# Springtails won't come to their food



## SirKyleP (Dec 7, 2013)

Hey guys, I am trying to get my springtails out of the mixed media culture I bought them in, into my charcoal culture I just set up. I tried the whole tree fern piece with some yeast on it, but there would only be a couple on at a time. Never a swarm like i've seen in pictures. I am now trying a similar method, but with a small deli cup inside the soil, however I left it overnight and still they don't seem to be attracted to it. What should I do?

Thanks,
Kyle


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## vachyner (Aug 10, 2013)

What I did was make a few charcoal cultures and then put some of the ABG culture in each one. I fed the new cultures only yeast and as they grew I just pulled out clumps of the ABG. After about a month I drained the water from them into my vivs and the rest of the ABG went out with it. Now I have nothing but booming charcoal cultures.


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## shrimppimp (Aug 10, 2013)

to get your springtails from a soil or mixed media substrate just flood the containerwith water and all of the springs will float to the surface,just pour off into your new substrate..

good luck
kev.


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## frog dude (Nov 11, 2011)

May I ask why are you trying to move the bugs into a charcoal culture if they are already in an organic substrate style culture? I have had equal success with organic dirt like media and charcoal with all spring species I have, except temperate silvers. Those are definitely an organic media bug.


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## vachyner (Aug 10, 2013)

frog dude said:


> May I ask why are you trying to move the bugs into a charcoal culture if they are already in an organic substrate style culture? I have had equal success with organic dirt like media and charcoal with all spring species I have, except temperate silvers. Those are definitely an organic media bug.


My reasoning was simply because feeding them out from ABG is annoying. Organic substrate is fine for seeding vivs if you're gonna dump the stuff in there, but I much prefer charcoal. I don't even waste time flooding, blowing, and then dumping the water. All I do is grab out a few chunks of coal with the most springs on them and give em a few taps over the viv and I'm done.


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## SirKyleP (Dec 7, 2013)

Thanks guys! Over time the springs just went into my little deli cup. Most are now in the charcoal culture. The reason I am going with charcoal is because I have a breeding kit from NEHERP for charcoal raising, and I've read a lot that they do better there. Also for the ease of drawing for the culture as well.

Thanks!


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## Van Robinson (Feb 13, 2013)

Try using an fresh avocado skin/shell. The springtails will be all over it and tap them off wherever you are trying to put them


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## SirKyleP (Dec 7, 2013)

Thanks for the tip, I will have to try that next time. The deli cup ended up working out. I just needed to wait a little longer. And I made a few trips into my charcoal culture. The avocado sounds easy enough though.


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