Food mites!

For the discussion of any creepy crawlies that may have taken up residence in your tank, including mites. Please note that isopods have their own forum.
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Giner13
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Food mites!

Post by Giner13 » Tue Jan 24, 2017 9:02 am

I am having to change out my food more often lately. Humidity & temp are both staying around 80. But one of the foods from HCP is molding quicker, it's the HCP basic diet. Was one of Peanut's favorite, until I noticed that when it molds little teeny mites are taking over it. And by teeny I mean TEENY!! And that's the only place they can be found.
Peanut has dug down so I can't check him...he dug down about 4 days ago. Hoping they are just harmless food mites, but they are a nuisance!! Thinking that's what was bugging *no pun intended haha* Peanut into digging under.
I'm going to Petco today to get the new tank & supplies to do their new setup. Should I try digging for Peanut to check him, or leave him be?


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Topic author
Giner13
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Re: Food mites!

Post by Giner13 » Tue Jan 24, 2017 9:07 am

Edit* I am afraid to do too deep a clean as Jack still hasn't surfaced & I don't want to bother him!


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mool
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Re: Food mites!

Post by mool » Tue Jan 24, 2017 11:23 am

Leave your crabs alone. Food mites are not harmful or bothersome to the crabs.


Topic author
Giner13
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Re: Food mites!

Post by Giner13 » Tue Jan 24, 2017 11:29 am

mool wrote:Leave your crabs alone. Food mites are not harmful or bothersome to the crabs.
Just annoying right? lolImageImage


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CrabbyCakes
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Re: Food mites!

Post by CrabbyCakes » Tue Jan 24, 2017 11:35 am

You should put some isopods in your tank.
“There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot.” ― Aldo Leopold


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Giner13
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Re: Food mites!

Post by Giner13 » Tue Jan 24, 2017 11:42 am

CrabbyCakes wrote:You should put some isopods in your tank.
How would I go about getting some??


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GotButterflies
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Re: Food mites!

Post by GotButterflies » Tue Jan 24, 2017 12:43 pm

CrabbyCakes wrote:You should put some isopods in your tank.
I would like to state that Isopods are not going to kill the food mites. They simply will just compete for food. Food mites are harmless, and will not bother the hermits. I have them in my tank, not very many because I have isopods, and I do change my food daily. Nothing to worry about.
Truly blessed to have incredible creatures, wonderful friends and my amazing family in my life!! I'm very thankful & grateful for all of them! www.thehealthyhermit.com


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Giner13
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Re: Food mites!

Post by Giner13 » Tue Jan 24, 2017 12:50 pm

GotButterflies wrote:
CrabbyCakes wrote:You should put some isopods in your tank.
I would like to state that Isopods are not going to kill the food mites. They simply will just compete for food. Food mites are harmless, and will not bother the hermits. I have them in my tank, not very many because I have isopods, and I do change my food daily. Nothing to worry about.
Thanks!!

Also, I was wondering how do I go about installing a hamster wheel that has metal on it?? Are there any that aren't metal or have metal components??


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GotButterflies
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Re: Food mites!

Post by GotButterflies » Tue Jan 24, 2017 1:08 pm

Mine have metal on them. That is the only metal in my tank...lol! The metal is coated, and the hermits cannot access it. I hang the wheels upside down by using command strip hooks :)
Truly blessed to have incredible creatures, wonderful friends and my amazing family in my life!! I'm very thankful & grateful for all of them! www.thehealthyhermit.com


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Giner13
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Re: Food mites!

Post by Giner13 » Tue Jan 24, 2017 1:44 pm

GotButterflies wrote:Mine have metal on them. That is the only metal in my tank...lol! The metal is coated, and the hermits cannot access it. I hang the wheels upside down by using command strip hooks :)
Cool beans!! Makes sense now lol all I saw at petco had metal components, but they are coated. Image


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Kermie16
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Re: Food mites!

Post by Kermie16 » Tue Jan 24, 2017 9:36 pm

I second leaving the buried hermies alone . The few times I had food mites, I didn't do a deep clean. I just scraped the surface of the sub clean and dumped it. Then all wood structures were dunked
In MSW and baked to dry. And I boiled all shells in shell shop since I found some in there before. Seemed to get rid of them quickly. But as stated
Above, food notes are only a nuisance to us and not the crabs The isopods in general have been a great addition to our tat. We got ours from Stacey at Isopod Connections.


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Giner13
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Re: Food mites!

Post by Giner13 » Tue Jan 24, 2017 9:53 pm

Thanks guys!!!


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