# Need some help identifying this bug



## OH23 (Sep 19, 2008)

Hey all,
i've finished my new Azureus tank a few weeks ago, and i've found, several times, during the last few days these bugs crawling around my water feature edges.
some info of whats in the viv:
NO Frogs In The Viv ATM !!!

few broms and some riccia starting to expand on the ground.
water feature of waterfall and a pond ( false bottom ). the substrate is a mix of Baltic peat and coco peat/shreds.
thats about it.
Here are the best pics of the bug. it's the same bug but different sizes. i caught 2 to make things easier for you guys.
to me, it looks like some kind of Detritivore mites, maybe i'm wrong.
try to help out 

Thanks


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## hexentanz (Sep 18, 2008)

to me they look like ticks.

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&um=1&sa=1&q=deer+tick&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g1&start=0


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## HunterB (Apr 28, 2009)

hexentanz said:


> to me they look like ticks.


they do kinda, just lighter, like they havent sucked any blood yet


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## stingfrog (Apr 1, 2007)

Ditto. Look like ticks to me as well. Where did you get the plants?


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## OH23 (Sep 19, 2008)

Ticks? omg, but how could this be?
there is absolutely nothing they can suck blood out of...
and the viv is up and running for 2 weeks.
The plants are from a local vendor.
now i'm really freaked out. what can i do about it?
and how can i be completely sure they are ticks?

thanks for your replies guys


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## monicaswizzle (Oct 25, 2009)

It is very doubtful they are ticks. The pictures aren't great (I assume you don't have a good macro lens), but it looks like they have 3 pairs of legs (total of six). If that is true, they are true insects, not ticks or mites (both would have four pairs of legs for a total of 8).

I have no idea what they are. My wife is an entemologist and agrees that the pictures make it hard to tell beyond the most general of guesses. Here are some general guesses--

1) They might be some type of small beetle
2) If they have a "snout" (looks like it in one of the pictures) they might be some sort of weevil.

Good luck. If you have another frog tank with frogs in it, you might try feeding them one and see if they eat it. If they do, you probably don't have a problem for long.


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## OH23 (Sep 19, 2008)

monicaswizzle - Thank you very much for your reply.
I'll try to post more pics and will try to get a better shot of the bug ( im only using a compact powershot sd630 )to make things brighter . please re-check this topic since im really freaking out here.


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## Eric Walker (Aug 22, 2009)

you could try the same method people use for slugs I would think
since there are no frogs in there yet.

anybody else? would this work?


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## OH23 (Sep 19, 2008)

So, i took one of the 2 i caught earlier today and put it in a vial to take to the vet tomorrow, so he can put it under the microscope and maybe tell me exactly what it is.

i came back 10 mins ago and the sucker is dead. i've read that ticks are very hardy and can survive very harsh conditions. in the viv these guys are to be found near the edges of the water feature ( so i guess they need a wet environment which they dont have i the vial ).

what do you say ?


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## BrianC (Jul 18, 2009)

counting legs isn't too helpful - some families of ticks have 6-legged nymphal stages.

I've had ticks desiccate and die in vials in a matter of hours, while others have lived in there for months - so that won't be much help either.

I don't even have a good guess on the order based on the photos. Maybe the vet can help, or if there's an entomology extension office at a nearby university - putting the specimens in the vial with 70% ethanol will help keep them IDable


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## OH23 (Sep 19, 2008)

I took 2 of them to the vet today, but unfortunately, the vet caought the flu ( a regular one  ) and will be back on friday. i'll be back on friday and hopefully i'll have my answer.
i'll keep you updated.

thanks for all the members who tried to help.


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## OH23 (Sep 19, 2008)

Ok,
So i got back from the vet today with an answer and some really good closeup pics ( from the microscope ).
After taking 2 live little buggers to the vet today and putting them under the microscope, the vet identified them as some kind of Soil/Detritivore mites. Here are some pics of them.
I'd like to see if anyone can identify the exact kind of this mite ( common name and scientific ).

p.s. this is one UGLY bug


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## BrianC (Jul 18, 2009)

nice images. One of the 'real entomologists' in my department does some stuff with mites, if I see him I'll show him and see if he has any insight. Unless there's something really distinct about the species, probably nobody will be able to ID it without having a specimen in front of them.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Welcome to BugGuide.Net! - BugGuide.Net

Ask What’s That Bug? | What's That Bug?


2 Awesome ID Bug forums.....


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## OH23 (Sep 19, 2008)

Thank you Brian and Phil,
I'll keep you updated.
Brian, i'm looking forward for your roommate's opnion, so keep me posted.


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## zerelli (Sep 14, 2009)

So, the conclusion so far is that they might maybe be mites?

Sorry could not resist the bad punnage


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## ramseyedison (Nov 19, 2009)

Ticks... definitely.


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## OH23 (Sep 19, 2008)

thank you for your reply ramseyedison,
May i ask how you came to a definite conclusion its a tick?
since i want to know if my vet gave me a wrong diagnosis.

Thanks


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