# MITE Problem!!



## KRich Frogger (Feb 15, 2013)

I have mite problems, and they are wiping out my FF cultures just after they start to produce heavy. What is the best way to get rid of them....i know they make a product called Jurassic Mite, just wondering if there was another way ?


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## Harpo (Nov 9, 2012)

I freeze my mix, boil my water, dust my flies when I make the culture, and use DIY mite paper. I never stack cultures and never let them touch. I was where you are now before doing this. My mites are almost completely gone now.

You may want to get some new starter cultures as well. Only start cultures from young cultures.


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## KRich Frogger (Feb 15, 2013)

how do you make you're diy mite paper?


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

Start fresh. Using flies from the contaminated cultures will further spread the contamination. Make sure you get flies from a source you know is not contaminated.

Use mite paper. it'll prevent mites from getting on your new cultures. Also find a new place to store your cultures; your current place is swarming with them. Also don't culture too near/under your viv -- its a mite factory.

Also make a habit of washing your hands before touching your cultures to not contaminate them


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## vjf000 (Jun 14, 2008)

Get some mite free cultures, keep them in large shallow plastic storage bins, fill them with layer of water, not foolproof but helpful so far, look at my threads about my miserable mite problems, try lice spray if you keep them in cabinets or drawers (which I cannot recommend as they seem to increase mite contagion), and you will find that paying particular attention to contamination from older cultures, only touch newer cultures first etc. and you will find the cultures are freer of mites. The first step is getting good mite free cultures to start with. Also, don't use excelsior, use paper plates instead or fiberglass screening and throw out or keep cultures older than four weeks away from the rest of the cultures. Again, you will find more recent threads that I have started have good feedback from other members that is really helpful.


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## bsr8129 (Sep 23, 2010)

What does excelsior have to do with mites?


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## Harpo (Nov 9, 2012)

KRich Frogger said:


> how do you make you're diy mite paper?


Paper towel or napkins sprayed heavily with mite spray made for pet birds. Set the cultures on top.


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## vjf000 (Jun 14, 2008)

I have just found that using the excelsior causes more problems. Maybe it is because it is harder to prevent causing contamination of the excelsior by repeatedly dipping into it and pulling out a clump as new cultures are made? Much less mites when cultures are made with fiberglass screening in my experience. Other than that no connection to excelsior.


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

There's no problem with excelsior itself though... I'm sure PLENTY of people (myself included) use it without issue.


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## JPccusa (Mar 10, 2009)

An alternative to mite paper is food grade diatomaceous earth. It has been working great for me. 

I boil everything going into my cultures (cups, lids, excelsior, and media).


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## Boondoggle (Dec 9, 2007)

In my experience the two most effective thing you can do to deter mites is use mite paper under your cultures, and throw away cultures once they a month old. People are often reticent to do the latter but it appears to take over a month for a mite culture to bloom so if you start removing them from the process before their numbers spike then they dwindle. You will never get rid of them completely, though.


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