Springtail cultures in enclosures

[fish4all]

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.

[deranged chipmunk]

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

[flybyferns]

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

[fish4all]

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.