I need help identifying this mite - Ask Extension
My fiancé and I have a pet snail business going on and we’ve encountered quite huge predicament with a small creature. We don’t know what to do o...
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I need help identifying this mite #735720
Asked December 24, 2020, 9:06 PM EST
My fiancé and I have a pet snail business going on and we’ve encountered quite huge predicament with a small creature. We don’t know what to do or how to get rid of them entirely without hurting the snails. But to even start looking for a solution I need to know what I’m even up against. Thank you for you time!
Pima County Arizona
Expert Response
That is some kind of mesostigmatid mite. Mesostigs are extremely diverse. Most are predators but some are parasites. Without slide mounting the specimen, I can't identify it further. My guess is that it's probably a predator and may be feeding on other microorganisms in the snail enclosure. If you want to get rid of them, the best control will be to remove the snail and completely clean out the enclosure they're reared in.