# Mites? Harmful?



## jenloi (Aug 11, 2018)

Are these mites? How to get rid of these? They spread quickly









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## Okapi (Oct 12, 2007)

They are just harmless soil mites grazing on the biofilm that is growing on that piece of driftwood, nothing to be worried about. They are detrivores that feed on decaying organics. If you seeded springtails and isopods those will eventually out compete the mites to the point that there will be very few mites present.


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## varanoid (Jan 21, 2011)

Nothing to worry about


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## jenloi (Aug 11, 2018)

Okapi said:


> They are just harmless soil mites grazing on the biofilm that is growing on that piece of driftwood, nothing to be worried about. They are detrivores that feed on decaying organics. If you seeded springtails and isopods those will eventually out compete the mites to the point that there will be very few mites present.


Thanks for your reply! I think because my local springtails are not doing so well. I will try to seed more of them. 

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## jenloi (Aug 11, 2018)

Thanks. ! 

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## Bork (May 22, 2011)

jenloi said:


> Thanks for your reply! I think because my local springtails are not doing so well. I will try to seed more of them.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


FWIW, I've never been a big proponent of seeding springtails/isopods. Mine almost always just got eaten pretty quickly, and my vivs have done fine without them. So go ahead and give it a shot, but don't stress too much if they don't take. 

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## MrBiggs (Oct 3, 2006)

Borkk said:


> FWIW, I've never been a big proponent of seeding springtails/isopods. Mine almost always just got eaten pretty quickly, and my vivs have done fine without them. So go ahead and give it a shot, but don't stress too much if they don't take.
> 
> Sent from my laptop using fingers.


I have to say that I think this is terrible advice. Although isopods may not be 100% essential, I think that springtails are. They provide a huge number of benefits. If they are allowed to establish properly, it's unlikely that they will ever be eradicated by frogs.

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## Bork (May 22, 2011)

MrBiggs said:


> I have to say that I think this is terrible advice.


That's very fair. I know my opinion varies from most people here, it's just been my experience.


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

Mites are frog food. Don't worry about them.


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## Deanmachine (Aug 22, 2018)

Okapi said:


> They are just harmless soil mites grazing on the biofilm that is growing on that piece of driftwood, nothing to be worried about. They are detrivores that feed on decaying organics. If you seeded springtails and isopods those will eventually out compete the mites to the point that there will be very few mites present.


I second this. Saw a huge amount of mites that seemed to breed overnight, so much that I could see funny little trails on the glass from them clearing away the condensation. In a week they were all gone as I think the springtails out compete. No frogs in my viv, just plants and springtails. From what I've read the 'red' colored mites are something to worry about because they feast on plants.


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## jenloi (Aug 11, 2018)

Thanks for all the reply. Those mites are still in my vivarium. But did no damage to my plant. Saw bunch on them feasting on a dead mushroom.

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## varanoid (Jan 21, 2011)

jenloi said:


> Thanks for all the reply. Those mites are still in my vivarium. But did no damage to my plant. Saw bunch on them feasting on a dead mushroom.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


Yup just part of your clean up crew.


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

Bork said:


> Mine almost always just got eaten pretty quickly





MrBiggs said:


> If they are allowed to establish properly, it's unlikely that they will ever be eradicated by frogs.


I have a couple vivs that should have low springtail populations -- small enclosures relative to number of predatory vertebrates -- that sustain springs just fine. I have two vivs that don't support springtails, at least one of which I've confirmed contains predatory flatworms/nemertean worms. 

I don't see any way that frogs could eradicate springtails in a viv, since the substrate is a reservoir that the frogs can't reach. If springs are being eliminated, I'd suspect something else is amiss.


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## jenloi (Aug 11, 2018)

Good day everyone. Are these harmful?









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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

^^ Nope. Isopods. Nothing to worry about. A good thing, actually.


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## srod (Aug 2, 2014)

Yeah I agree they look more like isopods. Should be fine. Even if you get mites in your tanks it should be fine. They are extra food sources for the frogs. The only bad thing is they will kill off ur microfauna. But once thier boom is over you can always add more. I wouldn't recommend bombing a tank for mites.


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

those are isopods


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## jenloi (Aug 11, 2018)

Thanks for all the reply. When they are here I hardly find any spring tails.

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