# Does anyone use very large cultures?



## Markw (Jun 27, 2011)

I mean, I'm terms of culture container size. Does anyone use sizes considered much larger than the containers generally used to culture our foods? If so, I'd love some photos, info, and results! 

Thanks,
Mark


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## varanoid (Jan 21, 2011)

I've heard of some people making massive cultures (like the size of the containers of water for water stands), but I would think that harvesting the flys would be a challenge at that size. No pictures though sorry. Maybe someone else has some.


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## bakaichi (Jun 27, 2009)

I Think for Springail, you can use any size container you desire, 
For me i am only able to keep spring blooming in 16 and 32 oz cup. When i try to use larger one the culture just doesn't seem to hit off. ( but i know there are ppl that has success)

For FF, if the container is too big, the media wont adheasive to it and possibilly fall out or run to the side when your are harvest due to its surface tension and weight. I think Most ppl stick to 32 oz cup with great result.


Jason


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## Markw (Jun 27, 2011)

Yea, I definately see what you mean about FFs. I was generally asking about Iso's, Springs, and beetles. I guess youd have the same problem with the beetles, though.

Mark


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## saruchan (Jun 12, 2010)

I've heard of people using milk jugs never tried it myself though.


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

i am using a shoe box sized container for springs... they do well, not booming at the moment like in the pic though? may need to put them some where a tiny bit warmer


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## Eric Walker (Aug 22, 2009)

I have been useing sweater boxes as master cultures for my dwarf white tropical woodlice and white temp springs now for about two years. both do just fine. The woodlice do incredible and i have about a thousand or two nymphs at the time Maby more. I use them to start smaller shoebox cultures as well. 
I only use an abg style mulch heavy with crushed leaves to culture my bugs on never any charcoal.


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## Markw (Jun 27, 2011)

That's interesting. I only wish I knew what a sweaterbox was. I hear it everywhere. Is it litterally a box that sweaters come in, or a box of a certain size?

Sorry if that is completely idiotic of me not to know. 
Mark


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## Eric Walker (Aug 22, 2009)

The ones referred to as sweaterboxes i am pretty sure are the 16 quart sterilite brand plastic storage containers found at all sorts of places like walmart and dollar stores. A shoe box would be the 4 quart boxes. If not than those are the sizes i have been useing. But the one i am referring to as a sweater box has a label with a picture of a button down shirt inside of a storage tub on it so i am pretty sure that would be the sweater box.


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## A&K Reptiles (Jul 22, 2011)

I just refer to them as tubs. 

A&K Reptiles
[email protected]
(607)-372-4195


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## boabab95 (Nov 5, 2009)

i culture my microfauna in Large tubs [ill try to get pics] and find if i leave them for a few months, when i go back to them, the culture has more bugs than soil...lol

I honestly cant see how a large FF culture would work, since i can't even prevent escapes from my 32oz cultures!!![unless there was a tube that could be plugged and unplugged to let FFs through...]

for the microfauna, i just throw in about 1/2 a cucumber [cut into cubes], some mushroos and a bit of fish flakes, and forget about it...If I'm building multiple tanks at the time, i set up smaller [i think they are 150-200oz] cultures...aside from the larger one...


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## Samtheman (May 10, 2006)

I have a 30 gallon plastic container that is seeded with tropical springtails I got from josh's frogs. Its a bottom layer of about 4 inches of clay and charcoal. There's a 12 inch middle layer of organic top soil and cocofiber. And on top of that I have a 6 inch thick layer of leaves. On the top layer there are also white isopods as well as a species of psuedoscorpion that I acquired from a hobbyist in Washington. I feed whatever vegetables that are in the fridge that I don't eat in time myself.


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## Markw (Jun 27, 2011)

Woah now that sounds like something interesting! I'd love a photo of that, and possibly more info on the psuedoscorpion! 

Mark


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

how fast do psuedoscorpion reproduce? i assume slowly, but i bet thats perfect size bug for feeding?


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## Markw (Jun 27, 2011)

> Pseudoscorpions have an extended life cycle of 1 to 3 years, depending on the location and temperature. The mating ritual for pseudosporpions is similar to the dance of true scorpions. The male pseudoscorpion produces a spermatophore, or sperm packet, and pulls the female over it during the mating dance. The female carries a silken egg pouch of 12 to 24 eggs on her belly for about 3 weeks. The hatched brood ride on the females back until they get older. The young look like the adults except smaller; they will molt three times over several years before becoming adults. Adults live for 2 to 3 years and females may produce several broods a year. Pseudoscorpions overwinter in silken cocoons.​


​

Source: http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/factsheet/pseudoscorpion08.pdf

Mark


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## Samtheman (May 10, 2006)

I don't have photos currently. I'm in the process of moving from upstate NY to NYC. So right now, my culture is sitting in my friend's barn.

I've spoken to people who've had psuedoscorpions popping up by accident in their springtail cultures in the past. I believe it was Matt Mirabello I talked to about this. I don't know anyone else who has deliberately tried to culture psuedoscorpions for dart frog food.

Pseudoscorpions like what springtails like as far as habitat is concerned. They prey on springtails and mites in the wild so its a no brainer really. I figured since my culture was big enough I could introduce a predator that would add variety to my dartfrog diet. 

I got my specimens from Pete Clausen of Bugsincyberspace.com, I have two different varieties. One is from forested areas that prefers leaf litter. I have another form that comes from the rocky coastal area of Washington. This one I have in a container with charcoal and water like many springtail cultures are set up. I figure that that might better simulate the boulder fields of its natural habitat. I've had definite success with breeding the leaf litter variety, but I haven't had the coastal form long enough to see success. As far as I know, I'm one of a few people who is bothering to work with the coastal variety and its mostly guess work.

The dart frogs go after psuedoscorpions like they go after springtails and fruit flies, with relish.


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## arielelf (May 23, 2007)

Would eating these cause the frogs to become poisonous again? And no, I do not want my frogs to be poisonous!!


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## Samtheman (May 10, 2006)

Psuedoscorpions are not venomous. They do not have stingers like the larger scorpions do. Also, I don't believe venom is something that would make dart frogs poisonous since they don't normally consume them in the wild. I believe dart frogs get their toxic secretions from ants and mites but I'm not 100% on that.


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