Tank Full Of Mites

[JasonU]

My tank has small white insects / mites on the plants and in the water.

It is a 35 litre tank with a betta and some snails.

The betta is not showing any signs of ill health. The water stats are all fine as well. I keep the tank at 27c.

The insects / mites are tiny, to small to show up in a photograph.

Amybody got any ideas? How should I get rid of them? Will they harm the betta?

 

[WILDER]

Do you feed any live foods.
Do the parasites have legs. Trying to think what a mite looks like.

 

[JasonU]

Do you feed any live foods.
Do the parasites have legs. Trying to think what a mite looks like.

It is really hard to see as they are so small but I am pretty certain they do have legs. They are crawling on the plant and the glass.

I do feed him live bloodworms.

I have had a quick look on the net, it may be down to feeding excess food. People seem to recommed regular 50% water changes, 'deep cleaning the gravel' and being more careful with excess food.

Will I need to use 'chemicals' to get rid of them?

 

[WILDER]

Do a good gravel vac by removing ornaments.
Do some water changes for the next few days.
Clean filter floss.

Looks for signs of the parasite being on the fish. Red pin prick marks on fish.
Looks for signs of the fish flicking and rubbing.

 

[WILDER]

This might help.
http/en.allexperts.com/q/Freshwater-Aqua...-3216/Mites.htm

Make sure your fish don't have fish lice. There usually disc shaped with legs.

 

[JasonU]

This might help.
[URL="http/en.allexperts.com/q/Freshwater-Aqua...-3216/Mites.htm"]http/en.allexperts.com/q/Freshwater-Aqua...-3216/Mites.htm[/URL]

Make sure your fish don't have fish lice. There usually disc shaped with legs.

Thanks for that.

They are more teardrop shaped.

The mites dont seem to be bothering the betta itself. One or two have gone on him but hwne he swims they drop off. He does not have any pin prick marks, he not flicking either.

I have just done a 50% water change and removed the plant that most of them were on. I will keep doing the changes. hopefully that will take care of them

 

[betta fish]

Sounds like they may be copepods? if so they are harmless, do a quick google search to check the images and to see if this id's your critters.

 

[three-fingers]

Probably just copepods, as said.

If they were harmful to the fish, you wouldn't be seeing them as they would be on/in the fish.

So don't worry.

Check this out: [URL="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=277805"]http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=277805[/URL]

 

[pippoodle]

i try and encourage them in my tanks with bettas - if i have any on a plant i transfer the plant over to the betta tanks - bettas will graze on the copepods - and betta fry love them to