Are these food mites or something worse?

[mermaids_chorus]

I checked the mite forum and these look like the food mites, but I want to be sure. I saw them the other night and panicked. I am very concerned because they showed up shortly after I got new crabs (sadly a couple of the micros succumbed to PPS ). Also, will mites bug a molting crab? I have one down molting and the mites seem to have spread to that area in my tank.

It's hard to tell in the pictures, but the mites are white (sort of clear) and plump. They are also floating in a clean bottle cap I put in which caught some. Not sure if that info helps very much but I thought I would add it in.







Also, kind of an off topic thing here but does anyone know if singing bugs new crabs or molting crabs? I try to keep my room quiet but sometimes I sing in there and I want to make sure the vibrations aren't bugging the crabs. Kind of a weird question haha but I am curious . Thanks for all the help!!

[wodesorel]

If you're seeing them on food and organic items in the tank, for sure they are food/grain/wood mites. Crab mites will be found in large groups only on the crabs themselves. They might crawl across a crab in search of food once in a while if the crab happens to be in their way, but otherwise will not bother a crab in anyway, not even when molting. They will eat an already dead crab though. Their numbers tend to explode suddenly and they'll disappear again just as quickly.

[mermaids_chorus]

Thank you so much for your reply!! I did find some more on the chicken and eggshell just a few moments ago. So you would assume they are food mites then? Would crab mites go on food at all or only stay on crabs( too my understanding, they only go on crabs)?

[wodesorel]

Crab mites eat only crabs. (Well, suck crab blood.) You might find them wandering in search of a new host, but they won't be eating other things.

[mermaids_chorus]

Thanks again for your help I can relax a little now.