# thought's on culturing springtail's



## leonh (Nov 19, 2008)

hi too all,I thought i would start a new thread on culturing tropical and temperate springtail's as there becoming quite a popular food source for dartfrogs and other small phibs.you have to bare with me in the meantime as it's kind of an exsperiment based on other peoples ideas,and part my own,but what i have done so far is to purchase 3 large food containers and 1 boot tub all clear, and all from tesco.as i think it will give a nice ground serfice to breed the springtails.then for the mix i collected ash,oak and sicamor leaves,plus ash bark and when back home i washed and sterilized them in microwave.then tore leaves and mixed all-together with orchid bark and about handfull of eco earth,when this was done the mix was very open so springtail's have alot of shelter/hide spots to breed,the mix was filled in each tub to about 2 inch below top of each tub. also in the lid's i drilled a 20mm hole and then covered with weed block with pva glue too let some air exchange as new cultures need frequent air so not to build up lethal levels of gas killing the clture,but not so much that the culture will rapidly dry out.then for food based on there eating habits moulds fungus. I am going to use dried mushrooms found in any large supermarket/bakers yeast/fish flakes/fish algae waffers/readybrek/ plus brazil nut's as this hopefully will provide all the carbs,fats and protein they need by mixing about a pinch of each of the above plus one brazil nut.and mixing/grind together then add a small pinch to the culture every week or untill fully eaten.practising small but frequent feeds.so for now i will stop wafferling..oh by the way i only use osmosis water built back up with aquaruim minerals as normal tap water is rubbish and in my veiw and the toxins plus heavy metals can quickly crash cultures of both fruit flies and springtails any let me know what you guys think any improvements etc.: victory:


----------



## soundstounite (Sep 6, 2009)

very interesting mate (as are your bastis),possible addition charcoal,maybe sphag moss? Which springs are you culturing talking to a long standing keeper recently he cultures natives very dry..... tropical white wet.
Extremely interested on how you get on ,we are constantly modifing our cultures and seem to be moving towards more of a very coase orchid bark mix,we also use oak leaves,bit of peat/eco earth,and have just started using abit of carrot from Mikes recomendations,we already use collumba springtail food,mushrooms,tetra fish flake and occasionally readybreak,oh and bakers yeast as feedstuffs for 'em.
Stu


----------



## leonh (Nov 19, 2008)

hi mate, yeah this is kind of a test run as i had good success with the ratio of organic stuff mixed together,also i'm culturing tropical white standard and tropical pink,so it will be nice too see how the both produce,plus i really got mine to swarm last time in alot smaller container's.Just another thought is that some people also recomend tropical blues as best producers, so be nice to get my hand's on some.As for my basti's it was quite intresting as the babies are kind of gold/orange compared to the parents who are both red.


----------



## sambridge15 (Nov 22, 2009)

sounds to me like you have over thought it:lol2: decaying leaf litter with a bit of orchid bark add in some greenery here and there thats what keeps my culture going


----------



## leonh (Nov 19, 2008)

It is true i probally have gone a bit technical but i think it's because i put more in to my frog's healthyness than my own:lol2:


----------



## soundstounite (Sep 6, 2009)

leonh said:


> It is true i probally have gone a bit technical but i think it's because i put more in to my frog's healthyness than my own:lol2:


 ha ha good for you dude a man after my own heart:notworthy::notworthy::notworthy:And we have got to talk more on our dream pums,but not here:lol2: i have hijacked enough this year already and tis only feb:blush:


----------



## leonh (Nov 19, 2008)

Lol yeah that sounds good,i must say i will be so happy when i can finally get my vivs done for my crystobals..and then i think it's time to save for some hysti's:2thumb:


----------



## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

I put some coco fibre in a container with a tight lid with only little air holes and out my cockroach colony inside and few fruits and veg. It's got a but sloppy but spring tails have come from nowhere and there are thousands and thousands of them! Only problem now is getting them out of the container and into the viv. They love wet humid coco fibre that's full of cockroach poo! They like it dark, humid and sweaty. 
















Wasn't planning on growing springtails. The same thing happens if you keep giant land snails and let the medium become wet and rich. 

Wish I could get them out without too much of a mess! Was thinking of using them for a few darts I have - may have to spoon a bit out and put on a lid or something.


----------



## leonh (Nov 19, 2008)

god! that really is some nice production there, as for geting them out without causing much disturbance to the soil you could put a couple of moist large magnolia leaves or strip some bark from i.e fallen ash tree then sprinkle food on it till they congreate on it then tap in to collection tub then hey presto. also with this method you could dust the spring's for froglets..good luck:no1:


----------



## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

Well they breed excellently like this! Lol. I get loads in with the snails if i leave it. I don't normally let it get quiet as wet -'mind you the sprigtails float on water so they don't mind. Need to dig out the roaches and move to a bigger container. Should start some colonies going shouldn't I? The few Dendros I have got I mainly feed on size one crickets but they get some of these. Should have thought about a leaf or bit of wood.


----------



## leonh (Nov 19, 2008)

yeah that is excellent production i would i deffo start some more culture's as you kind of have already lol ,as for crickets i don't tend to feed them to my frogs anymore as they ravage plant's in the viv's plus some of them black feild type grow in too monsters and i remember reading a horrible exsperience mark at dartfrog had with a tinc... good luck!:2thumb:


----------



## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

I've only got a few so they been mostly getting size 1 silent as they a good size and easily take them. I hate adult crickets as I've had them lay eggs which have hatched in with scorpions, tarantulas and frogs and have seen a few problems.


----------



## soundstounite (Sep 6, 2009)

wow that is amazing got us thinking anyway,would there be any ricks of using our native snails to try replicating that productivity?


----------



## sambridge15 (Nov 22, 2009)

amazing amount there


----------



## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

As in growing springs in a tank with native snails? 
I think they wouldnt be so good. As our snails don't like it too warm. Secret is warm and wet with a good substrate with rotten veg. Why not keep some GALs? A 50 ltr rub a few inches of coco fibre and not too much venting to it all stays warm. I have one end on a heat mat at 30c inside. I keep feeding the snails fruit and veg and just remove anything that goes mouldy. If it gets really damp the springs breed amazingly. Think that's why they like the burrowing roach enclosures so much.


----------



## soundstounite (Sep 6, 2009)

animalstorey said:


> As in growing springs in a tank with native snails?
> I think they wouldnt be so good. As our snails don't like it too warm. Secret is warm and wet with a good substrate with rotten veg. Why not keep some GALs? A 50 ltr rub a few inches of coco fibre and not too much venting to it all stays warm. I have one end on a heat mat at 30c inside. I keep feeding the snails fruit and veg and just remove anything that goes mouldy. If it gets really damp the springs breed amazingly. Think that's why they like the burrowing roach enclosures so much.


gottcha thanks mate,don't really fancy Gals,got so much on the go at the mo,though its got to be worth thinking about later on,as the need to max production comes greater,thanks for showing us that,will muse on this for a while.


----------



## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

soundstounite said:


> gottcha thanks mate,don't really fancy Gals,got so much on the go at the mo,though its got to be worth thinking about later on,as the need to max production comes greater,thanks for showing us that,will muse on this for a while.


So have a eublaberus roach colony, or a peppered roach group on the go in tubs like in the photo.' less room, very easy.


----------

