LisaLQ
Archachatina papyracea
Old friend (emphasis on the "old")
Posts: 2,995
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Post by LisaLQ on May 4, 2006 13:07:01 GMT
I've seen those pink woodlice you can get, the tropical ones, but would hypoapsis eat them or would they be a bit big *lol* Sorry for hijacking your thread Sian
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Post by Paul on May 4, 2006 13:42:55 GMT
So if you do get some predatory mites, and they do help both problems, I'd be interested. And what kind of set up is best - moss, compost, etc? Any other small bugs which help? I've seen videos of Hypoaspis eating white worms (nematodes). I haven't observed it myself but after putting 1000s in my tanks, the worm problem has been massively reduced but... I did take some other steps like removing food quicker and more ventilation so I can't say for certain how much they helped. The will do fine in most setups as long as it is humid. Paul, you said about disturbing the soil killed some of them, if these turn out to be bad mites would disturbing the soil kill them too? I can stir it up however many times would be needed to kill them lol. Burying the mites will kill them, but you'll never get them all, I didn't. but would hypoapsis eat them or would they be a bit big *lol* Hypoaspis will tackle anything of similar size, I would imagine baby woodlice would be ok, but it depends on how big they are. Woodlice are heavily armoured though and even the babies I've seen are too big. I suppose it depends on the species and what other food is available.
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Post by section8angel on May 4, 2006 13:47:11 GMT
That's ok Lisa, I asked Paul about the woodlice in your thread lol. The baby ones I saw today were 5mm maybe 6. Yay my babies are safe lol Hmm maybe if they are bad ones I'll stir all the coir up to try and kill the majority and then clean it another way. The only way I can do it is to pour boiling water over it all. Mum wont let me anywhere near the microwave or cooker with bug things lol
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Post by Paul on May 4, 2006 13:50:36 GMT
Sian, you mentioned you've found woodlice in the tank, those and the mites almost certainly got into your tank from the plant pot you brought in from outside. It seems the logical explanation anyway.
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Post by section8angel on May 4, 2006 13:53:53 GMT
I put the woodlice in myself. Some were from Arno, others I brought in from outside though. I only put the plants from outside in there not the pots, I repotted them into those peat pot things in here and then put them in the tanks. They could still have been on the actual plants or woodlice from outside though right? I didn't think to wash the plants 'cause I knew they hadn't been near anything bad Thinking about it, I'm gonna blame the plants 'cause the woodlice have been in there for ages and ages. The plants have only been put in during the last few weeks. Or does that not matter?
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Post by section8angel on May 6, 2006 8:42:38 GMT
It's not just the coir tanks now, they're in my egg tub too! Grrr. I don't care if they're good or not, I don't want them in me egg tub lol. *Keeping a close watch on the baby tubs* There's no plants and no woodlice in there though. These things are like secret agents! I'm still trying to find a slug, it's been too hot for them. As they're in the egg tub too could that be another thing pointing towards them being good ones? 'cause there's no blood or anything for bad ones to take as the bubbas are still in the eggs! I hope they can't get into the eggs.
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Post by section8angel on Jun 8, 2006 10:45:38 GMT
Right just a quick update. I've taken coir out of one of the tanks and put it into a spare tub to keep some mites alive as I want to try and get the snails back into their proper tanks now. I couldn't actually see any mites in the tanks the other week but there's loads in the spare tub still so I'll be pouring boiling water over the things in the main tanks just in case some are left. When I looked at the ones in the spare tub the other week there were white ones in there too. They were sort of dots (sorry have forgotten what they were like exactly!), they weren't that fast, they were about the same speed as the brown ones and they were a bit smaller. They were crawling all over the brown ones and they didn't seem to care so I don't know what they were, I've just had a quick look in there now though and can't see any white ones. I've had to clean the bubba tank out as I saw some white things in there this morning. These weren't small fast dots either, they were white but they were more like dashes lol. They also weren't any faster than the brown ones. They were about the same size as them though. When I get the Hypoaspis I'll put them into the spare tub with the other mites to see what happens. I haven't had anymore appear in the quarantine tank or on the snails in it so that's been good. I only had to wash the snails once to get rid of them. .... think that's it lol. Oh, I still haven't found a flipping big slug lol. Can still only find baby ones
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KathyM
Achatina tincta
Posts: 709
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Post by KathyM on Aug 3, 2006 11:01:11 GMT
Sorry to resurrect - found this thread from a link Paul gave on another thread.
We've had a problem with mites in our tanks. Some look like the first pics posted, others are small and white. We've had nothing come in from outside.
I must admit, I assumed the white little mites were a juvenile (or pre feed) form of the larger tan coloured ones? I only find them on the shells or on the poo, but I'll keep a closer eye on their breathing holes too.
Does anyone know where I can buy hypoapsis from?
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Post by Paul on Aug 3, 2006 13:39:04 GMT
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Post by linds1917 on Aug 19, 2006 15:27:27 GMT
Right can you help me. ive just found tiny white mites in my tank i take it these are the dangerous ones.? so what ive done is wash all the tank throw away the coir wash and bath all snails. and put them back in a bare tank with nothing but just their fake plant,bark & new cuttle fish. should i put new coir in or leave it and wash them all out again in 1/2 days time ? Also where do you think they came from ? the coir ? or the 2 new adults i brought from a friend ?. also ive noticed the 2 adults have changed colour from a dark brown to a light green/brown is this a sign of something ?
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Post by katherineh on Aug 19, 2006 16:05:56 GMT
The coir you buy in desiccated blocks and soak should be pest-free. If you have just acquired new snails it sounds pretty suspicious that the mites came with them! Sorry if this sounds stupid, but could the snails have changed colour because you bathed them, and they are now clean/wet? Some people have posted pictures of snails after bathing and they sometimes look very different.
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Post by section8angel on Aug 19, 2006 17:31:29 GMT
They could have come in on the other snails or they could have got in from being on you. They can also come in on plants, woodlice if you use them in your tanks and a few other ways I can't remember lol. They're sneaky things Leave them on a bare tank for a little while, keep checking for mites and yes you can give them another bath. The mites can hide in the snails breathing holes so another bath would be a good idea just to make sure they're gone even if you don't see anymore in the tank. Is it cork bark you have in with them? It might be an idea to give it a quick bake in the oven in case any were hiding in places water couldn't get to. While I remember, here's another update on the ones I had. I didn't bother using boiling water in the end, I had a good look in each tank and still couldn't see any so I left it and put the snails back in and none have appeared since. (I'll probably see loads now I've said that! ) The ones I took out and put in a spare tub are still alive though yet I keep forgetting about feeding them lol I've also had some white dash/line ones again but only in 2 of the smaller tubs. They seem to really like the smaller tubs, either that or they like the smaller snails
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Post by linds1917 on Aug 20, 2006 8:43:02 GMT
i dont think its bathing the adults whats made them change colour. i was worried it was to do with being ill?? it really is a big change il try to upload a picture. the choir ive brought is in block form what you soak. i will leave in a bare tank now, for a few day as they seem ok. the juviniles seem fine, and are more active than the adults but i could kick myself for not quartineing the adults........
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apple
Archachatina degneri
Posts: 1,078
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Post by apple on Nov 22, 2006 22:22:38 GMT
Fantastic and very usefull thread!
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