Guide to bugs in the crabitat 1.2

[patchouliii]

They used to be called H.Miles but they have a new name too, I just can't recall off the top of my head. They also don't work in one shot if they don't live long enough or you have an infected molter down during it, so I'm doing 2 consecutive cycles of it this time.

Thanks Kuza

http://greenmethods.com/site/weblog/201 ... hypoaspis/

[kuza]

another thing to note about mites is the females and males look nothing alike. My h.miles females are tan huge and have these legs they swirl around like feelers but the males are super tiny and really white. They said we wouldn't even notice the males because they are so small but they climb all over the rim of my tank so I get to watch them both with my magnifying glass before I open the lid and blow them back in.

So I suspect sometime when we see different mites they may just be a difference sex.

[Careyenz]

Kuza, do the h. Mites stay in the tank? I'd like to order some, but I don't want them all over. How much of your original population is left ?

[kuza]

they do escape from the tank for sure, but I'm used to them now. Every few hours I go and blow all the ones on the rim back into the tank, lol. A half liter seems to last 3-5 weeks until I can no longer see them in the soil or mosh pits. They won't live very long outside the tank so the ones that escape die quickly.

[patchouliii]

they do escape from the tank for sure, but I'm used to them now. Every few hours I go and blow all the ones on the rim back into the tank, lol. A half liter seems to last 3-5 weeks until I can no longer see them in the soil or mosh pits. They won't live very long outside the tank so the ones that escape die quickly.

This is creepy :covereyes: . I'm so scared about my order from LHC.

[kuza]

bah, you get used to them. I know they won't last long anyway. In fact I'd like it if some would escape, clean up my house from spider and dust mites and then come back to the tank for any mite covered surface molters. But that's wishful thinking

[sandra03]

so since the mites we saw in our tank were in in the food and on the log and rocks etc and none were spotted on the crab itself, does this mean I probably had the harmless variety? I cleaned everything out anyway, I don't want them all over the car when we move haha

[kuza]

If you don't see them on the crabs then they are most likely harmless. You will see bad mites leave thew crab shell but it'll be fairly local to the crab area. I've seen them run off the crab onto a leaf then quickly back to the crab. I think they are looking to migrate to other crabs if possible. But you'll really want to check the crabs themselves because if you have a real mite outbreak they will be all over the crab and the shell opening. Sometimes it'll take 5-10 min before the mites start wandering around but eventually you will see them. During the day it's easier to see the mites as they run from leg joint to leg joint but sometimes those are tough to see, they are so tiny.

The best time to look is at night with a flashlight, find a crab near the class and shine the light just under their belly area on the shell opening and around the rim. then check the top and sides of the crab. If you have bad mites you will see them moving around that area the easiest.

[sandra03]

OK thanks I will have a look! I have been keeping a close eye on him and haven't seen any on him at all yet, they've just been in the food and on his log and rocks mostly. we also had a couple small spiders make homes in the tank lol. i live in the country, bugs are inevitable. hopefully they were the harmless sort but either way I think it's under control

[fluffy]

I have these really tiny black bugs in the tank, they look like tiny beetles and don't fly. I think they prefer to eat wood and leaves but I have found them in the fresh food dish chewing on the fruit. Oh for a size reference they are the same size as a small black ant but a little thinner. The only way to get them out is to change the sand because thats where they hide out when I rearrange the tank (not very often that I rearrange it) Any idea what they are? They don't bother the hermit crabs, but they bother me because If I don't put the food on the second floor, the bugs get the fruit.

[brittperry89]

Nematodes-I have them on the second level in the coco fiber...they came with the organic worm casting I got. Are they good to have in the tank to help break stuff down or should I clean clean clean?