# Are these mites?



## 55105 (Jan 27, 2015)

I started this dwarf white isopod culture about a month ago...

It's crawling with hundreds of these tiny white bugs. I've never had mites (that I'm aware of) and this is my first isopod culture.

They are white and about the size of a grain of sand, have long antennae and appear to have 6 legs. They move much the way that isopods do but don’t hide.

This is the closest I can get...


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## Aquarimax (Jun 25, 2015)

They look like mites to me. Once your isopods are really thriving, you may find they outcompete the mites, and you will see fewer of the latter.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

If your isopod cultures are close to either the fruit flies or another feeder insect like roaches, mealworms, or crickets move them or place them on mite paper. 

If you are feeding a dry food like fish flakes, choosing another food that is microwaved while preparing it or doesn't include any grain can help keep the numbers down (examples are bug burger, pieces of cardboard, small pieces of potato or carrot (be aware these can root and grow in the culture). 

Some comments 

Ed


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## 55105 (Jan 27, 2015)

The iso culture is in a different room.

I'm pretty sure these aren’t mites, now that I have seen mites I can tell for sure. The mites that have appeared in my FF cultures are tiny compared to these. They’re so small I know I wouldn’t even be able to photograph them.


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## thane (Sep 11, 2014)

You might be seeing the younger isopods.

These are some larvae that I photographed behind my background.


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## 55105 (Jan 27, 2015)

I did observe a few of them jumping the other day. Could it possibly be a different species of springtails?


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## DragonSpirit1185 (Dec 6, 2010)

Could just be springtails. They are grayish sometimes and their bodies come to a point.
Mites usually have more circular bodies. Well the white and red mites I've seen in cultures anyways.
I got some dwarf white isos before and these springtails appeared in them. 









From this thread here: http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/38143-tropical-temperate.html

Kinda hard to tell from that pic but if the body is round it's a mite

Picture of dust mites I found off Google. 
See how they have a round rear? That's common with most mites.


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