# Non flightless flies...



## reptileink (May 1, 2005)

Just a quick question. I have some "gnats" in my tank that fly. Are these springtails?? I have no clue what a springtail is. They do not overpower the tank, and I think the frogs may eat them in "leaner" times. What are they, just common gnats that come with the plants, or find their way in the tank..


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## Jordan B (Oct 8, 2004)

No, those are just gnats. This is a closeup of a springtal. http://www.geocities.com/~fransjanssens ... lcan02.jpg They are tiny white bugs, but they do not fly.


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## reptileink (May 1, 2005)

are gnats good for the frogs??? I know they probably don't offer much by means of nutrition, but I'm sure they aren't "bad". How does one get springtails, and will they just thrive in a tank without having to re-seed them?


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## bluedart (Sep 5, 2005)

reptileink said:


> are gnats good for the frogs??? I know they probably don't offer much by means of nutrition, but I'm sure they aren't "bad". How does one get springtails, and will they just thrive in a tank without having to re-seed them?


I gnats are probably just fine, and are just as readily gobbled up by the frogs as ffs. Springtails, once seeded, and as long as there's decomposing matter in the tank, will not need to be reseeded, and will probably thrive. There are several reptile food dealers who sell springtails. Check out the "links" at the top right hand corner of this page. Pastor Josh, Ed's Fly Meat, AZDR, Vivarium Concepts-- all sell springtails. And I'm sure most anyone on the boards could sell you an extra culture or two.


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## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

Everybody loves springtails!










These guys hang around in the dirt and act as decomposers. They "spring" but don't fly.

If what you're seeing is real tiny and black, its just fungus knats (I've got them all the time thanks to all my plants). These are harmless, and a number of my frogs go after them (imis, tricolor, even the truncatus go acrobatic for them!). They usually don't appear very often in the tank after its initial set up.


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## JoshKaptur (Feb 17, 2004)

> They usually don't appear very often in the tank after its initial set up.


I wish that were the case for me. I've had a steady supply of these guys for over a year... stopped keeping stpringtails because of it. But it didn't help (though I know there were some coming from the springtail cultures). I just this past weekend noticed that they are coming from my azureus tank... saw the little black larva on the rim underneath the glass top. At least I have a target! Did I mention I hate fungus gnats.


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## reptileink (May 1, 2005)

I mean, what's the big deal? If the frogs eat them, then I consider them to be "free" food in between times where I don't realize how low I am on FF. I don't see it as being a bad thing. Funny thing is, the day gecko I have in there with them eats the gnats too sometimes.


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## Michael Shrom (May 20, 2004)

If they are fungus gnats your frogs probably won't eat them. They will spit them out and tongue drag.


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## JoshKaptur (Feb 17, 2004)

I don't mind the ones in the tank, except that they flie out when I open the lid... and the wife, and to some extent I, do not appreciate them in the house. They make it effortlessly up stairs from the basement, and then upstairs to our bedroom/bathroom... like they've got a homing device.


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## Guest (Feb 1, 2006)

The gnats are nothing to worry about its larvae you need to concern yourself with. In sufficient numbers they will attack and consume live root matter.
Causing a decline in the health of any plant that is comprimised in addition secondary fugal infections are common during this stage. when the young larvae that have been feeding upon an infecte plant metamorphose into adult gnats they become vectors for the disease spreading it through the deposition of more young. There is a bacteria that will kill the larvae and is sold commercially, however I do not know weather it is safe for use with anurans. Considering how the greenhouse has always been loaded with toads I cant see it harming them too much.

If your looking to catch them (the adults) Yellow sticky tape works well, they love yellow, positioning the tape on a horizontal plane will catch more as they emerge from the soil or your tank. 

Please do not reply to my post thinking I am incinuating that you should put yellow stick tape in with your frogs as I am not.

Matt


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