neoseiulus californicus

[xboxQueen]

So I think I found out what's been crawling on the glass in my viv. It's a predatory mite called neoseiulus californicus. Please tell me they aren't feeding on my springtails?

[xboxQueen]

Well if in fact these are those predatory mites.. I read they will feed on on my springtails.. dunno where they would come from? Tanks only been up for a lol over a week. I know they won't hurt the frogs when I get them but I'd rather have the springs in there.

[Adam R]

just look at it this way, its an ecosystem. everything gets eaten by something. just make sure your darts stay at the top of the chain

[deranged chipmunk]

if you bought your plants from a good supplier, i highly doubt you have mites. pics would help. and keep in mind, that your darts WILL eat your springtails, in fact, they will make pretty short work of them if they are hungry. you may consider setting up a culture of springtails outside the viv so you can seed it from time to time.

[xboxQueen]

They are definitely mites of some sort. Itty bitty white little round bugs, I noticed it a day later. But at that point I thought it was water droplets going down the side. Until it dawned on me that the lines were even going sideways, lol. I'm taking a guess that they are the ones I named above cuz that's what they look like. But I think lots of mites look alike? My cell could never get a good enough pic of them tho. They are so tiny I can barely make out that they have legs. Almost like dust specks on the glass that move slow.

I do plan on culturing springs to help keep the tank clean and for snacks for the darts when they find um in the leaf litter

[DartEd]

Dwarf white isopods have been known to keep mite populations in check. They won't eliminate the mites but they will help to control them a bit.