How to Eliminate Mites from a Pet Hermit Crab Tank

Co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

Last Updated: March 29, 2019

Mites are a common parasite found on hermit crabs. They are microscopic so they may be difficult to see up close, but they may appear as small tan and black flecks that move around on your hermit crab. Left untreated, mites can cause stress and injury to your crab. Your crab can lose a leg or die due to this parasite. Mites can also live and breed in your pet’s tank. It is essential that you clean your hermit crab’s tank and any tank accessories so the mites are eliminated for their living environment. You should also remove mites on your hermit crab and maintain a clean tank so the mites do not come back.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Cleaning the Tank with Water

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Place your crab in a holding container. To clean the tank, you first need to place your crab in a holding container so you can give the tank and the accessories a good clean. The container can be a clean plastic tub or bin. Your crab will likely run around the holding container while you clean his tank.
- You can leave a small bowl of dechlorinated water out and place it next to the holding container so it comes to room temperature. You can then use this bowl later to clean any mites on your pet so he is mite free when he goes back into his clean, mite free tank.^{[1]
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If you’d really like to make sure there are no mites left in the tank at all, you can use a small vacuum to suck out any mites in the tank. Do this before you wet the tank, as the vacuum will work better on a dry surface. Focus on the corners of the tank as this is where the mites tend to like to hang out.

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Wipe down the tank with plain water to remove any mites still in the tank. Once you have removed the accessories, you can wipe down the tank with a wet paper towel. Press down on the sides and bottom the tank to swish any mites and remove them. Make sure you do this in the corners of the tank, as this is often where the mites like to hide.^{[2]
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- You can also rinse the tank out with tap water to drown and wash away any mites still in the tank. Try to eliminate any black flecks in the tank so the tank is spotless and clean.
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Let the tank dry in direct sunlight. Mites do not like direct sunlight, so once you rinse and wipe down the tank with plain water, you should let it dry completely in the sun.^{[3]
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- You can also let the tank dry indoors overnight. Once the tank is dry, you can place the sterilized tank accessories back into the tank.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Killing Mites on the Tank Contents

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Dispose of the tank accessories, if possible. If you do not mind saying goodbye to your crab’s tank accessories, including any substrate on the floor of the tank such as sand, you can dispose of them. This is the easiest way to get rid of the mites in his tank, as this will ensure your crab’s tank does not contain any infected accessories or substrates.^{[4]
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- You should also throw away any toys that your crab played with in the tank, as these are likely also infested with mites.
- Dispose of them by placing them in a garbage bag and removing the garbage bag to the garbage bin right away. This will prevent the mites from crawling back into the tank or from getting into other areas of your home.
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Boil the tank accessories for at least 20 minutes. If you cannot afford to throw out the tank accessories, you can boil them to get rid of the mites and place them back in your crab’s tank. Use distilled water to boil any substrate, like gravel, any rocks, and any tank accessories for at least 20 minutes. This includes food dishes, extra shells, and climbing toys like coral. This will help to sterilize the accessories and get rid of the mites.^{[5]
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- Allow the accessories to cool before you place them back in the tank.
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Bake any oven safe accessories at 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Another option is to bake any substrate, such as sand, gravel, or pieces of wood, on a cookie sheet. Bake them for at least half an hour and allow them to cool before placing them back in the tank.^{[6]
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- If you are worried about burning pieces of wood in the oven, you can sterilize the wood in your microwave. Put them in the microwave for two minutes and keep an eye on the wood to ensure it does not catch fire.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Removing Mites from Your Crab

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Wash your crab in a small bowl of dechlorinated water. While the crab’s tank is drying, you should give him a good clean too so he does not bring mites back into the tank. Use room temperature dechlorinated water to give your crab a bath at least one to two times.^{[7]
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- Place your crab in the bowl of water. Turn your crab upside down to get all the air bubbles out of his shell. Then, pour the water off your crab into the bowl. The mites will drain off your crab along with the water. Pour out the mites in the water, down the drain of your sink. Do this once more or until all the mites on your crab are gone. Make sure there are no mites in your crab’s shell.
- You can also use a paper towel to squish any of the mites on your crab gently and carefully. Draining, wiping, and rinsing your crab should all help to remove the mites.
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Use mite specific medication for hermit crabs. You can get mite specific medication for hermit crabs from a vet that specializes in arthropods or from an exotic pet supply store. This is a good option if you have tried the plain water method and the boiling method, but the mites still have not gone away.^{[8]
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- You should also avoid using bleach solution to clean your crab and your crab’s tank. There is a high amount of chlorine in bleach that can blister your crab’s gills and make him ill.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Preventing Mites in Your Crab’s Tank

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Keep the tank clean. To prevent the mites from reappearing in your crab’s tank, you should give the tank a thorough weekly clean. To clean the tank effectively, you should remove your crab from the tank and place him in a holding container. You can then use the plain water method to clean the tank and boil or bake the tank contents to sterilize them.^{[9]
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- If you keep a sponge in your crab’s tank to boost the humidity, you should smell the sponge to ensure it smells clean and not rotten. If it smells rotten, you should replace it. You can also place the sponge in the microwave and nuke it for several minutes to kill any mites.
- Clean the lid of the tank, if you have one, once a day to keep pests like mites from getting into the tank. You may want to consider taping down the lid of the tank to prevent dust and pests from floating into your crab’s tank.
- Avoid keeping live plants near your crab’s tank, as plants can attract their own pests, including mites. The mites can then move from the live plant into your crab’s tank.
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Remove any spoiled food in the tank. Mites are often attracted by your crab’s food and can burrow into the food, such as dried shrimp and plankton-type crab food. You can try feeding your crab only dry food for a little while, as strong smelling wet foods or fresh foods can attract mites.^{[10]
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- You should also remove all crab droppings in the tank on a daily basis and replace your crab’s water in his water dishes to keep it clean.
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Check your crab for mites on a daily basis. You should take some time every day to give your hermit crab a mite check up. Examine him in the light for any small moving specks on his shell or on other parts of his body.^{[11]
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- If you notice that he has any mites on his body, you should give him a full immersion bath in dechlorinated water and do a thorough cleaning of his tank and the tank contents. This is the only way to ensure the mites are eliminated from your crab and his tank, and have a lower chance of coming back.