# Springtail feeding



## joshg (Apr 4, 2012)

So i dumped half of my springtail culture into my viv a while ago and was just wondering how I keep up the culture? Do I need to feed them? Also do I need to feed the springs in the viv? Keeping in mind there is no frogs in there yet. Thanks


----------



## JacobP (Feb 21, 2012)

I usually do not feed springtails in a newly established viv. They seem to do fine on the leaf litter, and any damaged plant pieces from planting the new viv. A pinch of bakers yeast under the leaf litter or some mushrooms is a tactic some choose, and does work well when I have tried it in the past. But it is not necessary. 

How long till you add frogs?


----------



## joshg (Apr 4, 2012)

Ok thanks. Do u feed your culture? I've been adding bits of rotten veg to it. Just mastering FF culturing before I buy frogs so a week or so.


----------



## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Here Josh. http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/66991-how-culture-isopods-woodlice-springtails.html


----------



## joshg (Apr 4, 2012)

cheers mate that was a HUGE help


----------



## frankrom (Jan 14, 2012)

Pumilo/Doug covered all that needs to be covered when it comes to culturing springtails and isopods!

What I did was put one culture in my tank and one in a large container because I was creating a large culture.

My culture: I feed it dog food and fish food... this culture is large and is INFESTEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED with springtails it is disgusting... absolutely booming. It is insane

My tank: I throw in slices of cucumber... seems to work well... they eat it pretty fast and when it starts to turn to mush there are a TON of springtails on it.

My tank is so infested with springtails it is not even funny... almost problematic. My frogs don't really see the need to hunt fruit flies which are dusted.


----------



## joshg (Apr 4, 2012)

iv'e been using carrot but the springtails haven't really taken much of an interest in it. I'l try cucumber. And what sort of fish food? Just standard tropical flake? Cheers


----------



## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Springtails eat liquified material. That's a nice way of saying disgustingly rotted. With many foods you won't see them eating it until it has begun to liquify. Besides the fact that with many other foods you are bringing in a large chance of mites. This is especially true of three of the most popular feeds, dog food, fish food, and mushrooms.
If you feed active bakers yeast to your springtails, it is instantly usable as it liquifies on contact with moisture. Active bakers yeast is also a pure culture so there is much less chance of bringing mites into your culture.


----------



## bobrez (Sep 10, 2011)

Can I ask what brand and what size of Active bakers yeast, do (should) you use?
Thanks Bob


----------



## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

bobrez said:


> Can I ask what brand and what size of Active bakers yeast, do (should) you use?
> Thanks Bob


Any brand is fine but check this out. http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/fo...sopods-woodlice-springtails-2.html#post585620


----------



## joshg (Apr 4, 2012)

awesome. thanks again Pumilo


----------

