# Diverse microfauna



## Elisa (Jan 5, 2016)

I currently have one very small terrarium with no frogs, and am planning on setting up a larger (55 gallon) vivarium that will eventually be home to some thubnails.

I find it would be very interesting to have a diverse microfaunal community in the tank - both for diversity in the frogs' diet and for its own sake- i think it is interesting to have a wider variety of life in a viv.

My current terrarium has grindal worms, springtails and some kind of soil mite; I have also found a source for isopods for the new viv.

Has anyone had any luck introducing other kinds of insects into a dart frog viv? I'd like to have as much biodiversity as possible while still keeping it safe for the frogs...


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## Jjl (Feb 2, 2014)

The worms are more of a pest than anything else. Harmless, but aesthetically unpleasing--especially when they start proliferating in your tank. Mites usually appear inevitably, so you don't have to worry about "intentionally" keeping them. Again, most people dislike having mites in their tanks because a) some feed on springtail eggs, b) they can irritate frogs by riding around on them (especially froglets), and c) they can be hard to control once their population gets big enough. 

Some people have tried earthworms like red wrigglers, but they tend to foul up tanks as well--turning substrates mushy, taking up residence in bromeliads, frequently leaving corpses around, etc. 

Long story short, springtails and isopods are time-tested staple janitors for a reason. They're pretty inobtrusive (with some exceptions), eat only what we want them to, and aren't total eyesores (although beauty is in the mind of the beholder, so...)

I know some people have tried things like firebrats and silverfish, but I don't have any experience with those.


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## Myrmicinae (Jun 30, 2014)

I would agree that you should stick with isopods and springtails. There are many species available through various sellers, including some very colorful ones. For example, RoachCrossing sells dozens of species of each, most of which should be suitable for a vivarium - isopod section, springtail section.

That said, if you want to build a smaller vivarium without dart frogs, there are plenty of other invertebrates that you could experiment with (e.g., orchid mantises or similar, hissing cockroaches, dampwood termites, etc.).


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## Myrmicinae (Jun 30, 2014)

I just noticed that you're from Canada. Unfortunately, that will make obtaining some of these more exotic species much more difficult.  All of the sellers I listed are US-based.


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## Jjl (Feb 2, 2014)

Myrmicinae said:


> I just noticed that you're from Canada. Unfortunately, that will make obtaining some of these more exotic species much more difficult.  All of the sellers I listed are US-based.


Try Mark Pepper at Understory Enterprises.


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## RabidSimian (Sep 25, 2015)

You can always head to canadart.org and place an add in the wanted section.

I have a few isopod species, but I'm on the other side of Canada.


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