Moving bubble clusters in the water

Crabby Abby · Post by **Crabby Abby** » Sun Nov 21, 2010 1:09 pm

I noticed what looked like clusters of bubbles in my fresh water dish today. On closer examination I realized they are some kind of larvae moving about in small clusters of 4-5 or so. They are colorless dots, and the clusters themselves are barely the size of a pinhead and difficult to see even with a magnifying glass.I dumped and washed the dish, refreshed the water and returned and within a 1/2 hour, so did they. Another wash and refill and they're back again. I dropped 2 pinches of salt into the fresh water in an attempt to kill them but while it momentarily stops or stuns them, they resume activity within a minute.It doesn't appear there's any in the substrate but it's 1/2 sand, 1/2 EE that the crabs have mixed around the dishes so it's hard to see.I don't see anything in the parasite thread that I think they could be. I'm going to do a substrate change but curious as to what they are. Any idea?

Crabby Abby · Post by **Crabby Abby** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 1:20 am

Boy, that was a chore. Hard to get the right lighting to film such a small cluster in a multicolored dish. Each angle threw shadows over it.You can see it in the middle top half of the pic and more along the upper edge of the photo. Center, just above the shadow. Here's a video clip. You can just make out the shape changing of the bubble cluster. Sorry so shaky, I had to film through a magnifying glass because zooming blurred the image and with two hands occupied and leaning on the tank I had no way to steady myself.http://s32.photobucket.com/alb...current=MVI_6807.mp4

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 10:49 am

I think that I've had those in my tank too. I think they're some kind of larve. oh yeah fruit fly larve at least that's what was in mine. hope i help!

Crabby Abby · Post by **Crabby Abby** » Fri Nov 26, 2010 12:58 pm

I dumped the dishes and washed them in hot water each time I saw them, and noticed less and less until now, nothing. Haven't seen them in the food or sub.

eyohkay · Post by **eyohkay** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 11:49 am

The mites come and go in my water dishes. I'll find three or four large clumps of them floating and writhing in the fresh water, and then won't see them again for a few weeks. Weird little things. I guess they keep things pretty clean in there, though.

Crabby Abby · Post by **Crabby Abby** » Mon Nov 29, 2010 9:35 am

Mites. *shudders* No risk to my crabs?

Jedediah · Post by **Jedediah** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 5:54 pm

If they are mites (and I'm still only guessing), then they are probably food mites. Those are harmless unless they breed too much and overrun the tank, but usually that doesn't happen and you can get rid of them by changing the food and water bowls and maybe the top layer of the substrate if you find them there.

Homer&Dude · Post by **Homer&Dude** » Sun Dec 05, 2010 2:28 am

I get them too, they are the food mites. Completely harmless to our crabs.