# Silver Temperate Springtails



## Pumilo

I just wanted to post a little information on the Silver springtails I've been working with and shipping out recently.
The temperate silver springtails do NOT do well on a charcoal substrate. They will do much better on an organic media. They have been doing great for me on a 75% leaf litter, and 25% coco fiber substrate. Make sure you do your best to sterilize it to prevent mites.
I've been feeding them the same as I feed all my springtails, 100% active bakers yeast.
Production on these guys has been VERY nice! I encourage anyone who got some from me, to pass some on to a friend. I would love to see them well established in the hobby.


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## JPccusa

What is a good way to sterilize organic substrate? Would boiling alone do the trick?


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## TheCoop

Not sure about boiling but I do Microwave mine for a few minutes.. Thanks for the info Doug..


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## Pumilo

I boil mine for about 10 minutes, then let is sit and steep in the hot water for at least an hour. I has been working good so far. You need to make sure it is a good boil, not a simmer. Keep your leaves and coco fiber moving around. This way everything gets good contact with the hot water. If you were to try putting it in a cheesecloth or something, for less mess, the heat may not fully penetrate all the substrate.
Of course an autoclave or a pressure cooker would be an even better method.


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## JPccusa

I tried pressure cooking leaf litter before. It was not fun to clean tanned water from the entire white kitchen. #NeverAgain


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## boombotty

Mine that I got from you are doing good. I am keeping them on a 50:50 mix of live oak and ABG mix and feeding brewers yeast/powdered mushroom mix. I'll try the active yeast and see if that makes a difference in production.


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## Pumilo

The biggest reason I use active bakers yeast is to help prevent the introduction of mites.


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## goof901

And a chunk of tree fern for easy harvest


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## Reef_Haven

Do you maintain the same moisture levels as isos? No pooling water on the bottom, like with charcoal?


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## Pumilo

Yes, pretty much, Kevin. I shoot for damp, but not damp enough that you could get any water to run out if you were to try "wringing it out".


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## Pumilo

goof901 said:


> And a chunk of tree fern for easy harvest


Yep, gotta love tree fern harvests!


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## boombotty

That's a good idea, I'm going to do that. That'll make it way easier with these being so small.


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## Brian317

The silvers I got from you Doug are really booming! I'll have to split them off soon and give some to the local froggers around here as well as start some additional cultures.  I use your substrate method with great results.


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## Pumilo

Way to go Brian! Get them suckers into circulation.


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## scoy

Do yoy think abg mix will work as well as coco leaf mix?


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## frogparty

Yes 
Add some crushed up leaf litter to it and voila!


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## Pumilo

scoy said:


> Do yoy think abg mix will work as well as coco leaf mix?


Sure, but do like 50% leaf litter. They really seem to do well on it.


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## avlo

good to see someone else working with these, I've never actually tried to culture them though they always just appear in my tanks lol but they seem to do really well maybe even better than the white


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## Pumilo

avlo said:


> good to see someone else working with these, I've never actually tried to culture them though they always just appear in my tanks lol but they seem to do really well maybe even better than the white


This particular type of Silvers reproduce extremely fast. Much faster than other Silvers I've seen. You're right, they establish VERY well in your viv. I'm trying to get them in wide circulation.


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## wikiwakawakawee

Ive already had to split my cultures of these from you about 3 times in about 3 weeks, and seeded once in my tank. I used ABG mix, leaf litter, and i boiled some roots i found while digging, and they love roots! Im not sure, but i think the roots are making them do even better than just ABG and leaf litter.Also put some of those roots into the Pinks cultures, and they seem to be catching up with the silvers!


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## GP dynamite

I've already split the one I got from Doug and they're booming fast. Keeping mine in 50/50 ABG and leaf litter


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## TheCoop

Mine have also had a population explosion! Have a few locals to share them with..


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## ZookeeperDoug

Man, I set these up in a LARGE sealable Tupperware with one of the fine micron filters and they absolutely exploded. I harvested what seems like millions into each of my Vivs and grow outs for froglets and the main culture is still booming. 

Doug, seriously, thank you for doing the legwork to get this awesome spring established into the hobby. My froglets all thank you.


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## Pumilo

You are welcome. Thanks for your input on them, Doug. Can I ask what type of substrate and feed you are working them on?


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## GP dynamite

I have the culture on 50/50 ABG and leaf litter. Going strong.


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## MikeM670

Pumilo said:


> The biggest reason I use active bakers yeast is to help prevent the introduction of mites.


I'm gonna bite on this comment and ask for a explanation!


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## scoy

Vegtable scrapes from your fridge have mite eggs. Mites will crash your springs.


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## Pumilo

MikeM670 said:


> I'm gonna bite on this comment and ask for a explanation!


Mites are everywhere. Dog foods, and some fish foods contain grains. They are made with as low of temperatures as possible, and packaged in less than perfect conditions. Grain mite eggs MAY be introduced to your cultures through their use. Fruits, veggies, and mushrooms carry a very high chance of carrying detritus mites into your culture. Brewers yeast is a waste product of the brewing industry, and also MAY contain mite eggs.
Live, active bakers yeast is a pure culture. It is made pure by necessity. You need a pure culture to get a good tasting bread. If you store your active bakers yeast properly, there is virtually no chance of your active bakers yeast carrying mites or mite eggs into your springtail culture.


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## frog dude

These temperate silvers are absolutely amazing! Small enough to feed even the most unusually small newly morphed Ranitomeya, and breed like crazy. It seems like I need to split every culture in half every other week lol


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## polishpower

My Silvers are not booming like everyone elses anyone have any tips. I have 50% leaf litter and 40% eco earth and 10% charcoal. I feed them mushrooms and yeast. Do they just take longer or do I need to change things around. The pink I got from you Doug are BOOMING. I have been putting them into my tanks weekly. Thanks for all your help guys

P.S. Dont get me wrong I am still seeing a lot of silvers in their maybe its just because i have them in a 6qt container and they are smaller then the pinks.


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## Pumilo

polishpower said:


> My Silvers are not booming like everyone elses anyone have any tips. I have 50% leaf litter and 40% eco earth and 10% charcoal. I feed them mushrooms and yeast. Do they just take longer or do I need to change things around. The pink I got from you Doug are BOOMING. I have been putting them into my tanks weekly. Thanks for all your help guys
> 
> P.S. Dont get me wrong I am still seeing a lot of silvers in their maybe its just because i have them in a 6qt container and they are smaller then the pinks.


I'm guessing they are just harder to see as they are darker. How long have you had them? Could take a bit to fill up a 6 qt. container. Of course feeding mushrooms is up to you, but mushrooms are pretty likely to bring mites into the culture. Mites will slow down springtail production and can eventually wipe out a springtail culture.
Try letting them finish off the food that they have. Give them a couple days to go hungry. They feed them a nice pinch of yeast and watch that spot for a couple days. That may give you an idea how many are really in there.


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## Bunsincunsin

Doug, are these something you harvested locally or got from someone else?


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## Pumilo

Bunsincunsin said:


> Doug, are these something you harvested locally or got from someone else?


A link from another thread, explaining that.



Pumilo said:


> Temperate whites, temperate silvers, tropical pinks, and temperate tomocerus, are all born oblong rather than round. I've read about "globular" springtails. Perhaps they are those? I've also read they are difficult to culture, though.
> 
> My specific temperate silvers were collected from my Understory Tarapoto viv. I cleaned them via Ed's posted methods of "generational turnaround". They seem to reproduce much faster that older silvers in the hobby. I have tens of thousands of them now, started from 8 adults!!
> 
> "Generational turnaround" goes off the theory that pathogens need an appropriate host to thrive and reproduce. The more generations you culture, without the host, the safer they are for other vivs use. I cultured my original 8 until they were crawling with babies. I then collected a small amount of ONLY babies, and dumped the remaining springtails back into my Tarapoto viv.
> I raised the babies up until they were adults, and the culture was crawling with new babies again. Collect the new babies for a culture and you are now two generation in. (Dump the old culture back in the original viv).
> I repeated this through 5 generations before I began to use them.


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## Bunsincunsin

So, _initially_ these were hitchhikers found in your Tarapoto vivarium?


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## Pumilo

Bunsincunsin said:


> So, _initially_ these were hitchhikers found in your Tarapoto vivarium?


Yes, they were. Possibly came in on a plant, or possibly on some leaf litter.


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## Bunsincunsin

Cool. I recently collected two species of springtails, and at least one of them has begun to reproduce, that I will be using the "generational turnaround" method on; thanks for that info!


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## Gnarly

I just received a culture of these guys from a local frogger. Your springtails are really starting to get around Doug.


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## Pumilo

Bunsincunsin said:


> Cool. I recently collected two species of springtails, and at least one of them has begun to reproduce, that I will be using the "generational turnaround" method on; thanks for that info!


Ooh ooh! Me first when they get going!



Gnarly said:


> I just received a culture of these guys from a local frogger. Your springtails are really starting to get around Doug.


Great! I think these guys are good for the hobby. Besides how fast they reproduce, a positively metallic springtail is just too cool!
Since they appear to be different than other silvers, maybe I should be calling them "Platinum springtails"!


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## brog32

Got some too Doug! Thanks, these things REPRODUCE!


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## TheCoop

F.y.I if you call them Platinum price triples ;-)


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## DrawntoLife

Hey Doug how much is a culture? And do you also culture white wood lice?


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## Pumilo

DrawntoLife said:


> Hey Doug how much is a culture? And do you also culture white wood lice?


PM sent with links to ad and culturing links.


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## DrawntoLife

Hey Doug, I think I got some of yor springs at the scads meeting last night, the culture is crazy booming and it seems to be ready for splitting, if these aren't the type you keep will they still be okay on peat and leaf litter? I like charcoal to an extent but having to flood it seems lame to me so I'd rather take a couple leaves for seeding and feeding, ill be using your guide for all the bugs I get gotta find your thread again for the giant orange ISos cause that's next on my list. Thanks again for always answering my pretty annoying questions you've been a big help and if I succeed I feel I owe it to your help


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## Pumilo

So far, every springtail I've worked with has done well on 75% leaf litter, 25% coco fiber. Any and all silver springtails are reported to do much better, or even require, a more organic style substrate. I know, I know, charcoal is organic too, but I'm talking about leaf litter, coco fiber, dirt, and/or sphagnum type organic. Silvers just don't seem to do well for any amount of time, on a charcoal substrate.
I think you are looking for this http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/fo...-isopods-woodlice-springtails.html#post585447


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## DrawntoLife

Thank you!!!! And yeah I'll be switching them over to mason jars with peat and leaf litter regardless of their type. Where can I get the mite proof filters I can put on mason jars? Have yet to see that


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## Pumilo

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/94348-3-micron-filters-why-how-where.html


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## Pumilo

If your silver springtails (or any springtails for that matter) slow down in production, and you don't see an obvious mite problem, then it is probably time to split the culture. This will replace 50% of the substrate with new, sterile substrate. Production should quickly rise again.


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## epiphytes etc.

I just wanted to say how productive these are. I've already distributed them to several people, seeded a dozen tanks, and still have a booming mother culture, all in just a few months. Thanks, Doug!


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## ZookeeperDoug

epiphytes etc. said:


> I just wanted to say how productive these are. I've already distributed them to several people, seeded a dozen tanks, and still have a booming mother culture, all in just a few months. Thanks, Doug!


Couldn't agree more. One old leaf from a culture into a new Viv or grow out and soon they're teeming! If you shine a flashlight in my Vivs at night the leaf litter looks like a vampire in a bad tween movie.


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## epiphytes etc.

ZookeeperDoug said:


> If you shine a flashlight in my Vivs at night the leaf litter looks like a vampire in a bad tween movie.


Lawls! ....


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## InvertaHerp

Can these (or other springs in the hobby) cause an issue in a home if they escaped?


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## Pumilo

InvertaHerp said:


> Can these (or other springs in the hobby) cause an issue in a home if they escaped?


Most springtails require too moist of conditions to live in your home. Further, they can only eat mold or liquified (rotted) matter. If springtails can survive in your home, you have much bigger problems than loose springtails.


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## Pumilo

Thanks guys, keep spreading these around for me!


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## Dlanigan

I recently acquired some silvers and I must admit they are pretty cool. They are almost a metallic silver when viewed in good light which makes them easily identifiable in the vivarium when alongside other springtails. It also seems like they really don't mind the drier area of my enclosure as they seem to go just about everywhere. The pinks hug the leaf litter but these silvers just dont give a hoot where they go. 

Thanks!


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## myersboy6

If anyone in AZ has these I would love to get some! I need to seed my new viv! 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk


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## Kudaria

How do these compare in size to the white temperate springtails and the smallest fruit fly, the melanogaster? The one comparison picture I found showed them to be noticeably larger. Also it mentioned something about them being able to jump up to 4"?


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## scoy

There tiny, smaller than a flea. Also all springs can jump I think thats how they get there name. But the silvers dont seem to jump as much or high as pinks if that helps.


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## Kudaria

LOL ok then I guess the picture I found was of Super Silvers because they were just bigger than a pinhead cricket.


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## Pumilo

myersboy6 said:


> If anyone in AZ has these I would love to get some! I need to seed my new viv!
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk


Try hitting up our moderator, Scott. I sent a bunch of free Silvers out to the SouthWest group. You may be able to get a free start from someone there.


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## Pumilo

Kudaria said:


> LOL ok then I guess the picture I found was of Super Silvers because they were just bigger than a pinhead cricket.


That sound more like Tomocerus springtails, also referred to as Giant Black springtails. Within the same population, they can range from black, to tan, to metallic silver. I think I saw about 80% black springs, and about 20% tans or silvers. The silverish Tomocerus are not nearly as metallic or silver looking as my silver springtails.

Tomocerus can easily jump 4 or 5 inches. My temperate silvers rarely jump at all, and certainly never 4 inches.


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## Kudaria

Yes, that was what they were called, those are huge springtails and make yours sound even more interesting.


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## Pumilo

I quit working with Tomocerus as they can be troublesome. Some people had great results with them, but I kid you not, 80% of my customers crashed them within a few months. I didn't think I was doing anyone any favors by continuing to offer them.
My temperate silvers on the other hand, are unstoppable.


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## myersboy6

I will have to ask him! Thanks! 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk


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## harrisbt

Looking for these (and other springs and isos) in central North Carolina.


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## clarksgeckos

Doug I really want to thank you for this post. I think I have learned more about culturing microfauna from your comments and links here than I ever have. Send me the link to your ad please.
Best regards,
Clark


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## Dev30ils

harrisbt said:


> Looking for these (and other springs and isos) in central North Carolina.


Ben,

If you're ever planning on coming down to Charlotte let me know and I will make you some cultures. I have silvers, pinks, regular temperates, striped isos, dwarf purple isos, and giant orange isos. We can probably arrange some kind of trade.


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## benjaminfrogs

I will have better pictures for you by tonight


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## Pumilo

Who's still working with these? I'm looking for a start.
Thanks


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## Marinarawr

Plus one! It'd be a shame if they faded away.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


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## Pumilo

Does anybody know if the silver springtails that Sara Smiles was distributing, were the same as mine? I may be able to get a start that came from Sara.


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