Results 1 to 4 of 4

Thread: Springtail cultures in enclosures

  1. #1
    fish4all
    Guest

    Default Springtail cultures in enclosures

    I had a thought and I haven't seen anyone do this on here yet so I thought I would share.

    Why can't a person set up a small jar or other container inside an enclosure for the springtails to breed in and come and go as they please? It can be hidden by plants or structures and this would provide a continual cleaning crew and/or food source for frogs.

  2. # ADS
    Circuit advertisement
     

  3. #2

    Default Re: Springtail cultures in enclosures

    because that is what your substrate is for. if they are in a tank where they are not on the frog's diet. they will breed readily. and if they are on the frog's diet, well then, you just made them a nice dinner bowl
    1.0.0 Oophaga Pumilio 'Black Jeans'
    0.0.10 Phyllobates Vittatus
    0.0.3 Phyllobates Terribilis 'Mint'
    0.0.3 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Patricia'
    0.0.5 Dendrobates Leucomelas
    0.0.2 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Powder Blue'
    0.0.2 Ranitomeya Variabilis 'southern'
    0.0.3 Epipedobates Anthonyi 'zarayunga'
    1.2.0 Phyllobates bicolor
    0.0.3 Dendrobates tinctorius 'azureus'
    0.0.1 Avicularia Avicularia
    0.0.1 Gramastola porteri
    0.2.0 Canines
    1.0.0 Tabby/Maine Coon Mix
    2.1.0 Genetics Experiments
    0.1.0 Bed Bully

  4. #3
    Super Moderator flybyferns's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Location
    Huntington .. New York
    Posts
    4,975
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: Springtail cultures in enclosures

    Quote Originally Posted by fish4all View Post
    I had a thought and I haven't seen anyone do this on here yet so I thought I would share.

    Why can't a person set up a small jar or other container inside an enclosure for the springtails to breed in and come and go as they please? It can be hidden by plants or structures and this would provide a continual cleaning crew and/or food source for frogs.
    Hi Christopher,
    This is a great question. I often wonder why I continue keep separate cultures ( outside the enclosures) ? I guess the best explanation for this is ....they are needed as stand-by for 'newly built' tanks. I suppose adding more every now and then is a good idea.

    Once springtails are 'seeded' into the substrate they will reproduce on their own; living on organic debris, or on the surface of non-flowing water. Springtails eat decaying organic matter, fungi , bacteria and frog poop as it decays into 'compost' within the substrate. If plentiful enough, springtials should be easily observed--- for instance at the base of a piece of wood. One may frequently see their darts gathered around a spot such as this -- having a picnic. They will reproduce better in lots of soil rather than in a smaller container. As far as I know... they would leave a small container for 'more land and better food'. Lets face it !!! Since they have been around for millions of years ? ; they are quite proficient at procreating !

    Lynn
    Current Collection
    Dendrobates leucomelas - standard morph
    Dendrobates auratus “Costa Rican Green Black"
    Dendrobates auratus "Pena Blanca"
    Dendrobates tinctorius “New River”
    Dendrobates tinctorius "Green Sipaliwini"
    Dendrobates tinctorius “Powder Blue"
    Dendrobates tinctorius "French Guiana Dwarf Cobalt"

    Phyllobates terribilis “Mint”
    Phyllobates terribilis "Orange"
    Phyllobates bicolor "Uraba"

    Oophaga pumilio "Black Jeans"
    Oophaga pumilio "Isla Popa"
    Oophaga pumilio "Bastimentos"
    Oophaga pumilio “Mimbitimbi”
    Oophaga pumilio "Rio Colubre"
    Oophaga pumilio "Red Frog Beach”
    Oophaga pumilio "Rio Branco"
    Oophaga pumilio “Valle del Rey”
    Oophaga pumilio "BriBri"
    Oophaga pumilio "El Dorado"
    Oophaga pumilio "Cristobal"
    Oophaga pumilio "Rambala"

    Oophaga “Vicentei” (blue)

    Oophaga sylvatica "Paru"
    Oophaga sylvatica "Pata Blanca"
    Oophaga histrionica “Redhead”
    Oophaga histrionica "Blue"
    Oophaga lehmanni "Red"
    Oophaga histrionica "Tado"

    Ranitomeya variabilis "Southern"
    Ranitomeya imitator "Varadero"
    Ranitomeya sirensis "Lower Ucayali"
    Ranitomeya vanzolinii

    http://www.fernsfrogs.com
    https://www.facebook.com/ferns.frogs

  5. #4
    fish4all
    Guest

    Default Re: Springtail cultures in enclosures

    I have springtails naturally all over everything I do here. Not a large species but they are everywhere. Once I set something up with animals they all but vanish or their numbers go to minimal at best. I just thought a container of charcoal with the right amount of water in it giving a prime habitat might keep number higher than they otherwise would be. A small screen over the culture keeps the frogs form making quick snacks of a majority of them.

    Is kinda like my woodlice I put in the enclosure. A lot were eaten, some buried themselves and a few drowned. Now if I had a piece of rotting wood in there they would likely have made homes in under and around it and might even have eventually reproduced. With springtails being so prolific in charcoal I just figured a small culture in the enclosed of their prime habitat might keep numbers higher and help them clean things better. Give them their preferred medium, the one they have been cultured in for who knows how many years and it may produce more than a standard enclosure could ever produce without having to seed the tank all the time.

    I do agree that a separate culture or 5 is a good idea as backups.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Feeding Springtail Cultures
    By Happy Frog in forum Food, Feeders, Live, Frozen, Culturing, etc
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: January 25th, 2013, 07:48 PM
  2. For Sale: Temperate Springtail Cultures
    By ilovebugs in forum For Sale/Trade
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: August 27th, 2012, 01:50 PM
  3. Wanted: springtail cultures
    By ilovebugs in forum For Sale/Trade
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: August 24th, 2012, 10:19 PM
  4. How long does springtail usually take to produce
    By gundam009283 in forum Food, Feeders, Live, Frozen, Culturing, etc
    Replies: 23
    Last Post: October 15th, 2011, 10:43 AM
  5. Establish springtail population how?
    By killerecho in forum Vivarium, Terrarium & Enclosure Discussion
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: March 3rd, 2011, 11:28 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •