you a frogkeeper in need of a pair of glasses. You will never eliminate mites from your viv. Just try to control them in your cultures.


Oh, wow ok thanks Doug and kris!


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## GP dynamite (Feb 19, 2013)

Pumilo said:


> In captivity they don't. Mites are everywhere. Show me a viv without mites, and I will show you a frogkeeper in need of a pair of glasses.


This quote never gets old and applies 50 times over. The frogs will snack on the mites. It's part of the hobby.

Keep your cultures on mite paper and away from the viv and you'll be fine.


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## mfsidore (Oct 10, 2012)

Alright, thanks!


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## Gamble (Aug 1, 2010)

Exactly.
Mites in cultures = bad
Mites in tanks = good


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## mfsidore (Oct 10, 2012)

I see now, THANKS EVERYONE!!!!


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## Steverd (Sep 4, 2011)

Gamble said:


> Exactly.
> Mites in cultures = bad
> Mites in tanks = good


Mites = frog snack food!


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## easternversant (Sep 4, 2012)

Unless you or someone in your residence are allergic to mites it isn't an issue. 

I used to have a TON of mites in a viv I'd set up for some frogs, then I put frogs in and I rarely see any now.


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

During my lazy periods where I just sit small fly cultures in the viv, I've watched frogs sit there and pick off mites when the cultures weren't actively buzzing with flies


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## mfsidore (Oct 10, 2012)

Can they really see them that we'll?!?


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## easternversant (Sep 4, 2012)

mfsidore said:


> Can they really see them that we'll?!?


Yep! Mites are commonly eaten by dendrobatids, even though many of them are near microscopic for us, and are the source of a number of different alkaloids (e.g., pumiliotoxin is of mite origin).


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## mfsidore (Oct 10, 2012)

So pumiliotoxin s the toxin that pumilio secretes? So it's ok for dendrobates but not pumilio?


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## easternversant (Sep 4, 2012)

mfsidore said:


> So pumiliotoxin s the toxin that pumilio secretes? So it's ok for dendrobates but not pumilio?


Pumiliotoxin is one class of alkaloids that pumilio can secrete, but it has to be taken up through diet. I used 'dendrobatids' to refer to the members of the family Dendrobatidae as a whole, and not just the genus _Dendrobates_ who may also have pumiliotoxins.


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Pretty sure I saw some L. Williamsi gecko pick off mite too


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## mfsidore (Oct 10, 2012)

easternversant said:


> Pumiliotoxin is one class of alkaloids that pumilio can secrete, but it has to be taken up through diet. I used 'dendrobatids' to refer to the members of the family Dendrobatidae as a whole, and not just the genus _Dendrobates_ who may also have pumiliotoxins.


Oh oh ok. Thanks!


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

When I can, I feed frogs with mites. My frogs are crazy about them!


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## mfsidore (Oct 10, 2012)

Haha, I'm not that worried any more! Thanks guys and gals!!!!


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## 1995sportster883 (Dec 16, 2012)

I just noticed my pumilio froglets eating some very small food items that I expected to be springs. Upon closer inspection my viv has boomed with mites... The Pumilio seem to enjoy the company of the mites 

Adam


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

I used to have awesome mite cultures. Sold them when I moved away from Seattle


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## Dave II (Dec 18, 2011)

I've heard from other forums(reptile/spider) that isos will eat them.


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## TheCoop (Oct 24, 2012)

I might have bought a culture of thus said mites from ya lol.. Only had one tank infestation but for the most part things have been fairly clean.. If you see a ton of mites I would caution on keeping the froglets in..


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## GP dynamite (Feb 19, 2013)

I've got a couple of old FF cultures that have some uninvited guests. I'd be happy to sender to ya, coop. .


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## TheCoop (Oct 24, 2012)

Ha ha! No thanks, dealt with a huge mite issue a gee months ago when I got in a thousand crickets for my Beardies and Veileds.. Placed them in the clean cricket tub and went to feed some off a couple days later and the tub was engulfed in mites! Just got back in the clear!


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## 1995sportster883 (Dec 16, 2012)

I would say that I have less mites than springs in the viv right now, I will definitely keep an eye on the population though. 

Adam


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## GP dynamite (Feb 19, 2013)

TheCoop said:


> Ha ha! No thanks, dealt with a huge mite issue a gee months ago when I got in a thousand crickets for my Beardies and Veileds.. Placed them in the clean cricket tub and went to feed some off a couple days later and the tub was engulfed in mites! Just got back in the clear!


Ouch. Glad you were able to recover from that. I'm paranoid. I separate my cultures at the 3 week mark and label everything. I still use the cultures but keep them far far away from my fresh ones.


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## frog dude (Nov 11, 2011)

I think it's cool how a thread with a relatively simple question & and pretty straightforward answers like this exploded with responses. You know what that means? It means there are plenty of froggers willing to help and are eager to help someone and give them advice! Yay! DB is awesome.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

big difference between the detritovore mites in your viv that are good, and the mites that are the scourge of fruit fly cultures


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

frogparty said:


> big difference between the detritovore mites in your viv that are good, and the mites that are the scourge of fruit fly cultures


Frogs will eat those though so you can put the cup in there, and it isn't a total waste of the culture....get some use out of it


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## goof901 (Jan 9, 2012)

Dendro Dave said:


> Frogs will eat those though so you can put the cup in there, and it isn't a total waste of the culture....get some use out of it


That's why I never freeze my old cultures until I need to clean the cups. Even then, I still save a couple mite infested cultures, because those have saved me in times of bad fruit fly production. Just take the lid off, flick the lid and side of the cups into your viv, and your frogs will go crazy eating them...


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## roktman (Apr 10, 2013)

Dave II said:


> I've heard from other forums(reptile/spider) that isos will eat them.


Yep, the recommendation for Trarantula enclosures with mites is to put in some Iso's.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

The first reference I had seen for controlling mites in cultures was from a food culturing book that was initially published in Europe.. I don't think I packed the book so I should be able to track it down if there is a lot of interest. 

Some comments 

Ed


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## TheCoop (Oct 24, 2012)

Please do share Ed.. I would be highly interested in that..


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

I can't remember exactly which book but several I have are packed so I don't think I can chase down the exact reference (or maybe I misremembered it).

There is an interesting reference in Freiderich, Ursula, Volland, Werner, 2004, Breeding Food Animals, Live Food for Vivarium Animals; Krieger Publishing Company; Malabar on the diet of the isopods including mites. 

Some comments 

Ed


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## GP dynamite (Feb 19, 2013)

Here's a link to amazon for the book Ed referred to.

Breeding Food Animals LIve Food for Vivarium Animals: 63 Black-and White photographs and drawings: Ursula Friederich, Werner Volland: 9781575240459: Amazon.com: Books


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## Wusserton (Feb 21, 2014)

Pumilo said:


> In captivity they don't. Mites are everywhere. Show me a viv without mites, and I will show you a frogkeeper in need of a pair of glasses. You will never eliminate mites from your viv. Just try to control them in your cultures.


Until I read this I was completely freaked out about mites in my 12x12x18 especially since Im moving a newly constructed 18x18x24 into my office today and its going to be near the other tank, my cultures are fine but noticed tan mites running around the floor of my tank a couple days ago and it scared me lol


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