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Eliminate Mites from a Pet Hermit Crab Tank
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.[1] 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.

Part1
Cleaning the Tank with Water

1
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.[2]
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.[3]
2
Use a small vacuum to remove the mites in the tank. 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.
3
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.[4]
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.
4
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.[5]
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.


Part2
Killing Mites on the Tank Contents

1
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.[6]
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.
2
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.[7]
Allow the accessories to cool before you place them back in the tank.
3
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.[8]
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.


Part3
Removing Mites from Your Crab

1
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.[9]
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.
2
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.[10]
3
Do not use mite spray on your crab or your crab’s tank. Commercial mite spray that is not specified for use on hermit crabs can hurt your crab. They should not be used on your crab or on the tank.[11]
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.


Part4
Preventing Mites in Your Crab’s Tank

1
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.[12]
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.
2
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.[13]
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.
3
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.[14]
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.

Making a Vitamin C Indicator

A vitamin C indicator is a solution used to test the levels of vitamin C in a substance. You can make a vitamin C indicator with cornstarch and iodine. Once you’ve made your indicator, you can test vitamin C levels in a variety of juices and foods.

Method1
Making Your Indicator

1
Gather your materials. Before you can begin to mix your indicator, you must first gather your materials. Most of these materials can be purchased at a supermarket, health store, or pharmacy. However, some ingredients may be tricky to find, so you might have to order them online:[1]
Cornstarch
2% iodine solution
Test tubes, which have measurements on the side in milliliters.
Gather liquids of you’re choosing, like orange juice, lemon juice, and so on. Once you’re vitamin C indicator is ready, you probably want to test the vitamin C level of a variety of substances.
An eye dropper
A pot
2
Make a paste with cornstarch. To start, take a tablespoon of cornstarch and put it in a small bowl. Add a small amount of tap water, just enough to work the cornstarch into a fine paste.[2]
3
Pour in water and boil. Once your paste is ready, measure out 250 milliliters of water with your test tube. Pour this into the cornstarch paste. Put this in a pot and heat over the stove until it boils. Boil for 5 minutes.[3]
4
Place 10 drops of the starch solution to 75 milligrams of water. While your water is boiling, measure out 75 milligrams of water in a test tube. Once your water is done boiling, take your eye dropper. Use your eye dropper to add 10 drops of the starch solution to the 75 milliliters of water.[4]
5
Add drops of iodine until the solution changes color. You can now add your iodine. Clean out your eye dropper and then fill it with iodine. Gradually add drops of iodine until your solution turns a dark purple-blue color. Your vitamin C indicator is now finished.[5]


Method2
Using the Indicator

1
Prepare your indicator for use. You can use your indicator by placing drops of various liquids into the indicator. Indicators turn colorless when exposed to vitamin C. Therefore, you only need a small amount of liquids with a high level of vitamin C to cause the indicator to lose color. You need a larger amount of liquids with a low level of vitamin C to change the indicator’s color.[6]
If you want to test various liquids, put a bit of the indicator in a few different test tubes. You will be adding drops of different liquids to each test tube. You do not need a lot of indicator to start with, but make sure amount are consistent from test tube to test tube. For example, if you put 5 drops of indicator in the first test tube, you should put 5 drops in all other test tubes.
2
Add 10 drops of various juices to each test tube. Assemble a variety of liquids to test. Use your eye dropper to add 10 drops of each liquid to each test tube of indicator. Then, see how much the color has changed in each tube. Make sure to wash your eye dropper each time you measure out a new liquid. You do not want to accidentally mix liquids, as this will cause inaccurate results.[7]
3
Measure the samples from lightest to darkest. Liquids with a high concentration of vitamin C will have changed the indicator to a light, possibly clear shade. For liquids with a low concentration of vitamin C, the indicator will be darker, retaining a lot of it’s purple-blue shade.[8]
Some test tubes may be very similar in color. If you’re struggling to see which is lighter and which is darker, hold the test tube up against a white background like a white wall or a piece of paper.
4
Count how many drops it takes for a sample to change color. If you only have one test tube, there is another way to compare and contrast vitamin C levels. Using one liquid at a time, record how many drops of each liquid it takes to cause the indicator to change color. The lower the number of drops, the higher the concentration of vitamin C in a substance.[9]


Method3
Avoiding Pitfalls

1
Practice basic safety when using the stove. As you’ll need to use the stove to make your indicator, practice basic safety. If you’re younger, ask an adult to help you before you use a stove.[10]
Do not leave the handle of a pot pointed off the edge of the stove. You could accidentally bump into the handle, causing boiling water to fall on you.
Do not use metal utensils to stir you solution. These heat up in hot water, and can burn your hand.
If you’re using a metal pot, use oven mitts to remove it from the stove to avoid burning your hand.
2
Be careful handling iodine. Iodine is safe, but can be toxic if swallowed, so it should not be ingested. It’s safe otherwise, but can easily stain clothing. If you’re handling iodine, it’s a good idea to wear old clothes or an apron.[11]
3
Consider purchasing indophenol. If you do not want to make your own vitamin C indicator, you can purchase a bottle of idophenol online. This is a liquid that, like a cornstarch solution, turns colorless in the presence of vitamin C. You can buy a bottle of indophenol online, and use it as you would use a cornstarch solution.