# Various isopod cultures question



## FwoGiZ (Jul 8, 2008)

I am resetting up my white & giant springtails, common pillbugs and white dwarf isopods cultures in brand new container. I bought these 1.8L tupperware style food storage container at dollar store from Plastico cie. They seem pretty tight. 

I was wondering if I need to do aeration holes for any of these bugs? 

I was planning on feeding instant yeast, fish flakes, dog food and dry shrooms to all of them, does that sounds right?

Thanks


----------



## erik s (Apr 12, 2010)

For your springtails..I don't have any vent holes..they get fresh air when you pop the top to feed..I only feed mine yeast and the occasional "mushroom"...no dog food!... That would be a source of mites...
The isos do have a few vent holes, and I re-moisten from time to time..they get flake fish food and some veggies ....


----------



## FwoGiZ (Jul 8, 2008)

Do you also keep giant springtails? You keep both species the same way? I think giants don't like it as wet, but would that be the only difference?

Do isos really need vent holes? I was thinking about glueing FF lids on my plastic container lids. Will that be good enough?


----------



## frog dude (Nov 11, 2011)

I don't use vent holes, as they can introduce mites. For all of my cultures, I use .3 micron filters. More info: http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/94348-3-micron-filters-why-how-where.html

Also, in terms of food, one of the only foods that won't introduce mites is active dry yeast. It is the only food I ever feed my springtails. For Isopods, I feed them Ocean Nutrition Formula One fish flake food.


----------



## FwoGiZ (Jul 8, 2008)

yeah I tried finding those micron filters a while ago and seems like I'd have to get em shipped from the US which makes em stupid overpriced :X

So I guess FF lids will be good enough.


----------



## orin (Sep 8, 2013)

Unless the lid seal is airtight such vents would be immaterial. While mites are a problem with fruit fly media it is highly unusual to experience grain mite problems in isopod or springtail cultures (the media is not the food and shouldn't be).


----------



## Reef_Haven (Jan 19, 2011)

orin said:


> Unless the lid seal is airtight such vents would be immaterial. While mites are a problem with fruit fly media it is highly unusual to experience grain mite problems in isopod or springtail cultures (the media is not the food and shouldn't be).


Sorry, But this is not true. Mites will contaminate spring and iso cultures. The isos can deal with them pretty effectively, but they can and will destroy spring cultures.
Tyvek is just as efficient as 0.3 micron filters and very durable. It has approx 0.5 micron pores. Fedex and priority mail envelopes are made from tyvek, as well as building wrap in new construction and disposable chemical exposure suits.


----------



## orin (Sep 8, 2013)

Reef_Haven said:


> Sorry, But this is not true. Mites will contaminate spring and iso cultures. The isos can deal with them pretty effectively, but they can and will destroy spring cultures.
> Tyvek is just as efficient as 0.3 micron filters and very durable. It has approx 0.5 micron pores. Fedex and priority mail envelopes are made from tyvek, as well as building wrap in new construction and disposable chemical exposure suits.


 I have some springtail cultures that are over twenty years old that have never been detroyed by mites. Yes mites can get into the cultures but if mites become a problem it is because the springtail or isopod cultures are not being kept or fed correctly (in which case they would likely die out anyway). Screening out all mites is not a bad thing but it is more difficult than a few small screens since the caging otherwise must be airtight and any culture materials must be throughly sterilized, easier said than done.


----------



## Reef_Haven (Jan 19, 2011)

orin said:


> I have some springtail cultures that are over twenty years old that have never been detroyed by mites.


What species do you keep? Are your cultures kept on mite paper? 
Please descibe your setup and what you attribute to your mite free success.


----------



## orin (Sep 8, 2013)

Reef_Haven said:


> What species do you keep? Are your cultures kept on mite paper?
> Please descibe your setup and what you attribute to your mite free success.


 You missed the whole point. I don't try to exclude mites because it is not necessary.


----------



## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

orin said:


> You missed the whole point. I don't try to exclude mites because it is not necessary.


That's really great that you don't seem to have a problem with them, but not everybody is quite so lucky. They can be quite a battle for some. Some have to take more extreme measures, and no, a vented fruit fly lid will absolutely not keep young mites in or out. 
To simply claim that any attempts to keep mites out of your cultures is not necessary, is only right in your case (and maybe select others). That is a blanket statement that is simply not true. Experience has shown many people here that mites can easily get a foothold, and out-compete springtail cultures. It has happened time and time again.
Your personal experience is not proof positive.


----------



## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

I want to hear about how you keep your 20 year old, completely mite free cultures, too. I don't believe that is possible outside of a laboratory.


----------



## orin (Sep 8, 2013)

Pumilo said:


> That's really great that you don't seem to have a problem with them, but not everybody is quite so lucky. They can be quite a battle for some. Some have to take more extreme measures, and no, a vented fruit fly lid will absolutely not keep young mites in or out.


 Did you miss this? "Screening out all mites is not a bad thing but it is more difficult than a few small screens since the caging otherwise must be airtight and any culture materials must be throughly sterilized, easier said than done." The Hypoaspis predatory mites can take out a springtail culture over a six month period but they are easy to remove and are relatively large and easy to avoid and are very unlikely to be seen unless you actively culture them. The common grain mites you're likely referring to by size don't directly compete with any springtails I've reared (quite a few) and the problem is with the culture methods (i.e. food and substrate): the springtails were going to die out anyway. I see your explanation as "the curse of the Grecian urn," confirmation bias. Here's a photo of my oldest entomobryid stock.


----------



## Reef_Haven (Jan 19, 2011)

Orin,
I culture mostly Folsomia Candida ( what many of us commonly refer to as temperate springs). These are cultured on hardwood charcoal and fed nothing but active bakers yeast. Before I began using low micron filters and tight sealing lids; I would occasionally have my cultures invaded by a small brown or red parasitic mite, smaller than the springs themselves. I won't venture to guess the species, but they were fairly quick, unlike grain mites. These guys could decimate a springtail population within a month or two.
I haven't had a culture crash do to mites since adding sealed lids and tyvek filters.
I'm glad you've had better experiences. 
Can you please share with us your methods and what you attribute to your cultures being apparently impervious to mites?
and possibly also your method to remove mites from a culture?

Thanks,


----------



## Michael Shrom (May 20, 2004)

I never use filters for my springtails. I just use solocups with tight lids. I generally feed once a week but even when I skip a week the springtails are fine without any ventilation.


----------

