Red mites on new crab

cHorse · Post by **cHorse** » Wed Jun 03, 2015 5:43 am

I just got 3 new crabs, C. rugosus, and on one of them i found 2 big and red mites. I've bathed him and all, but they wont let go!
I've looked at the mite thread, but I don't think they are very similiar to any of the mites there. I don't think I'll be able to take any photos of them until they come off.
Any ideas on what the mites may be? I really would like to know if they're bad or not. They are about 1 mm in length, and easy to see. And both of them are on the gills, but they move around a bit so they're not "stuck".

cHorse · Post by **cHorse** » Wed Jun 03, 2015 6:03 am

I got one off! This is what they look like.
And now it's itching everywhere.. Eww

CallaLily · Post by **CallaLily** » Wed Jun 03, 2015 8:17 am

If they're on the crabs, especially if they don't come off easily, I would assume they're bad mites. The mite thread you mentioned talks about ways you can deal with them. I don't have any experience with the bad ones but I'm sure others will come along shortly to tell you what worked for them. Good luck!

cHorse · Post by **cHorse** » Wed Jun 03, 2015 12:53 pm

Yeah, I was afraid of that... They look a bit like one of the good mites, but I guess they wouldn't stick to the crab like these does.
Thank you!

cHorse · Post by **cHorse** » Wed Jun 03, 2015 12:55 pm

I've given him a bath, but none of the mites would come off. Now he's in a "sterile" iso, and one mite has come off in the freshwater bowl. I hope more will follow!

StarWarsHermitCrab · Post by **StarWarsHermitCrab** » Wed Jun 03, 2015 4:17 pm

Maybe a spider mite?

cHorse · Post by **cHorse** » Thu Jun 04, 2015 4:19 am

StarWarsHermitCrab wrote:Maybe a spider mite?

It doesn't look like spider mite.
The young mites (I guess) are white-beige in color.

I feel so sorry for the poor crab! He's so bored in his ISO tank, and is spending most of his time trying to escape :/

mjjluver · Post by **mjjluver** » Wed Aug 16, 2017 8:13 pm

Are spider mites bad? I have an indoor plant with spider mites and I'm afraid it will spread

Post by **wodesorel** » Thu Aug 17, 2017 12:28 am

Spider mites will not eat hermit crabs, they only eat plants.

mjjluver · Post by **mjjluver** » Thu Aug 17, 2017 12:51 am

that's a relief. thank you. I have basil indoors I was thinking of feeding them

HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Red mites on new crab

Red mites on new crab

Re: Red mites on new crab

Re: Red mites on new crab

Re: Red mites on new crab

Re: Red mites on new crab

Re: Red mites on new crab

Re: Red mites on new crab

Re: Red mites on new crab

Re: Red mites on new crab

Re: Red mites on new crab