# springtail media



## Frogstang29 (Oct 29, 2007)

what's the best media for culturing springtails with? I have them in my temp viv and they are breeding like crazy with just the fir and sphagnum substrate. Is there something better than that or a specific way to maximize the yield?


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## MJ (Jun 16, 2005)

I culture my springtails in the following method which works very well for me.

Take out container (plastic kind you get from a Chinese take out)
half filled with Irish peat moss


I drench the peat moss then compress it and drain off the excess 

add a few springtails and feed with baby *rice cereal*, *mushroom powder *(I dry mushrooms in the oven then smash them up with a pessal and mortar) and *brewers yeast*. I use a salt shaker to feed takes 10 seconds.

Then feed 2 times a week after this goes.

Standard frog room temp of 72.


This method produces a huge amount of springtails for me.


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## Frogstang29 (Oct 29, 2007)

could I use dried sphagnum moss instead? The other stuff is easy and I have a bunch of sphagnum laying around.


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## MJ (Jun 16, 2005)

It's not actually Moss dude its Peat.


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## Frogstang29 (Oct 29, 2007)

where can I get the peat?


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## MJ (Jun 16, 2005)

If I remember right home depot does but it's been a long time since I shopped there


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Did the chap from England just say "dude"?? :shock: 

I feed my springs quality fish flakes and find it to be......spot on as a food source.......lol


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## Nubster (Jun 16, 2008)

What about just charcoal with an inch or so of water in the bottom for media?


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## Frognut (Jan 31, 2005)

I have started a few a bit different with a sand bottom about an inch then coco fiber and spag moss mixed fine another inch atop the sand then live oak leaves covering the soil , diried mushrooms and yeast once a week. I place a mushroom slice on a chunck of fern pannel and the springs all jump on for a trip to Vivland :lol: This method has worked best for me without crashing. this is very close to the soil structure that I see springs living in, verry loose soil with a thin organic layer covered in leaf litter.


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## kristy55303 (Apr 27, 2008)

i just use the charcoal method with an inch to two in the container with water and feed yeast. mine have been booming very nicely, and i find the convenience of just draining the springtails into the vivs is very easy, then refilling as you'll still have springtails, and on another journey towwards reproduction to get it booming again quickly. kristy


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## MJ (Jun 16, 2005)

Philsuma said:


> Did the chap from England just say "dude"?? :shock:
> 
> I feed my springs quality fish flakes and find it to be......spot on as a food source.......lol


The "chap" from England spent a good 6 years i south jersey


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## DizzyD (Sep 19, 2006)

Yeah Jersey!!!!!!!!! 

Trying most of the above culturing techniques, best for me so far has been fish flakes(food, dude) and old "pre-owned" viv substrate. Lots of umm, well, frog poo. It is starting to "wear out" though. We will see.


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

Ive had great luck with tropical springs on straight coco bedding. I feed oats, and have plenty of springs (I use 14x20'' sterilite containers).


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## skunk (Sep 28, 2008)

*Re: where to get springtails*

Hi I'am new to this board. I Have one Dart Frog and one will be here the 14th. I Where can I get springtails to seed my tanks.? I feed Fruit Flys with vitaimins. I have a 10 gal going up and a 45 that has been up for a yr with one Dart frog and a water fall. Thanks for the info


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## CHuempfner (Apr 27, 2008)

*Re: where to get springtails*

I use both the charcoal method and the coco fiber method and they both have done well. The coco fiber method is easy to see them in while the charcoal method is much easier to flush springs into the viv. 
I feed mine a variety of dried rice, sprinkled yeast, mushrooms, fish flakes, and I have tried dried pasta. The dried pasta didn't work so well...it just got white fuzzy mold.



skunk said:


> Hi I'am new to this board. I Have one Dart Frog and one will be here the 14th. I Where can I get springtails to seed my tanks.? I feed Fruit Flys with vitaimins. I have a 10 gal going up and a 45 that has been up for a yr with one Dart frog and a water fall. Thanks for the info


I have ordered mine from several places but most recently I ordered some from Joshsfrogs.com and they came in well and have done their job  

Crystal


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