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Post by sonicsnail on Mar 11, 2006 11:58:49 GMT
Recently, I have been getting these strange almost microscopic things in my fulica tank. Firstly, this is how I discovered them. When the heat goes on, condensation builds up on the inside of the tank.
One day I noticed these very tiny, but long trails on the side of the glass. These can be seen as they show up against the condensation. As if these things are making trails through the condensation.
At first, there seemed to be nothing there. However, with a much closer look I could see little white dots. They are about the size of a spec of dust, extremely small, almost microscopic. These dots move very, very slowly and can only be seen under a strong magnifying glass. Even then, with magnification, I can't make out legs or anything, they are just moving dots. These things obviously make the trails in the condensation. When they move they are contained within a small blob on water, thus, making the trails on the glass slightly bigger than them.
I have no idea what they are, they are so small. Whatever they are, they are alive for dots don't move and make trails. I first thought they could be mites, but I can't see any legs. Has anyone else seen these trails on the glass and seen anything like this before? I am not sure if they are harmful to the snails. I have poured boiling water over everything and still every time after I clean the tanks out, they still come back. Help, anyone!
Thanks,
Sonic
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Post by sezzy5889 on Mar 11, 2006 13:10:10 GMT
they are mites and exactly what i get, they will only go were it's wet or in snail slime, they get on the snails, on the food and on their poo, very annoying I have tried everything to get rid of them but nothing works, not i just resort to cleaning out regularly as soon as they begin to appear again which is usually about 4 or 5 days after cleaning out, if left too long the snails get irrtated and begin to retract and thye effect the babies badly! Do you get little black flies? i have a theory that because sometimes i'll leave a cucumber or something on the side, i think the flies lay eggs on the food and then when i put the food in the tank they hatch out with the heat and begin to reproduce, i'm telling you if left only for a couple of days you end up with millions up on millions, i've tried boiling water etc but nothing works, i am now trying putting any food away straight after use ad will report my findings ater on. You will find them in different sizes from microscopic as you describe to little fat round things about a millimetre in diameter.
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Post by sonicsnail on Mar 11, 2006 15:33:29 GMT
I used to get flies, but I don't anymore. Yes, they have been found in different sizes, but the ones now are microscopic. Even when they are 1mm diameter...I can't see any legs, just a flat white moving dot. Do you get the trials they make through condensation and can you see legs even when they are a little bit bigger, about the 1mm size?
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Post by sezzy5889 on Mar 11, 2006 15:36:47 GMT
Yes i get the trails, it starts of 1 or 2 then each day they triple, it's annoying, I don't see legs, you probably wouldn't without a microscope but i'm pretty sure they do have legs, ahve you seen them on your snails yet or on a dry surface, you can see legs then i think?
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Post by sonicsnail on Mar 11, 2006 15:40:34 GMT
Nope, only on the side of the tank, when it is wet. Like I said they seem to be contained within a small blob of water that move with the mite, creating the trails.
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Post by sonicsnail on Mar 11, 2006 15:45:13 GMT
Oh and also, it has been two weeks since I last cleaned them out. My snails don't need to be cleaned out that often, only about every 3 - 4 weeks. However, If these don't harm the snails then I can't see why I should change my cleaning out times lol. Saying that, Stripe (my oldest fulica) was put into the large tank with the smaller fulica about a 2 months ago. Since then he is always slightly retracted. He never used to do this in his old home, where I don't think there were mites. So could it be the mites that is causing this? Then again I would expect to find all my snails in there doing the same, which they are not, it is only Stripe who retracts.
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Post by sonicsnail on Mar 11, 2006 15:49:34 GMT
Lol, also to this, what substrate do you use Sarah? It's just that when I used to use Irish Moss Peat I never got these little mite things. However, I asked the garden centre staff and they said that this type of peat has chemicals added. So I stopped using it and went to moss. So, possibly because the peat was sterilised, that there were no mites found there. Should I go back to using that peat, even though it could have chemicals in it? I used it for about 3 months and had no problems, but I thought I better change before something happens.
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Post by sezzy5889 on Mar 11, 2006 15:49:51 GMT
Is stripe one of the smaller snails in there, it tends to effect the smaller snails more, i mean the margies and tiger don't seem to get effected as much as fulica, my fulica get very uncomfortable with them on a large scale.
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Post by Paul on Mar 11, 2006 15:50:11 GMT
I'm pretty certain they are not mites. They are the microscopic worms I've mentioned before.
I have cleaned everything out, bathed the snails and they come back. If you leave food in the tank for more than a few hours they will multiply at an astonishing rate. And I'm pretty certain that if you got a really good magnifying glass you would find a few swimming on your snails. That's why you can't get shut of them once and for all. I've been trying for a while now.
I even bought predatory mites, because I've seen pictures of them eating nematodes but it hasn't really helped at all.
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Post by Paul on Mar 11, 2006 15:52:35 GMT
They climb and move about the glass when there is condensation, leaving trails. They also, glue little dots (eggs) to the glass. Increasing ventilation stops this, but you will find them multiplying on food. Food left in a tank for 24 hours will start to shimmer (that's how you can see you have them if you don't have a magnifying glass - they are small even at 20x).
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Post by sonicsnail on Mar 11, 2006 15:53:01 GMT
Can worms be round then? So are these things nematodes? Sarah, stripe is very big, the younger and smaller ones don't seem to be affected. Btw. any comments about the peat?
Thanks,
Sonic
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Post by Paul on Mar 11, 2006 15:58:00 GMT
worms can't be round, but they may appear like dots because they are so microscopic. If you can afford it get one of these: cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8910334743Mine cost £4 including postage, it'll let you properly inspect your snails' bodies, with the extra benefit of helping you make identification decisions, you'll be able to see the shell texture properly. I don't think peat will make any difference to be honest.
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Post by sonicsnail on Mar 11, 2006 16:00:16 GMT
Oh, yes they could be useful, only £4 ...not bad eh? I think peat could make the difference... I got none in there before when I used peat. Maybe because I used slightly dryer conditions....
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Post by sezzy5889 on Mar 11, 2006 16:01:24 GMT
they aren't worms
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Post by sonicsnail on Mar 11, 2006 16:02:18 GMT
Saying that, I have seen worms that make the same trails, so they could be younger worms?
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Post by Paul on Mar 11, 2006 16:03:03 GMT
I am now removing food shortly after it has been in. I'm also feeding twice a day to compensate so they get enough chance to eat.
The worms multiply on food at a shocking rate. Too many seems to affect the snails, well they won't touch the food for one, but they seem irritated by them. I'm still waiting to take a sample in to the pest control people, I've just not had time because I'm not working from home at the moment.
I want to establish they are not harmful nematodes. The fact that they eat food is a good sign, but I'm not convinced there aren't 2 types. They could be the missing factor in the retraction problem. If anyone has a retracted snail, get one of those magnifying glasses to eliminate the possibility.
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Post by Paul on Mar 11, 2006 16:04:36 GMT
Saying that, I have seen worms that make the same trails, so they could be younger worms? I think so, and if the dots don't move they are eggs. These worms seem to glue eggs to the sides of the tank. They look like tiny drops of water.
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Post by sezzy5889 on Mar 11, 2006 16:05:05 GMT
no one said they eat the food...
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Post by sonicsnail on Mar 11, 2006 16:05:09 GMT
Oh, well that could explain it then. I change the food every other day, so it is in there for 2 days.
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Post by sonicsnail on Mar 11, 2006 16:07:55 GMT
It would be interesting to find out what they are.... For the safety of the snails.
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Post by Paul on Mar 11, 2006 16:26:44 GMT
no one said they eat the food... Well, we're not sure we're even talking about the same thing but... Sonicsnails description sounds like what I have experienced and I've viewed them at 20x and mine are worms. They leave trails. Mites don't leave trails and they're not good at scaling glass. The fact that they appear more during condensation and do leave trails certainly suggests worms. I'm not saying they're worms in your case but I would certainly check with a mag' glass to rule them out because mites doesn't sound plausible to me. Also you'll not get as many if you take the food out early, and as sonicsnail has just said, he'd been leaving the food in for 2 days. I did this for a while, because a few on my snails much prefer old food and tend to turn their noses up to fresh. Now they don't have that luxury, unless I let the food spoil outside of the tank before introducing it.
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Post by sonicsnail on Mar 12, 2006 14:12:47 GMT
Would they still appear as much if I used capillary matting?
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Post by sezzy5889 on Mar 12, 2006 14:21:49 GMT
thats were mine are, my snails are on capillary matting and they are still a big problem
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Post by sonicsnail on Mar 12, 2006 18:27:28 GMT
thats were mine are, my snails are on capillary matting and they are still a big problem That's annoying.... So there's no solution?
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Post by sezzy5889 on Mar 12, 2006 22:03:50 GMT
not that i have sussed, or know of
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