# Mixing Springtails?



## BBJ (Feb 26, 2010)

Hey

I was just wondering about this, is there any problem in adding different types of springtails to a viv?

I have access to about 6 different species of springtails, which vary in size and behaviour - so i am thinking i could seed my vivs with several different types.

Should there be any problem with this?

Thanks

Regards Bjorn


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## hexentanz (Sep 18, 2008)

There should not be any problem. I have a few different ones in my vivariums (and not by my doing) without any issues.


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

yeah i usaully seed the tanks with at elast 2 differnt types and coesxhist just fine


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## BBJ (Feb 26, 2010)

Thanks guys!

I'm gonna go right ahead and order some more springtails for my viv then!


Regards Bjorn


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## tclipse (Sep 19, 2009)

as long as it's in the viv and not in your cultures


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

you can have mix springtail cultures, i have a few like that and they work just find.


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## tclipse (Sep 19, 2009)

Julio said:


> you can have mix springtail cultures, i have a few like that and they work just find.


What size do you use?


Mixing Springtail Cultures


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

size of what? containers? or spring tails? 

I have silver springs and black springs in the same cultures in a 190oz containers


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## tclipse (Sep 19, 2009)

Julio said:


> size of what? containers? or spring tails?
> 
> I have silver springs and black springs in the same cultures in a 190oz containers


The containers.. it probably depends on what type you're using too though.. I was wondering about container size b/c I figured enough area might create pockets that are better for one type of spring over another, allowing both to survive. 

I'm sure the type of springs make a difference too. Silvers and blacks reproduce at pretty much the same rate, don't they?
Most people I've talked to rate them like this from fastest to slowest production:

Pink/Temperate > Black/Silver > Tropical Whites > Blues/Others

That might be why yours are okay together. I hear the pinks pretty much take cultures over because they reproduce so fast, a few people talked about it in that thread I linked in my last post. 

I don't see that being a problem in a viv between predation from frogs, higher bio capacity, availability of food and space, and especially better dissipation of that hormone that stops reproduction... but it could potentially be over time. It's just me speculating based on limited info like I always do  but I do think it's worth thinking about.


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

well, from what everyone has described in the past is not an issue of size, is more of an isse with the ammount of food that is going in, if there isn't enough food, they will fight, i usually dump an entire box of shrooms in there every few days, so as long as the food supply is there, they dont' seem to fight.


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## poimandres (Mar 28, 2009)

oh no...not another mixed tank thread!!



Julio said:


> well, from what everyone has described in the past is not an issue of size, is more of an isse with the ammount of food that is going in, if there isn't enough food, they will fight, i usually dump an entire box of shrooms in there every few days, so as long as the food supply is there, they dont' seem to fight.


That is because they are hallucinating, Julio


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## tclipse (Sep 19, 2009)

Good to know  Doesn't a ton of food attract mites eventually?


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

poimandres said:


> oh no...not another mixed tank thread!!
> 
> 
> 
> That is because they are hallucinating, Julio


 dont' report me, please 



gtclipse01 said:


> Good to know  Doesn't a ton of food attract mites eventually?


not usually, it all depends on how you store them, from my experience keeping the area of where they are stored and away from your fly cultures mites are easily kept at bay


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## DCreptiles (Jan 26, 2009)

this is a interesteting question because i have had springtails get into other springtail cultures and they seem to have been doing just fine.. all of suddon one specie removes the other and i only fine 1 type. but i do have cultures that have both in the same 32oz container living nice. but it seems the larger the container the longer it takes for them to bump them off. im suprise julio you have blacks and silvers in the same container with their size difference. but hey if it works it works right?


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