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Thread: Feeding Springtails?

  1. #1
    100+ Post Member MeTree's Avatar
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    Question Feeding Springtails?

    Hey guys,
    Unfortunately for some reason my fruit fly cultures stopped producing. I wonder if it is related to mites, because I sure have alot of those in my cultures. Anyways, right now I have a nicely maintained culture of springtails (tropical) that I bought from Josh's Frogs awhile back. They are in a plastic 32oz tub with charcoal. I am wondering how I feed my female tinc springtails without endangering her health.

    Thanks for all advice, suggestions, and opinions!
    -Stanton

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  3. #2
    vince
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    Default Re: Feeding Springtails?

    Quote Originally Posted by MeTree View Post
    Hey guys,
    Unfortunately for some reason my fruit fly cultures stopped producing. I wonder if it is related to mites, because I sure have alot of those in my cultures. Anyways, right now I have a nicely maintained culture of springtails (tropical) that I bought from Josh's Frogs awhile back. They are in a plastic 32oz tub with charcoal. I am wondering how I feed my female tinc springtails without endangering her health.

    Thanks for all advice, suggestions, and opinions!
    -Stanton
    Hi I breed loads of fruit flies and springtails for the springtails I keepin a plastic tuperware about 8inches tall filled with coir to a depth of 3 inches a piece of cloth over the top of the tub fed on fishflake mushrooms and bits of fruit, tons of em . Ijust place a good pinch of muck in the vivs and the frogs sort em out. They are sprayed every 2 days and are kept in my roach cupboard at 94f Fruitflies masses of them raised in a mixture of ready-brek (instant oats) and apple juice with a large piece of cotton wool on top for the flies to climb on. Try culturing other foods such as bean weavills and grain weavills in case of a crash, plus growing your own food is just as much fun as keeping your animals.

  4. #3
    Contributor berksmike's Avatar
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    Default Re: Feeding Springtails?

    Just to add to what vince has said I also raise my springs on coir/orchid bark. Lots of people do raise them just on pieces of lumpwood charcoal. To get them off the charcoal pieces just wash them off the charcoal with spring/dechlorinated water and pour the water in your viv. I personally prefer the coir/orchid bark - kept in 2L ice cream tubs and fed veg peelings/yeast/tropical fish flake/moistened instant oats (when feeding yeast make sure you open the cultures daily to stop CO2 buildup).
    There are lots of other livefoods that you can use as a standby in case of fruit fly cultures crashing - I have done an article about it thats in the articles section:

    Frog Forum - Culturing Livefood for your Dartfrogs

    You'll always get some fly culture crashes so I have found its good to get in the habit of doing new fly cultures every week. Keep them on either mite paper or shallow trays of water to help keep mites down.
    0.0.2 Ceratophrys cranwelli
    0.0.3 Dendrobates azureus
    0.0.4 Dendrobates tinctorius "Alanis" (tads)
    3.3.0 Epipedobates anthonyi (+tads!)
    0.0.1 Lepidobatrachus laevis
    0.0.4 Pyllobates terribilis
    0.0.3 Ranitomeya imitator "Chazuta"
    0.0.3 Ranitomeya vanzolini
    0.0.6 Xenopus laevis

  5. #4
    100+ Post Member MeTree's Avatar
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    Default Re: Feeding Springtails?

    Thanks for the advice! Sounds like a good way to setup the springtails. I'll wash them in the tank for now, but in the meantime, where can I find the coir or orchid bark (is it the same thing?)? Thanks guys!

  6. #5
    Badger
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    Default Re: Feeding Springtails?

    Coir is like coco fiber, Eco earth is a name brand. you can buy a brick from petco for 5 bucks.

  7. #6
    Contributor berksmike's Avatar
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    Default Re: Feeding Springtails?

    You should get both from any pet shop that stocks phibs/reptiles - I use a 50/50 mix of both
    0.0.2 Ceratophrys cranwelli
    0.0.3 Dendrobates azureus
    0.0.4 Dendrobates tinctorius "Alanis" (tads)
    3.3.0 Epipedobates anthonyi (+tads!)
    0.0.1 Lepidobatrachus laevis
    0.0.4 Pyllobates terribilis
    0.0.3 Ranitomeya imitator "Chazuta"
    0.0.3 Ranitomeya vanzolini
    0.0.6 Xenopus laevis

  8. #7
    100+ Post Member MeTree's Avatar
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    Default Re: Feeding Springtails?

    Quote Originally Posted by berksmike View Post
    You should get both from any pet shop that stocks phibs/reptiles - I use a 50/50 mix of both
    So for the springtails I need a 50/50 mixture of coir (which is similar to cocofiber) and cocofiber? I'll see if I can find coir at my small local pet store when I go later today.

  9. #8
    Contributor berksmike's Avatar
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    Default Re: Feeding Springtails?

    50/50 coir (same as coco fibre) and orchid bark
    0.0.2 Ceratophrys cranwelli
    0.0.3 Dendrobates azureus
    0.0.4 Dendrobates tinctorius "Alanis" (tads)
    3.3.0 Epipedobates anthonyi (+tads!)
    0.0.1 Lepidobatrachus laevis
    0.0.4 Pyllobates terribilis
    0.0.3 Ranitomeya imitator "Chazuta"
    0.0.3 Ranitomeya vanzolini
    0.0.6 Xenopus laevis

  10. #9
    Kurt
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    Default Re: Feeding Springtails?

    Yes, the mites destroyed your fruit fly cultures. They prey upon the eggs and pupa. Once they get going the culture stops producing.

  11. #10
    100+ Post Member Niels D's Avatar
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    Default Re: Feeding Springtails?

    I'm keeping them on coco fiber mixed with some of those red clay balls (can't remember the Englisch name) which people use for they're plants. Works just fine. I harvest them by putting a white film canister in the substrate so they could fall in. The white colour attracts them. If you let it stay over night you've got quite a bunch in your canister.
    P.hosii/G.riobambae/S.couchii/C.cranwelli/B.orientalis/R.humboldti/M.klappenbachi


  12. #11
    Kurt
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    Default Re: Feeding Springtails?

    The red clay balls are called LECA or Hyrdoton. Hydroton being a brand name, I believe.

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