# Springtail Observations



## Homer (Feb 15, 2004)

Okay, I have noticed something about one of my springtail cultures that seems a bit . . . odd.

When one culture in particular begins to get very populous and I see a large hatch of young-un's, I can guarantee that if I feed heavily they will all end up dead. By dead, I mean rolled over on their back, back arched, legs sticking straight out dead. No joke.

The particular container these are in has a very tight sealing lid, so I am wondering if perhaps the high populations and heavy feeding cause a metabolic boost that releases too much CO2 into the air and uses up the available O2. Has anyone else seen this? All I tend to do is leave the lid off for a few hours, close it back up, and the culture will repopulate in a week (presumably from eggs laid previously). It's pretty wild.


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## Dancing frogs (Feb 20, 2004)

Well, Ive noticed that if I overfeed with a powder-type food (yeast, soy flour, spirulina, wheat germ, fish food, etc.) they will really crash for a while, usually at least two weeks. I was thinking maybee the powder turns to slime(well I know that much!) and seals off the pores in the leca-charcoal, or whatever, and suffocates the eggs or something.


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## jbeetle (Feb 8, 2004)

I have had this happen to my cultures as well. Whenever they get really full of springtails I feed them off or start new cultures. If I feed a whole lot when they are like this they will crash, just like you described Homer. Mine also come back after a short period of time.


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## *GREASER* (Apr 11, 2004)

A friend of mine has noticed the same thing and he also thinks this has to do with the fact that the springtails are useing all he O2 produceing to much CO2. But he says if he leaves the lid off the culture for a little while they will start coming back to life


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

why not just poke some holes in the lid then. That is what I do, and I just spray them with water every time I feed them with a spirulina fish food flake. I haven't had any of these problems. I however have the really really tiny springtails right now. Froglets love them.


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## Homer (Feb 15, 2004)

Mantellaprince20 said:


> why not just poke some holes in the lid then. That is what I do, and I just spray them with water every time I feed them with a spirulina fish food flake. I haven't had any of these problems. I however have the really really tiny springtails right now. Froglets love them.


I have tried this with some of my newer cultures, but find that it allows predatory mites to get into the cultures. The mites greatly reduce the production, and can bring things into the cultures. Plus, even if the mites don't get in, it doesn't seem to increase the yield by having the holes in the side.


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

interesting thread, but I have to agree, I have very odd results with mine also. I'll have to think on it a bit if it is related to when I feed them. I need to make a few new cultures and may try some new ideas.


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## rjmarchisi (Feb 16, 2004)

It seems that when I leave the cultures sealed for prolonged amounts of time the springtails enter a state of dormancy ( could be called a crash, but I don't think it is ) and stop moving completely. I can immediately tell when I open the lid of the container that there is definitely a build up of some sort of byproduct of the mold/fungus that the springtails eat and their waste products. In my cultures it smells like really bad cheese, but in every case that this has happened I leave the lid off to get some fresh air inside for about 10 minutes, stir up the cultures a bit and blow into it ( to get more fresh air inside). Hours later the culture is active again, no worse for the experience. I would put holes in the containers but the springtails would get out everywhere, mites would get in as well. I have about 8 large cultures going continously producing tons of food.

rob


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## Ryan (Feb 18, 2004)

I am going through hell with mites! Every week i am refrigerating my dang springtales! need to get some of the paper, my flies are loaded with mites as well, but different mites. Have been for about 4 months, but not side effects beleive it or not, production still boomin.

Ryan


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