# Best place for springtails and isopods



## Dr.frogthumb (Jan 1, 2019)

Hey all, just wondering where to order/pickup springtail or isopod cultures, which kind are best in your opinion and why.


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## Do_Gon (Aug 18, 2018)

Have you checked the marketplace on this forum? Members here will sell some from time to time. Also a good place to find plants for sale.  Good luck!


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## Dr.frogthumb (Jan 1, 2019)

I actually just got access to the marketplace section of the forums. About to burn a huge hole in my pocket, excited to get frogging lol


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## Thesk8nmidget (Aug 10, 2019)

Isopodsource and the roach ranch have great prices for isopods and good selection.


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## Stiles (Feb 24, 2020)

Dr.frogthumb said:


> Hey all, just wondering where to order/pickup springtail or isopod cultures, which kind are best in your opinion and why.


if you're still looking or open to new places, I found someone who knows there stuff, has by far the best prices and a variety!

she always has 50% off sales i bought zebras for $6, u cant beat that! i'm yet to see someone beat that!

iheartbugs.com

use PROMOCODE: JUNE40 for an extra 40% off this month!

let them know Narine sent you lol.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

I collected and isolated a new type of springtail just this morning. That puts me at 8 varieties of springtails I'm currently working. This morning's isolation are black, vaguely diamond shaped, and about the same length as Folsomia candida, but a bit meatier. Now to start their cleaning process via "generational turnaround", to help insure they are safe for use by the hobby. "Generational Turnaround" is a process I learned from my good friend, Ed. I was only able to find about 5 or 6 of these new guys, but I've started cultures with less. I actually much prefer to try starting new species in very small numbers. It makes the cleaning process easier. 



Pumilo said:


> You also have the risks of introducing pathogens into your viv, anytime you add something to your viv. You can't really sterilize a live insect.
> You can "clean" them through "generational turnaround".
> "Generational turnaround" goes off the theory that pathogens need an appropriate host to thrive and reproduce. The more generations you culture, without the host, the safer they are for other vivs use. I cultured my original start of 8 Silver Springtails, until they were crawling with babies. I then collected a small amount of ONLY babies, and dumped the remaining springtails back into my Tarapoto viv (where they were collected from).
> I raised the babies up until they were adults, and the culture was crawling with new babies again. Collect the new babies for a culture and you are now two generation in. (Dump the old culture back in the original viv).
> I repeated this through 5 generations before I began to use them.


Since I've begun using clay cultures, I've discovered a trick that makes it much faster to run the process. Introduce half a dozen to a dozen adults in a sterile clay culture. When you see babies, pick out every adult. Run that culture until you see adults, and babies. Again, pick out the adults and half growns, leaving just the juvies. That puts us three generations into cleaning a new species of microfauna, which just happens to be the generation I am currently working with on my Rutabaga Racers springtails. Those will be ready to present to the hobby in no time. Hoping to get some good trades out of the first release.

Before somebody starts spouting off about the dangers of bringing things from outdoors into your vivarium, there are right and wrong ways to do this. Think about it, where do you think every single microfauna species originally came from? I put a hint for you outside your living room window. Really, go look.


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## varanoid (Jan 21, 2011)

Pumilo said:


> I collected and isolated a new type of springtail just this morning. That puts me at 8 varieties of springtails I'm currently working. This morning's isolation are black, vaguely diamond shaped, and about the same length as Folsomia candida, but a bit meatier. Now to start their cleaning process via "generational turnaround", to help insure they are safe for use by the hobby. "Generational Turnaround" is a process I learned from my good friend, Ed. I was only able to find about 5 or 6 of these new guys, but I've started cultures with less. I actually much prefer to try starting new species in very small numbers. It makes the cleaning process easier.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Found a new type at a spot I fish that I hope will work out this past month. Finally got a starter culture going this weekend. Hope it is a viable species. Have found several that I hoped would work out that never did. Or at least weren't worth the trouble.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

varanoid said:


> Found a new type at a spot I fish that I hope will work out this past month. Finally got a starter culture going this weekend. Hope it is a viable species. Have found several that I hoped would work out that never did. Or at least weren't worth the trouble.


Fishers...Pfff! Bunch of shmucks with right shoulders that still work, if you ask me.
Let me know if they work out. Pretty sure we could figure out a mutually beneficial trade. I think my Rutabaga Racers will have a lot to offer the hobby. So far, they breed quick, and their movements are bound to incite feeding fun. They are very fast and, well, spastic. Plus, they were discovered eating an overwintered Rutabaga I grew! What more could you want from a springtail? Besides, these little buggers better be viable and useful to the hobby! Little buggers ATE MY RUTABAGA!


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