Tiny Mites On My New Conche

[BillyBoswell]

I have found all these tiny mite things on my new conch who had climbed up the corner of the tank and was half exposed to air for a while then I think he must have absailed down as he at the bottom very quickly after.

he then buried himself in the sand and I can now see tiny mites jumping all over him.

is this normal or is he ill

Thanks

Mike
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/billyboswell/CRW_5632.jpg

[greenbean36191]

I would guess that you're seeing copepods crawling on it, which would be perfectly normal.

[BillyBoswell]

thank god for that, I was really worried for a while. thought I had a plague of nasties

Just a plague as they seem to be all over the bottom 5" of the glass

Thanks

Mike

[mzeinstr]

WOW, that's great, cause i've been seeing them, too.... lots of them.

Z

[rshimek]

Hi,

Well.... "mites" on a snail shell could be anything from real mites (small, ticklike marine arthropods), to copepods, to small amphipods, to.....

Most of these would not likely be doing anything to the snail proper, howsoever, there are some things that could be affecting it. Unfortunately, it would likely take a microscope to get a good idea of what the little bugs really were.

So... probably it is best to assume the best, and go from there. :D