# Mite riddled FF cultures...safe to feed?



## D3monic (Feb 8, 2010)

I just went to feed the frogs and ALL of my FF cultures are riddled with mites . I can not get a new starter culture until friday. Will it be safe to feed them out? They are the little white mites, or will they somehow infect my tanks? FF mites are a new one for me.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

It will be fine to feed them until you can get new cultures. You are going to have to keep the new cultures in a different room for a few days once you get them to prevent the mites from infecting them. 

Ed


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## Catfur (Oct 5, 2004)

Most of the mites that invade FF cultures are (relatively) harmless herbivores (grain mites). They may impede FF productions, but they won't infect your frogs or anything. Mites make up a significant proportion of tiny frogs' diet in the wild, your frogs will eat them if they get into a tank, establishing them in the tank would probably be a good thing, but they never last long in large numbers in a tank like they do in FF cultures.


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## D3monic (Feb 8, 2010)

Ok cool, thats good to hear.


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## Topete (Sep 27, 2009)

I got fresh ones and producing ones, if you are in need. Im in chicago.


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## D3monic (Feb 8, 2010)

Ill get one from Matt Olsen over at chicago reptile house. But thank you for the offer. I drive by that place on a almost daily basis. 

What should I do with the sterilite containers that my cultures where in? Wipe them down with 10% bleach and let them sit for a few days? In the future I will be sure to have a .5" of water in the drawers to keep the lil bastards from spreading.


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## tincubus (Apr 9, 2010)

yes. mites will get eaten by the frogs. mites are always going to be everywhere, control them by using mite off and other products alike. i had mites all over my older cultures and got rid of them. got some new cultures and sprayed mite off all over the steralite box and inside as well. these new cultures have been producing like crazy, mite spary is another key in having great producing cultures.


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## D3monic (Feb 8, 2010)

Ok I am going to be picking up a new starter culture tomorrow. My sterilite container is covered in mites. I was also storing my new ff containers and food in one of the drawers. Can I spray the containers with the mite off or will it have an effect on the flies? I never had mites until I started using this darn container. Also is there any worries about the mite off and the frogs?


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## jeffdart (May 21, 2008)

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/43155-there-way-make-homemade-mite-paper.html


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## D3monic (Feb 8, 2010)

Hey thanks, That thread lead me to this thread http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/23423-diy-mite-spray-using-benzle-benzoate.html

which was pretty helpfull. I will go that route for making some mite spray.


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## jeffdart (May 21, 2008)

No problem!


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## Adamrl018 (Jun 18, 2010)

> Can I spray the containers with the mite off or will it have an effect on the flies


I would like to know this too. Could i spray the mite spray in the container with FF in it? Will the spray kill the FFs?

How do I know their mites?


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## Mikembo (Jan 26, 2009)

You can use Benzle Benzoate in the FF culture.

-Mike-



Adamrl018 said:


> I would like to know this too. Could i spray the mite spray in the container with FF in it? Will the spray kill the FFs?
> 
> How do I know their mites?


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## Adamrl018 (Jun 18, 2010)

Mikembo said:


> You can use Benzle Benzoate in the FF culture.
> 
> -Mike-


where can i get that? sorry im new.
i got my cultures from josh's frogs and im starting to make my own. How do i know if i have mites in my new one? im noticing alot of dead flys at the bottom of the old culture. how are the mites killing the flys?


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## Mikembo (Jan 26, 2009)

The only sponsor that I know has it is JL. Check out the link; Mite Spray Solution - JL-Exotics

-Mike-



Adamrl018 said:


> where can i get that? sorry im new.
> i got my cultures from josh's frogs and im starting to make my own. How do i know if i have mites in my new one? im noticing alot of dead flys at the bottom of the old culture. how are the mites killing the flys?


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## Adamrl018 (Jun 18, 2010)

how are the mites killing the flys?


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## joshsfrogs (May 6, 2004)

> how are the mites killing the flys?





> im noticing alot of dead flys at the bottom of the old culture. how are the mites killing the flys?


Dead flies at the bottom of the culture is indicative of two things:

1. Overproduction. When you aren't taking flies out of the culture, the population gets too high and CO2 builds up.

OR

2. Environmental problem. Too hot, too cold, or some sort of pesticide.

There is a mite that attacks fruit fly pupae (You'll get lots of pupae, but no hatching flies) and then there are grain mites which will eat the fruit fly media (dry or wet).


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