Petco!

[rjp_1986]

Our classroom bought 2 crabs from Petco and I introduced them in my tank! Little did I know that they had mites! This forum has taught me to bath first and iso them before introducung them into the main tank! Boy, wish this site came first before the Petco visit. Now I have a mess on my hands. Went to Petco, told them my issue and they took immediate action. Pulled the crabs and have cleaned the tank and are holding their crabs in back in an iso tank! I applaud them for their hermit keeping skills (nice looking tank) and their fast and immediate reaction!

[CrabbyJo]

Sorry to hear about your mite problem, it can be such a pain getting rid of them!
Glad to hear about Petco taking quick action. I wonder what they do to really get rid of them, it's not an easy fix.
I had to resort to purchasing predator mites to get rid of mine, as it just wasn't feasible for me to deep clean several times as I had a molter in the tank. The predator mites worked like a dream. I got them again a year later and didn't even bother with more than a quick bath for the crabs, and an order to the supplier for the hypoaspis miles predator mites. No muss, no fuss, no more mites. Just cost me about $40 in the end.

[rjp_1986]

I retract my statement! They sold my co-teacher a mite killing spray for reptiles. And told her to throw the sand away and lay damp paper towels down on the bottom of the cage so its like they are walking on sand! CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT????? I'm shocked! She took the spray and got her $10 back!

[ladybug15057]

I'm happy to hear that she did take the spray back and got a refund! Had she also spoken to the manager so the employee will not attempt selling a mite spray to a crabber again?
As for the sand, as long as it is only sand and no other additives (such as eco earth, forest bedding, etc) it can be baked to kill the mites that maybe living within it as well as their larvae.

[rjp_1986]

I talked to her and baking it grosses her out. She tossed it and is using the paper towel method. Makes me sad! Oh well, she listened and agreed with me on the mite spray! She can't see the mites on them or in the tank. But TINY see through ball like things squirm around on the top layer in the water dish. What could that be?

[Wai]

It could be larvae.

[rjp_1986]

what kind of larvae? mite larvae? There is a sponge in the water dish and we have boiled and microwaved the dish and sponge. We have replaced sand and everything and boiled all toys. scrubbed all walls! running out of options besides buying the bugs that eat mites. We don't see any bugs in the tank or on the crabs. just in food dish.

[ladybug15057]

She tossed it and is using the paper towel method.

Not actually the better choice since majority of paper towels are bleached (why they are so white) and hermies do munch on substrate and items within their tank.
Without seeing them to compare them it would be hard to say.... book lice, sand mites??

http://crabbywiki.com/tiki-index.php?pa ... e+Crabitat