Might get 3 cobalts, need advice please

[nok1888]

I heard you can put some vinegar in the media to help stop mites is that true? I'll do the microwave bit to try stop them


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2.0 Border Collies - Jinky and Chance
3.0 Cats - Monty, Dodger and Crunchie
1.1 Royal Pythons Orlina and Sedrick
0.1 BCI Boa - Aasia
1.0 Western Hognose - Hagrid
0.1 Bearded Dragon - iiara

[Tonya Freeman]

I believe vinegar is used more for keeping mold out of your cultures. It may do a little to prevent mites.. but they are pretty hardy creatures.

If you start with mite free cultures.. for example, buying from a reputable breeder or sponsor, you should be able to get mite free without problems. When you do see a mite or two, don't freak out Keep it away from your other cultures, but keep in mind that it will take weeks for them to build up a colony that could destroy your culture in most cases. It is recommended to throw your cultures out after 30 days because of that. Some cultures will continue to produce longer than that.. but at a risk of a mite infestation. That is why I used my culture schedule so I could replace my 30 day old culture with a new culture each week.

It sounds scarier than it is. It will probably happen to everyone a few times in the hobby.. but if you take precautions such as getting rid of old cultures, keeping new ones separated from older, using mite paper or spray, not allowing lids to touch each other, and keeping the cultures away from your tanks, you most likely won't have many issues.

[Heatheranne]

I make my culture media with boiled water. I keep a citronella candle on the shelf next to my cultures. By the time the mites get in and start multiplying I've already used some of the clean ff's before that point to start the next culture. When the sides of the culture darken on the 1/3 bottom and tiny white bugs move in it it's time to toss that culture. If you started the next culture 2 weeks prior you'll already have enough to feed from the new culture and enough to start another culture from that newest culture .

[Tonya Freeman]

I make my culture media with boiled water. I keep a citronella candle on the shelf next to my cultures. By the time the mites get in and start multiplying I've already used some of the clean ff's before that point to start the next culture. When the sides of the culture darken on the 1/3 bottom and tiny white bugs move in it it's time to toss that culture. If you started the next culture 2 weeks prior you'll already have enough to feed from the new culture and enough to start another culture from that newest culture .

I've never heard of using a citronella candle. That is interesting! You just leave it next to the cultures unlit?

[Heatheranne]

Yep. It's just a cheap Walmart candle. Nothing fancy.

[Tonya Freeman]

I may give that a shot! Thanks for the tip