# problem feeding my thumbnails pls help!



## moluccan (Aug 16, 2010)

hi guys i just installed msiting system to my lamasi vivarium(about 8 of them in there) as i realised my temperature was getting too hot in my room. problem is feeding now. whenever the misting comes on there will be many water droplets around the tank. during feeding time when the pinheads crawl out of the feeding dish they start drowning once in contact with water. and the frogs dont get a chance to eat. any suggestions on views on how you guys feed your thumbnails in a heavily planted viv would be great... pls help

forgot to add i can't get springtails and stuff like that in my country so main diet is pinheads


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## McBobs (Apr 26, 2007)

Culturing fruit flies would be a great start. Much cheaper than crickets, easily sustainable and best of all, they don't drown in little droplets of water. 

Sent from my T-Mobile G1 using Tapatalk


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## SmackoftheGods (Jan 28, 2009)

If the water is really that bad maybe switch to a system where you only spray every other day. Only feed on the days where you aren't spraying....


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## frogfreak (Mar 4, 2009)

Fruit flies would be good if you can get them.

Try a small glass dish for the pinheads. They can't climb glass well.


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## Crazy frog (Aug 8, 2010)

i am having the same problem too, every time my misting system is on,all my pinhead will be dead.
Also i cant misting my tank ones a day cause the temp is 29-30 without misting and humidity will drop as i am using mesh screen top.
To keep the temp low,i use a chiller to chill my water for misting till is 23 and mist 10-18 times a day to keep the temp at 26-27. 
I was thinking of FF...and let them run free in the tank...wont they drown too?
Also would it be possible to culture springtail in this wet condition in my tank?


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## ChrisK (Oct 28, 2008)

Both of you need to get many wingless melanogaster ff cultures as fast as possible to feed from and also learn to culture them, then learn about dusting/supplementation etc - you also need air conditioners, there's no real suitable substitute for them for temp control in hot weather.


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## ChrisK (Oct 28, 2008)

Crazy frog said:


> Also i cant misting my tank ones a day cause the temp is 29-30 without misting and humidity will drop as i am using mesh screen top.
> Also would it be possible to culture springtail in this wet condition in my tank?


What kind of tank is it - for most mesh tops you can lay a piece of glass on top of all or most of it to hold the humidity in.

It's usually hard to culture springtails in extremely wet/saturated conditions.


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## BOOSHIFIED (Jun 23, 2009)

To go with what the others have said. Once you start culturing fruitflys you will never want to deal with crickets again.


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## rcteem (Mar 24, 2009)

I agree with Chris. IMO pinheads shouldnt be fed to thumbs at all


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## moluccan (Aug 16, 2010)

many thanks to all who have answered my queries. i am currently trying to get the fruitflies culture. currently im using an aqarium fan to keep the temp lower thus i mist more. guess i really have to look into the temp issue. usually for thumbnails will you guys dump the fruit flies in and let the frogs hunt them or do you use a feeding dish of sorts??


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## BOOSHIFIED (Jun 23, 2009)

moluccan said:


> many thanks to all who have answered my queries. i am currently trying to get the fruitflies culture. currently im using an aqarium fan to keep the temp lower thus i mist more. guess i really have to look into the temp issue. usually for thumbnails will you guys dump the fruit flies in and let the frogs hunt them or do you use a feeding dish of sorts??


make sure you dust them with vitamins and then just toss them in there.

Here is the way I make my FF cultures and it works really well and is pretty easy (I took this from a thread on the site...not sure who to give credit to)

_Basic ratios are 8 parts potato flakes, 1 part sugar, 1 part brewers yeast. With that recipe I use a measuring cup, use 8 cups potato flakes, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup brewers yeast into a closeable container like maybe a tupperware container you would store cereal in, shake it up, use it to make cultures when necessary, a good measuring ratio to start with from there is 1/3 cup media into a fruitfly cup, add 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup vinegar and swirl it, a pinch of the bakers yeast on top, add excelsior or coffee filters and like 50-75 flie_s


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## ChrisK (Oct 28, 2008)

moluccan said:


> many thanks to all who have answered my queries. i am currently trying to get the fruitflies culture. currently im using an aqarium fan to keep the temp lower thus i mist more. guess i really have to look into the temp issue. usually for thumbnails will you guys dump the fruit flies in and let the frogs hunt them or do you use a feeding dish of sorts??


Really you need multiple cultures, you need some to feed from now and some to create cultures from (some cultures crash or just don't produce also). Watch all of these:

YouTube - expertvillage feeding dart frogs

YouTube - expertvillage culturing fruit flies


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## Freeradical53 (Jan 25, 2008)

Can you use a taller glass or plastic feeder dish for the crickets? The frogs probably won't have a problem getting in or out but the crickets can't climb well.


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