Have tiny white dot size mites? Everywhere

Questions about unexpected problems.
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appps
Zoea III
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Have tiny white dot size mites? Everywhere

Post by appps »

In Aus so solutions and solutions need to be available over here too.

Ideas? I'd empty the whole tank and start again but I have 1 crab up and 5 below. What do I do? It's an infestation.

Just as an aside they have access to a deep salt water pond 24/7.

Help!
Annette
Carer of 5 Australian Land Hermit Crabs
Fili & Voldemort since 12/07/2011
Turbo since 29/09/2011
Frederickson & Kai 12/02/2012
and our new addition Stripey Ninja 25/10/2014

Our Crab tank setup & Journal -http://crabbycreatures.wordpress.com
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appps
Zoea III
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Re: Have tiny white dot size mites? Everywhere

Post by appps »

Actually looking again they aren't white they are more grey and remind me of pin head size lice.
Annette
Carer of 5 Australian Land Hermit Crabs
Fili & Voldemort since 12/07/2011
Turbo since 29/09/2011
Frederickson & Kai 12/02/2012
and our new addition Stripey Ninja 25/10/2014

Our Crab tank setup & Journal -http://crabbycreatures.wordpress.com
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appps
Zoea III
Zoea III
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Re: Have tiny white dot size mites? Everywhere

Post by appps »

Okay answering myself here lol

But googled and found reference to a site called biological services here in Aus on a snake forum that does the predatory mites. Have emailed them so shall see what they say price wise.

I've just found another crab by spotlighting after dark :-) so now have two in the ISP tank. No sign of the others.

Will these mites be able to attack them below ground or are they safe as long as they didn't have them on them when they went down?
Annette
Carer of 5 Australian Land Hermit Crabs
Fili & Voldemort since 12/07/2011
Turbo since 29/09/2011
Frederickson & Kai 12/02/2012
and our new addition Stripey Ninja 25/10/2014

Our Crab tank setup & Journal -http://crabbycreatures.wordpress.com
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ladybug15057
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Re: Have tiny white dot size mites? Everywhere

Post by ladybug15057 »

Sorry to ask a question to your questions, but have you seen any on your hermies or where are the mites mainly located? Do you feed any grain type foods, and do you grind them up first? If you use sand, did you bake it prior to using it or was the bag without any forms of holes?
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appps
Zoea III
Zoea III
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Re: Have tiny white dot size mites? Everywhere

Post by appps »

ladybug15057
Re: Have tiny white dot size mites? Everywhere
14 Oct 2012, 02:00 am
Sorry to ask a question to your questions, but have you seen any on your hermies or where are the mites mainly located? Actually no, they were in the feed dish and all over the spare shells and sand.

Do you feed any grain type foods, and do you grind them up first? I give a mix that includes some birdseed. I don't grind it up.

If you use sand, did you bake it prior to using it or was the bag without any forms of holes?
I do use sand but its from the beach. It was put in there about 6 months ago. I've not been able to refresh it because they never seem to all come up at the same time.

I've taken the two I could find out and put them in an ISO tank. Figure if nothing else I can get them all eventually and do a long overdue deep clean.
Annette
Carer of 5 Australian Land Hermit Crabs
Fili & Voldemort since 12/07/2011
Turbo since 29/09/2011
Frederickson & Kai 12/02/2012
and our new addition Stripey Ninja 25/10/2014

Our Crab tank setup & Journal -http://crabbycreatures.wordpress.com
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ladybug15057
Coenobita
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Re: Have tiny white dot size mites? Everywhere

Post by ladybug15057 »

Thank you for answering my questions. A couple possibilities:

Being they were mainly in the food dish, they could be grain mites. When using grains there is always a chance we are putting larvae within our tank and with the warmth and humidity they hatch. (I grind ALL grains up in the blender in hopes of preventing this and so far so good)

If the sand wasn't baked first, there is also the chance that they maybe sand mites.

Or sometimes one can also get book lice. Since they are not on the hermies, chances are they are not harmful to them but could be stressful to them. (and icky to us)
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appps
Zoea III
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Re: Have tiny white dot size mites? Everywhere

Post by appps »

Thanks. I had a good look and I don't think they are on the crabs. Just the sand and I suspect a piece of driftwood because its looking a bit worn down in areas which I'm wondering if is from the mites.

Good news however is that as they have emerged I've put each crab in my iso tank and the last one came up today. So now I can pull the whole lot out and give it a deep clean.

I think I'll chuck the driftwood.

Not sure about the sand. It is actually illegal to take so I'd like to reuse if possible. I was thinking I'd bake it. How does that clean it though? Figure it's got crab poop all over it, just remove the top layer maybe?
Annette
Carer of 5 Australian Land Hermit Crabs
Fili & Voldemort since 12/07/2011
Turbo since 29/09/2011
Frederickson & Kai 12/02/2012
and our new addition Stripey Ninja 25/10/2014

Our Crab tank setup & Journal -http://crabbycreatures.wordpress.com
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ladybug15057
Coenobita
Coenobita
Posts: 3098
Joined: 03 Mar 2008, 04:12
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 82
Total gallons: 305
Total tanks: 7
Location: Southwestern Pa., U.S.

Re: Have tiny white dot size mites? Everywhere

Post by ladybug15057 »

Got a bucket and a hose? Can you take it outside, fill the bucket about 1/2 full of sand and then use a hose to fill the bucket the rest of the way with water and let it run until the water is clear?
http://crabbywiki.com/tiki-index.php?page=Washing+Sand

Then you can bake it for reuse.
Marie (aka ladybug15057)

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appps
Zoea III
Zoea III
Posts: 292
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Re: Have tiny white dot size mites? Everywhere

Post by appps »

I've done that with fish tank gravel. Just figured it would be too fine to do much good so didn't think of that.
Thanks will check out the link.
Annette
Carer of 5 Australian Land Hermit Crabs
Fili & Voldemort since 12/07/2011
Turbo since 29/09/2011
Frederickson & Kai 12/02/2012
and our new addition Stripey Ninja 25/10/2014

Our Crab tank setup & Journal -http://crabbycreatures.wordpress.com
User avatar
ladybug15057
Coenobita
Coenobita
Posts: 3098
Joined: 03 Mar 2008, 04:12
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 82
Total gallons: 305
Total tanks: 7
Location: Southwestern Pa., U.S.

Re: Have tiny white dot size mites? Everywhere

Post by ladybug15057 »

We've washed sand many, many times. (especially my daughter, I bet she has the oldest reused CaribSea sand there is!) :D
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