# Mites in an aquarium



## ziggy_909

anyone ever had mites above the water line in their aquarium,
 if so how do i get rid of them... 
better still how do i stop them coming back....

only info i have found is to wipe them of....not very informative


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## aaronnorth

yes i had some, they also jump across the water surface, good snack for the fish though. they could be springtails

http://lancaster.unl.edu/enviro/pest/Ne ... gtails.htm


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## LondonDragon

I have noticed some in my tank too, I just been ignoring them lol noticed some in the shrimp tank too!


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## Ed Seeley

They're most likely to be springtails which feed on organic material in and on the surface film.  Best way to get rid of them is to increase surface disturbance which will disturb them and remove their food source.


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## LondonDragon

I just purchased a replacement pump for my Juwel internal, old one didn't have much flow now, and went for the 1000 lph model (old one was 600lph) so that should clear this in no time


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## GreenNeedle

I did have some mite like creatures crawling on the glass of the aquarium.  They could swim also.  Werent that many and probs smaller than a pinhead.  They seem to have gone since I put the fish in though.

AC


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## Mr Bee

A while ago, I had a problem (well, not really a 'problem' as they seemed harmless) with these tiny little creatures which were in my gravel and crawling up the glass.  I had loads of them all over the tank, very, very small, could only just make them out, a kind of golden/beige colour and would run around when you scooped them out in a jug or cup.

I had no idea what they were, and posted pictures & videos on the TFF forums, but still no-one could say what they were.  Eventually, I took a sample of them to an LFS and they said they looked like mites, and that it was likely due to me overfeeding.

This is probably cos I had only just got my little neon's after previously having a huge goldfish, so wasn't used to just how little food they needed compared to a goldfish.  Anyway, they advised I cut back on feeding for a while, even not feeding anything for the next 4 or 5 days.  They eventually seemed to die off, though I do see 2 or 3 in the bucket when I vac the gravel.

Will my cherries and/or MTS population eat these creatures?

And I'd also like to ask for reference, how can I get more surface agitation, is it just a case of moving my filter (Fluval 2+ internal) nearer the water surface?  I have an airstone bubbling away too.


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## GreenNeedle

On the mite front it was probably the Neons that ate the mites as in my tank the Rasboras probably did.

If you want more surface agitation then just move the internal upward.  P@H do a spraybar for a fiver that fits Fluval internals and then you could get even better circulation.  Unlike other people I think the Fluval internals are quite good.  Not so much if you dont want a filter in the tank but is what I had with no problems pre cannister filters.

AC


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## joyous214

I had this when i first got my tank, i put a bug plug on top of the tank and they were soon gone with in a week. Also increased the flow seemed to get rid of them they can get really annoying.


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## Egmel

joyous214 said:
			
		

> i put a bug plug on top of the tank and they were soon gone with in a week.


You need to read the instructions carefully on these, a lot of insect killers are harmful to aquatic life also.


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## joyous214

Egmel said:
			
		

> joyous214 said:
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> i put a bug plug on top of the tank and they were soon gone with in a week.
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> You need to read the instructions carefully on these, a lot of insect killers are harmful to aquatic life also.
Click to expand...


its was from lfs. they used them with no problems. Its white with some sponge stuff inside. Sent yummy to buggies without having problems on fish life.


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## Egmel

joyous214 said:
			
		

> Egmel said:
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> joyous214 said:
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> i put a bug plug on top of the tank and they were soon gone with in a week.
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> You need to read the instructions carefully on these, a lot of insect killers are harmful to aquatic life also.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> its was from lfs. they used them with no problems. Its white with some sponge stuff inside. Sent yummy to buggies without having problems on fish life.
Click to expand...

Cool, I didn't realise they made aquarium ones, thankfully I don't need one at the moment *touches wood*


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## joyous214

Ive never before had one got a new fluvel (think thats it) tank a year ago and it has some holes in the back and thats where the buggies get in. Always had a fitted lid normally. Ive only ever found one or two filters bug killers p@h did one for a while doesnt anymore.


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## zed

SuperColey1 said:
			
		

> I did have some mite like creatures crawling on the glass of the aquarium.  They could swim also.  Werent that many and probs smaller than a pinhead.  They seem to have gone since I put the fish in though.
> 
> AC



Rather than create a new thread I thought I'd latch onto this old one.

My tank has been set up for around 3 weeks. It's planted and the only live-stock are 4 Nerite snails added a few days ago. Yesterday, I noticed some tiny mite-type things crawling on the glass, and one swimming to my bogwood. 

As long as they don't start crawling out of the tank, I don't see them as much of a problem. However, I don't intend to put any fish into the tank until the end of March  as I'll be away for 4 weeks until then, and I'm a little concerned the tank will be over-run with these tiny things by then. Should I be worried?


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## Egmel

I shouldn't worry about them too much, your fish will probably eat them when you put them in 

Have a quick google and see if you can find out what type you've got, (a good start is whether they have legs or are like little white worms etc)


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## Ed Seeley

As Egmel says they won't be a problem.  As soon as your fish are in there they will probably polish them off in no time at all.  They may be Ostracods, or seed shrimp, or cyclops (among many other things).  They have eggs that can survive drying out in substrate or on wood and then hatch and grow quickly.


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## zed

I guess I'll leave them to it then. They really are tiny little things. In order to see them I need to focus on the glass quite hard, otherwise I can't see them (if have good/normal vision). I just hope I don't have then crawling over my arm when I'm pruning/cleaning the tank   

Thanks guys


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