False alarm (C.orientalis)

[TJ]

I was surprised last night to find one of my Cynops orientalis covered with tiny specks, which upon closer observation were found to be...moving

I thought I might have a mite or tick infestation and removed the animal, only to find that the organisms all hopped off the host. I am guessing there are just harmless insects that inhabit the floating plants in this particular aquarium. Am I guessing right?

 

[TJ]

 

[john]

They look like a sort of free-living (non-parasitic) louse.

The other possibility is spring tails but they don't fit the profile in my opinion.

 

[alan]

If they hop, they're springtails. These tend to have somewhat elongated abdomens. If not, they're probably mites (very common - only a small proportion of mite species are harmful). These are very common living on the surface film in tanks without much turbulence. I suspect this animal just crawled out of the water, shrinkwrapping itself in the surface film, complete with passengers, which then all jumped off.

 

[john]

I don't think these are mites. Body shape is wrong.

(Message edited by john on August 06, 2004)

 

[edward]

My first guess would be springtails.

Ed

 

[david]

The hopping says springtail or a close relative to me

 

[pin-pin]

Dave, you are related to a springtail?

 

[david]

Yes I am

 

[joseph]

I say aphids. Probably under the leaves of the floating plants.

 

[kaysie]

They dont look like springtails

 

[javier]

Hi Tim, what about the mites? They seemed aphids