bugs in vivarium you don't put there...

[awelcome]

So I know you can get mites in there, and that it's not necessarily a big deal... but what about other bugs showing up?

Tonight my frog was going around hunting things I couldn't see again, so I started to REALLY look, and once I saw it eat a thin worm like thing off the fern (that one could have been a larvae since I have seen them act like that in the first vivarium where I got too many flies and they reproduced in there except that it seemed rather thin to be) But then I saw another white worm shaped thing that moved much too fast to be a larvae and more like a springtail.... could they show up without me putting them in there? Wouldn't that be ironic after my issues at getting a culture going?!

[poison]

Different species of mites and springtail are common in vivs.

[DigitalPunk]

You'll be amazed at what can just show up in your vivarium. Some things are great and won't hurt anything. Others are annoy (gnats), but putting a simple homemade gnat trap in will help eliminate those. I have even had snails randomly appear in the tank.

What you are describing sounds like springtails or some form of microfauna. The most common way for these to make it into the tank is from the plants you add. It is important to "Process" your plants before adding even if you buy them online from a Vivarium supply company. Most hobby suppliers grown their plants without using pesticides or chemicals of any kind and that can lead to plants that won't chemically harm our amphibians, but can carry all sorts of insects, fungus, or bacteria. The basic plant processing is as follows.

1. Remove plant from pot (if potted)
2. Clean off all soil (rinse plant and roots under running water)
3. Soak plant in treated tap water for 10 - 15 mins (we want the plant to absorb as much water as possible)
4. Completely submerge plant in water containing 10% bleach for 3 - 5 mins (this will kill and remove any nasties from the plant)
5. Rinse plant thoroughly with treated tap water to remove all bleach.
6. Plant in vivarium or grow out tank.

Most plants survive this process. If you aren't sure if you should process your plants post a thread in the plant section and we will be more than happy to help!

[awelcome]

well that's good to know for the future, but I guess I will just have to cross my fingers for the ones already in there. They weren't potted when I got them, but they had a bit of soil around the roots. I didn't do any bleach washes or anything though.

[Fbt123]

Same as awelcome, i didnt wash my plants or anything, the only bugs ive seen in mine is woodlice i put in which r doing very well in my viv as theyve reproduced etc.

[Tongue Flicker]

I've had fruit flies, fungus gnats, a single wandering trap-jaw ant, a pair of black soldier flies and i think at one point i saw a blue damselfy @_@