What now?? Mites?

[elbereth]

My aquariums seem cursed. First I had a planaria outbreak in my main tank (currently housing 2 juvenile polys), then some sort of freshwater hydra in my QT. And now I have something resembling water mites, again in my main. I can't get a picture because they're so tiny. They're about the size of a period and brown/grey in color.

They mostly hang out on top of the substrate and on the surface of leaves, eating scraps and algae perhaps? But I see a couple on the one poly which isn't hiding right now, so I'm worried they might eating its slime coat. As well as that of the one hiding in the back. Anyone ever have a similar problem? Should I be getting these fish into a clean quarantine tank ASAP??

Thanks in advance, as always.

 

[Polyaddict86]

Sorry to hear your having trouble in the tank, kno4te and Dr.B might able to help.

 

[elbereth]

Thanks for such a quick response!
I still haven't fully learnt the ropes of the forum so here goes a dumb question: should I message them or does a member get alerted when their username is mentioned in a thread?

 

[Polyaddict86]

Thanks for such a quick response!
I still haven't fully learnt the ropes of the forum so here goes a dumb question: should I message them or does a member get alerted when their username is mentioned in a thread?

They get alerted once they name are mentioned, i just dont know if their MFK is connected to their email.

 

[Dr.B]

I had the exact same problems a few years ago. At first the hydra came, then the little mites. The reason it happened to me is because I would sometimes over feed and leave excess food in the tank (thinking to filters would clean it up). I got rid of them but cutting back on feeding, cleaning the tank and filter media, upping the temp, adding salt, and adding some prazipro. Usually they being to show up because they have a food source. Once you cut out their food source, the heat should speed up their life cycle and they should start dying off. In case that doesn't work the prazi pro generally does a good job of finishing them off.

 

[monkeybike]

Copper sulfate

 

[twentyleagues]

Could they be scuds (fresh water gammarus shrimp)? If so they are harmless detrivoirs. Good food source for smaller fish.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gammarus_pulex

 

[elbereth]

Thanks everyone!

Relying on filter to remove excess food sounds just like me! Lots of smaller particles left behind when the polys eat and I got a little lazy after the planaria went away.... I would've thought a water change + vacuuming once-twice a week would be sufficient. =(

I can't say if they're gammarus because they're too small to tell. I just hope they're not the parasitic water mites mentioned here. I really don't like to see them landing on my babies!!

@Dr. B: Glad to know PraziPro can be used for this. I have some on hand. Should I add it together with the salt? And at the regular concentration? My tank is at 30C right now. Should I increase and how much?

 

[elbereth]

And can copper sulfate be used on a poly tank? I thought they're too sensitive to it.

 

[jaws7777]

Do they look like tiny worms ?