# Why So Many Mites?



## Azriel (Jun 15, 2011)

I know that most, if not all, vivariums have some mites. But today I noticed a TON of mites in my vivarium. They are all over in the substrate. Is it normal to have this many? I have not seeded this tank with any microfauna (springtails or isopods of any sort) yet, so could that be why the mites have taken over so much?

If you watch the video for a while you can see just how many there are. The video switches to another scene about halfway through... there are lots of mites everywhere in the vivarium.


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## exboyz04 (Mar 20, 2009)

Are they mites or springtails!
They could be a differant type of springtail but not sure hard to see.

On the pluss side the frogs mike like eating them


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## Azriel (Jun 15, 2011)

exboyz04 said:


> Are they mites or springtails!
> They could be a differant type of springtail but not sure hard to see.
> 
> On the pluss side the frogs mike like eating them


They are mites.


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## linket22 (Jan 9, 2007)

They definately look like springtails to me.


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## Azriel (Jun 15, 2011)

linket22 said:


> They definately look like springtails to me.


I know it's hard to tell from the video, but I am 100% sure they are mites. I've seen both mites and springtails before, and these are definitely mites. 

So, anybody know why there are so many?


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## JacobP (Feb 21, 2012)

Based on their walking behavior and shape I would say those are springtails. They can be found everywhere in nature and might have found their own way in. I know many of my houseplants have thriving springtail populations and I never seeded their containers with springs and their soil was free of springtails at planting.


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## Enlightened Rogue (Mar 21, 2006)

You said you haven`t seeded your tank with any micofauna, but those little white bugs with the 2 antenna are springtails.
What I can`t tell you is how they got there. Where did you get your substrate? Maybe they hitched a ride. Also, are there any frogs in there? If so, they will tear those up in no time.
I`m sure other people will chime in, but I would have a hard time believing those aren`t springtails.

John


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## Azriel (Jun 15, 2011)

You guys, they are not springtails. But since nobody will believe me, I took the time to get some macro pictures of them. Clearly, these are mites. They are round and smooth, whereas springtails are segmented-looking and oblong.


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## Azriel (Jun 15, 2011)

Here is a photo I found on google of mites. This is exactly what they look like.


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## Enlightened Rogue (Mar 21, 2006)

Wow, nice pictures. Looks like I stand corrected. They had to have come in somehow. Is it a newly set up tank? Perhaps some food item you put in? Also, do you have any other animals in that room that could possibly be carrier`s. Check out a sponser and purchase some mite paper.
I`m sorry I can`t be more help. I`ve never had mites like that in a viv.

John


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## Azriel (Jun 15, 2011)

Enlightened Rogue said:


> Wow, nice pictures. Looks like I stand corrected. They had to have come in somehow. Is it a newly set up tank? Perhaps some food item you put in? Also, do you have any other animals in that room that could possibly be carrier`s. Check out a sponser and purchase some mite paper.
> I`m sorry I can`t be more help. I`ve never had mites like that in a viv.
> 
> John


Thanks. I don't believe they are spider mites, and since there's no other microfauna in there they could be eating (that I know of at least) I don't think they're predatory mites either. So I'm not too worried about getting rid of them at this point. I'm just curious about why there are so many! I've had these kind of mites in my past vivarium, but never this many. There are just *so* many. I was curious if maybe the absence of other types of microfauna could be why their population has exploded so much. 

The tank is pretty new, it's been completed for a month or two. They could have come in on the leaf litter; that's the only thing I didn't sterilize.


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

Yeah, mites wave their front 2 legs like antennae, so i understand why people are getting confused. Vivs are mite factories.

And yeah, the mites are occupying an ecological niche in your viv that is shared by springtails and isopods (detrivores). Since there is no competition from other animals, their population has exploded. There is nothing inherently bad about this (unless you have mite allergies), but it may be hard to get a population of springtails established at first since there is so much competition. Some isopods however, I understand may actually eat mite eggs


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

Azriel said:


> The tank is pretty new, it's been completed for a month or two. They could have come in on the leaf litter; that's the only thing I didn't sterilize.


And they could have simply waltzed into the viv! If you live near nature (eg, not a city), that could be a likely source of the mites. They get around. Which is why, as previously stated, it would be a good idea to get some mite paper. The best use for this mite paper will be to put food cultures on top of (flies, springtails) so that mites don't crawl in. Also, don't put your cultures near your viv (eg, if your viv is on top of a cabinet stand, don't put your cultures IN the cabinet).


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## Shinosuke (Aug 10, 2011)

I would have sworn that those are springs, too. The speed and pattern of walking says springs (They look kinda oblong in that video, too) but your closeups say otherwise.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

JacobP said:


> Based on their walking behavior and shape I would say those are springtails. .


How do springtails walk differently than mites? Roaming behavior is the same in detrivore mites and many of them can easily move as fast a springtails....


Ed


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Detrivore and soil dwelling mites are common in tanks and they can get into the enclosure in many different ways including just walking into the tank much less on plants or other cage furnishings. Booms of various invertebrates are not uncommon in newly set up enclosures since there is typically an adundence of food for them and that causes a population explosion. The best thing to do is simply wait it out since if you take actions to wipe them out (like CO2 treatments), even if you get all of them, the boom is probably just going to reoccur. 

Ed


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## Reef_Haven (Jan 19, 2011)

They look and move like Hypoaspis Miles, to me. Predatory mites can live off detritus in the absence of microfauna.


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## trdlabs (Sep 23, 2011)

More food for your frogs. That's how I look at it.


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## JacobP (Feb 21, 2012)

Ed said:


> How do springtails walk differently than mites? Roaming behavior is the same in detrivore mites and many of them can easily move as fast a springtails....
> 
> 
> Ed


Based on my experience I have not seen mites move like that. I stand corrected. Thank you.


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

Reef_Haven said:


> They look and move like Hypoaspis Miles, to me. Predatory mites can live off detritus in the absence of microfauna.


Personally I think they look like the regular detritus that I have in my viv. Just a LOT more of them. But then again I'm no mite expert, and if they have the same coloring I'd never be able to tell them apart haha


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## Steverd (Sep 4, 2011)

trdlabs said:


> More food for your frogs. That's how I look at it.


Sorry to bump an old thread, but I was thinking this also. Don't frogs eat mites? Or do they only eat certain types of mites? Will frogs get Spider mites? 

Steve


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Many dendrobatids do feed on mites. Spider mites can be more difficult since they can use the webbing as shelter but the humid conditions in most enclosures are not conducive to spider mites. 

Ed


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