# Springtails and Dwarf Purple Isopods



## DamJoe (May 6, 2019)

Hello everyone,
I have two cultures of springtails and dwarf purple isopods in their own tubs. I've read a lot of different ideas and food suggestions. What would be the best food for each of them? Currently for my isopods are on charcoal with about an inch and a half of water, I feed them a mushroom and open the lid every 3-4 days for airflow. For my dwarf purple isopods I feed them freeze dried shrimp and fish flakes (this is what I was told to do at my local reptile store). Their bedding is a mixture of plantation soil, leaf litter and corrugated cardboard. 

Sorry if this has been asked numerous times. I'm relatively new to springtails and isopods.


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## indrap (Aug 28, 2018)

Did you mean to say your springtails are on charcoal? I would only feed baker's yeast to your springtails to be honest. I've had bad luck using anything else because they've always been vectors for mites and my cultures end up tanking in productivity.

I keep my isopods on 50% ABG 50% leaf litter, throw some egg cartons and pieces of cork in there so I can easily remove them to sell or whatever. I feed fish flakes and low sodium dried fish I find in pet stores to them. I only feed my dwarf whites fish flakes though, they go completely bananas for them.


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## hp192 (Feb 28, 2016)

Check out the Stickys (or is it Stickies?...lol) in the Foods and Feeding section. There's an incredible amount of knowledge and experience there.

I feed springtails baker's yeast.

I feed isopods high quality fish food and crushed up high quality dog food.


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## Serafim (Mar 29, 2017)

My springs get bakers yeast and isopods get plant clippings vegetables and a combination of fish flakes and brewers yeast


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## PhylloBro (Sep 21, 2018)

DamJoe said:


> Hello everyone,
> I have two cultures of springtails and dwarf purple isopods in their own tubs. I've read a lot of different ideas and food suggestions. What would be the best food for each of them? Currently for my isopods are on charcoal with about an inch and a half of water, I feed them a mushroom and open the lid every 3-4 days for airflow. For my dwarf purple isopods I feed them freeze dried shrimp and fish flakes (this is what I was told to do at my local reptile store). Their bedding is a mixture of plantation soil, leaf litter and corrugated cardboard.
> 
> Sorry if this has been asked numerous times. I'm relatively new to springtails and isopods.


I cannot recommend more highly that you should vent every culture you make. Do not rely on opening the container for airflow. That is unreliable and you can kill off months worth of time, work, and lives that you could have saved by simply popping a few holes.


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## Cakers (Sep 10, 2017)

Seems like all my isopods love cucumber.


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## varanoid (Jan 21, 2011)

I see excellent results with my springtails using yeast.

I use fish flakes for my isopods and have excellent results as well.


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## DamJoe (May 6, 2019)

indrap said:


> Did you mean to say your springtails are on charcoal? I would only feed baker's yeast to your springtails to be honest. I've had bad luck using anything else because they've always been vectors for mites and my cultures end up tanking in productivity.
> 
> I keep my isopods on 50% ABG 50% leaf litter, throw some egg cartons and pieces of cork in there so I can easily remove them to sell or whatever. I feed fish flakes and low sodium dried fish I find in pet stores to them. I only feed my dwarf whites fish flakes though, they go completely bananas for them.


Yes I meant to say springtails. sorry


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## DamJoe (May 6, 2019)

PhylloBro said:


> I cannot recommend more highly that you should vent every culture you make. Do not rely on opening the container for airflow. That is unreliable and you can kill off months worth of time, work, and lives that you could have saved by simply popping a few holes.


I was told to not poke holes because it could lead to getting fruit flies or gnats inside the culture. Not sure how true that was or is.


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## DamJoe (May 6, 2019)

I've been looking online and at some stores for bakers yeast. Non actually say bakers yeast. What brand or what does the container say that lets me know its bakers yeast.


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## PhylloBro (Sep 21, 2018)

DamJoe said:


> I was told to not poke holes because it could lead to getting fruit flies or gnats inside the culture. Not sure how true that was or is.


It does not prevent them from getting in believe me. I thought the same thing and did exactly what you are doing. You can find two separate posts on the forum by me, referring to the same exact isopod culture. One post was about white worms or gnat larvae in my culture, and the other one was about me killing my entire culture by suffocating them. Not putting vents did not prevent anything. All it did was kill my isopods and the worms with it. You wont be able to totally prevent worms, but avoiding overfeeding and excess moisture will greatly reduce infestation.


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## varanoid (Jan 21, 2011)

DamJoe said:


> I was told to not poke holes because it could lead to getting fruit flies or gnats inside the culture. Not sure how true that was or is.


I poke holes in all of my containers to allow some air exchange. I have experienced a complete culture crash do to suffocation. I do get the odd fungus gnat from time to time, but they don't bother me.


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## varanoid (Jan 21, 2011)

PhylloBro said:


> It does not prevent them from getting in believe me. I thought the same thing and did exactly what you are doing. You can find two separate posts on the forum by me, referring to the same exact isopod culture. One post was about white worms or gnat larvae in my culture, and the other one was about me killing my entire culture by suffocating them. Not putting vents did not prevent anything. All it did was kill my isopods and the worms with it. You wont be able to totally prevent worms, but avoiding overfeeding and excess moisture will greatly reduce infestation.


I remember your posts. In your situation, I believe your pests made their way in you culture with the substrate you used, ie they didn't make their way in through the vent holes you made. None the less, I completely agree that some ventilation is advisable, especially once they really start taking off. I have killed two thriving isopod cultures by not having ventilation. The only cultures I do not vent are my temperate springs, but I open and feed out daily.


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## hungrymonkeyx3 (Apr 20, 2014)

Try feeding fish food, however, make the flakes a little wet. It'll bring out the odor which will attract them.


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