# Mites EEEK!



## Sarbarbearian (Oct 25, 2015)

I'm sorry but I am VERY new to the hobby and I've read several posts discussing the topic of mites where some folks suggest that they are harmless, or to bomb them with co2. I've also heard that they could be springtails. I couldn't really find a problem exactly like mine (though I must admit I haven't had time to scour the forum properly)... So anyway I'll start at the beginning. Today I was feeding my pair of azureus in their recently settled viv. I have seeded it dwarf white Isopods and springtails though it was fairly recently. I was moving leaf little around and turned over one of my magnolia leaves to see tiny white dots. I thought they were similar to a mold I had seen growing on the leaves before so I dismissed it. I fed the ffs near the leaf and was watching my little guys chow down when I noticed one was crawling on my frog! I entered panic mode and looked closer at the leaf to see the tiny dots were moving. Taking into account that there are soooo many different microfauna I know they can't be 100% identified but all I wanna know is will they kill my frogs?! I really don't want to restart my viv as I painstakingly arranged everything and have used great stuff along with spending an absolute fortune on all the bedding and plants. If it means my frogs will be in misery with these mites I will do it though, I just won't be happy about it!! I'll try and snap some photos but they are so tiny I doubt it will look like much. They are the size of a head of a pin. I imagine they are mainly just present during decomposition but would like feedback.


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## Sarbarbearian (Oct 25, 2015)

They are the tiny specks


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## Mantella71 (Oct 7, 2013)

Can you post a pic? Hard to determine without more info.


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## cam1941 (Jan 16, 2014)

Its a new viv so I wouldn't worry about it as things are still settling and the balance of power hasn't been fully established. Springs and Isos still need to grow their populations. Once they do they should out compete the mites unless there is another larger problem.

Mites are usually more of an issue in cultures (FF, Isos, Springs) as opposed to vivs.


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## spider107 (Apr 1, 2008)

Mites are not fun to look at, but they mean there is extra food, detritus, mold, etc and if you seed with isopods and springtails, maybe even more than one species of each their numbers will stay in check. My e. anthonyi SA eat them.


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## Sarbarbearian (Oct 25, 2015)

I'm really hoping that my little ones are going to take a liking to eating them. I'm thinking you may be right about cultures producing them. I sanitized the leaves that I harvested though I bought abg mix commercially along with all my other substrate. I haven't noticed any mites in my ff cultures not to say they aren't in there of course. My iso culture may have been the culprit because I couldn't sort them from the substrate. They may have been there for some time though too because there is a fair amount of them in the leaf litter. My frogs are a little on the skinny side despite my frequent feedings so I'm really counting on the microfauna to plump them up. They were a bit thin when I got them and am currently just attributing it to stress of the moves/show conditions but I'm not ruling out parasites at the moment.


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## Rushthezeppelin (Oct 6, 2015)

BTW since nobody said....its really easy to tell the difference between mites and springtails. Springtails have long skinny abdomens whereas mites have roud circular abdomens.....also if it has 6 legs it's a spring....also if they jump when you disturb them then it's springs.


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## cmk (Aug 29, 2014)

I posted a while back that mites are only a problem depending on who you ask. When i saw mites on my cobalts i freaked and went into a panic.
That was February. Now mites are just extra free food. From what ive been reading mites really come from fruit fly cups. If its an old culture and its been stored near the viv, youre gonna get mites. Your frogs will be fine.


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## Rushthezeppelin (Oct 6, 2015)

cmk said:


> I posted a while back that mites are only a problem depending on who you ask. When i saw mites on my cobalts i freaked and went into a panic.
> That was February. Now mites are just extra free food. From what ive been reading mites really come from fruit fly cups. If its an old culture and its been stored near the viv, youre gonna get mites. Your frogs will be fine.


Ya mites are free food and also help keep the tank clean as they are detritivores (the ones that normally get a foothold in vivs anyway). If they ain't black they ain't going to hurt your herps (not even sure if snake mites can even parasite on phibs anyway).


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## Sarbarbearian (Oct 25, 2015)

Thanks everyone I really appreciate it! I'm feeling much better about the whole thing


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## Imperialterrib (Sep 3, 2013)

Mites are only a problem in old fruit fly cups or when you order from a company that creates cultures in a dirty warehouse


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