# Help - Odd item in springtail culture (larva?)



## crested (May 15, 2011)

Hi All,

Need some help please.
Away the last few days, arrived home to find a few weird looking items in my springtail culture.

They are small, black, glossy bulbs... at first glance my initial reaction is they are a larve of some sort???
The only spot in the springtail culture I find them is on a couple pieces of dogfood I put in the container, as I heard it was a good food source for them (also have cucumber in there).

They are not moving at all, and are slightly larger than springtails themselves, as you can see in one of the pics...

Anyone have any clue what they are? Are they something I should worry about??? I had recently put some of these springtails in my tank recently (before these black things appeared)

Thkx


----------



## Rusty_Shackleford (Sep 2, 2010)

It's hard to tell from your pics, they didn't enlarge when I clicked on them. But my first initial reaction is, you have mites in your springtail culture. 
Here is an excellent thread on how to get rid of them

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/78573-how-clean-your-mite-contaminated-springtails.html


----------



## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

I've seen some strange things in my cultures but never whatever those things are. Interesting.


----------



## frankrom (Jan 14, 2012)

that is disgusting whatever it is haha...

Are all mites bad? Someone told me its not a big deal to have mites in a tank as they would just become frog food? I am trying to avoid mites


----------



## jacobi (Dec 15, 2010)

Probably some kind of slime mold.


----------



## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

woah... thats .... wow... ummmm...


----------



## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Looks like mold to me. No biggie


----------



## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Hard to tell without a bigger picture but I'm going with Jacobi and saying slime mold.
To the OP, feeding dog food will eventually bring mites into your springtail culture. I feed 100% live bakers yeast to my springtails.

To Frank and the OP, mites in your tank is no big deal. In fact I would put money on it that you already have mites in your vivs. Every viv will eventually get vivs. Usually sooner than later. Mites in you springtail cultures will usually eventually wipe out your springtail culture unless you clean them. Thanks Jon, for linking my cleaning thread. For this reason I use .3 micron filters on very tightly sealing containers for my springtails. That is also why I feed my springtails ONLY live bakers yeast. I also store them on mite paper.
Now Isopods are a different story. We feed our isopods a lot of different foods and that tends to bring mites. However when an isopod culture really gets cranking, they seem to starve out the mites. Isopods seem to do just fine with mites in the culture. You can periodically cut down the population of mites in your isopod cultures by putting a bit of Mango skin (make sure you washed it first) in the culture. The mites love it and will congregate on the skin which can later be removed and tossed.


----------



## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

hmmm ill have to give that mango trick a try!


----------



## J Teezy (Jan 25, 2012)

i use the 6 quart sterilite container from walmart for my springtails. I store them on paper towels sprayed with Mite Spray and have never had an issue. I feed mine uncooked rice. I just sprinkle some on top of the charcoal once a week, they seem to love it and are booming. I have more springtails than i know what to do with


----------



## crested (May 15, 2011)

Appreciate all the replies... I was quite concerned there for a bit, thinking I had some new creature/bug larva in there and had infected my tank as well.

After further digging and research, I too believe it's slime mold...

One interesting piece... I tried to pick up one of the pieces of dog food with this stuff all over it... it broke apart instantly and a HUGE cloud of springtails scurried out...

Seems as though they had sort of burrowed into the dog food and multiplied in there if this makes sense?!


----------



## ShelbyFFS (Apr 30, 2012)

It is odd looking.


----------



## fystol (Dec 10, 2011)

Hello Pumilo. How much do you feed in each springtail culture when using the bakers yeast? I have the live bakers yeast just been hesitant on using because I am unsure how much I should use. I have been using fish flake presently.
Thanks.


----------



## Ozydego (Mar 26, 2012)

on bakers yeast, I just give a light sprinkling over the surface every 2-3 days...


----------



## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

fystol said:


> Hello Pumilo. How much do you feed in each springtail culture when using the bakers yeast? I have the live bakers yeast just been hesitant on using because I am unsure how much I should use. I have been using fish flake presently.
> Thanks.


That is something you have to adjust for each culture. A smaller culture with light numbers might only take 1/16 or 1/8 teaspoon before you have problems with suffocation. Using the .3 micron filters that Frogparty and I talk about, will allow you to feed heavier.
Some of my larger cultures (5.6 liter) that have .3 micron filters and LOTS of springtails, I can feed a couple of teaspoons of yeast to without any dangers of suffocation.
This guideline only works if you have .3 micron filters so your culture can breath. Assuming it does, put a measured amount of yeast in. If it is gone in 2 or 3 days, I like to up the amount. I keep upping the amount until I can feed once a week and it never runs out of yeast. I find that most people using yeast are under feeding. Then they say that their culture doesn't produce on yeast. Yet they are comparing feeding a pinch of yeast, to a couple of large mushroom caps. To get good production on yeast, you want them to have yeast available at all times.


----------



## goof901 (Jan 9, 2012)

do you mist the yeast or just leave it dry? also can you tell me where you get yeast because i'm pretty sure the yeast i use has mites in it > : (
pm me


----------



## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

A springtail culture should be kept wet enough that the yeast will quickly hydrate. On charcoal cultures where the top surface seems to dry out, I will sometimes mist it.


----------



## fystol (Dec 10, 2011)

Pumilio I appreciate all the great help and advice. I am unsure about the filters do you a link for another thread which might show a picture and how you are using it?


----------



## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

fystol said:


> Pumilio I appreciate all the great help and advice. I am unsure about the filters do you a link for another thread which might show a picture and how you are using it?


I first discuss their use here. http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/66991-how-culture-isopods-woodlice-springtails-3.html 
You can buy your .3 micron discs here by the 10 pack. Tools for Air Filtration - Fungi.com That's the best price if you can use a 10 pack.
Little problem--I just checked their site and I cannot find them on there anymore! I put in an inquiry and will post when I find something out. In the meantime, I have some available here. http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/plants-supplies-classifieds/81074-3-micron-filter-discs.html
Here are some pics of how I am using them. I attach them with hot glue as silicone does not stick well to most plastics.


----------



## jpodnar (May 20, 2010)

Mites will take over very fast if you dont watch out for them and can end up stressing out your frog, so just becareful if it is mites


----------

