Habitat question
Habitat question
What kind of predatory bug can I safely put in my crabitat that will eat/decrease the population of food mites? I understand that food mites typically thrive in all crabitats but, I have an excessive amount and the entire walls on all sides of the tank are covered in them and it seems to be getting worse every day
6PPs:Flower Phonix thunder childHoneyTiny TimMelonmiso
Re: Habitat question
Isopods aka rollie pollies... They'll help to eat any leftover foods therefore leaving little to nothing left for the food mites to eat. Doesn't completely get rid of the mites just helps since they'll be competing for food. Food mites are harmless and totally normal in an established tank.
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Crabbing since Dec. 2010!
35 Crabbies - 28 PP's, 2 E's, 2 Straw's, 1 Viola, & 2 Indo's
35 Crabbies - 28 PP's, 2 E's, 2 Straw's, 1 Viola, & 2 Indo's
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Re: Habitat question
Predatory mites will usually take out food mites, and then die off when they run out of things to eat. I can't remember what their new name is but they used to be called H. miles
Springtails also act as a cleanup crew and will compete with mites for food.
Food mites will go through periods of extreme population explosions. Being careful with offering food and cleaning organic items out of the tank will help get them back under control. Mine always went nuts and the population got crazy when I would feed bananas for some reason.
And as always keep in mind that they are something that is present in our houses so it is nearly impossible to get rid of them all, but you should certainly be able to get them back to where you aren't seeing them!
Springtails also act as a cleanup crew and will compete with mites for food.
Food mites will go through periods of extreme population explosions. Being careful with offering food and cleaning organic items out of the tank will help get them back under control. Mine always went nuts and the population got crazy when I would feed bananas for some reason.
And as always keep in mind that they are something that is present in our houses so it is nearly impossible to get rid of them all, but you should certainly be able to get them back to where you aren't seeing them!
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Re: Habitat question
I dont know of any bugs but when i had an explosion of food mites [i calk it an explosion because it went from none visible to my tank top over run in a day.]. I wiped the tank down with ACV [apple cider vinegar] outside and in every day. I also misted all food and food dishes with SW daily. After a month i saw none. Then three months later i saw very few and did the same things for less than two weeks and have been mite free since. I also cleaned out anything the mites msy have been on but all my sub before daily "treatments". Hope that helps you!
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Re: Habitat question
Love these answers thanks for all the help! 

6PPs:Flower Phonix thunder childHoneyTiny TimMelonmiso