# Springtails



## ConFuCiuZ (Jul 13, 2011)

What are the different types of springtails available and what are the sizes of each springtail?


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## johnyrocks (Jun 25, 2011)

I only know of silver and white springs, and they are about 1/2-3mm each.


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

Tropical Springtail 
Temperate Springtail (Colombella
might be more just what i have seen.


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## ConFuCiuZ (Jul 13, 2011)

I know this guy who has these types of springtails called folsomia and sinella which idk how big they are. Has anyone herd of these


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

folsomia candida are white temperate springtails
Sinella I believe are what we call Pink Springtails
Tomocerus are known as Giant Black/Silver or Temperate Blacks
In addition there are:
Tiny blacks
Tiny silvers
Jame's New Pearls
Tropical white
Globular
TINY blues


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

are there any springtails that are bigger than the tropical species?


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

WONTON SALLY said:


> are there any springtails that are bigger than the tropical species?


Pinks are bigger, mostly they are fatter, so much meatier. Tomocerus are much bigger, topping out at almost 1/4 inch!


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## ConFuCiuZ (Jul 13, 2011)

Great Info Pumilio. Hopefully i can get them at the next reptile expo in NY


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

Pumilo said:


> Pinks are bigger, mostly they are fatter, so much meatier. Tomocerus are much bigger, topping out at almost 1/4 inch!


thanks for the info, can you culture them like the tropicals?


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## RikRok (Nov 5, 2009)

dpes anyone know what are the differences as far as temperature requirements? (if any)


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

i want to know this as well about the tropical species?


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## fishr (Dec 20, 2010)

WONTON SALLY said:


> thanks for the info, can you culture them like the tropicals?


Pinks I have read on this board are sensitive to CO2 building up. So unlike my tropical springs which are completely sealed, the pink's culture has air holes to allow fresh air flow. They are really cool critters! I know my frogs will love em!


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

Yeah, I had a pink culture that had everything die in it due to CO2 buildup


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## dendrobates (May 11, 2009)

What is everyones opinion on the best springtail for seeding tanks? I bought a culture of the black springtails thinking I would use them but it seems not many make it to adulthood.


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## fishr (Dec 20, 2010)

hypostatic said:


> Yeah, I had a pink culture that had everything die in it due to CO2 buildup


I am sorry to hear. Will you be trying again?


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

Definitely. Accept no defeat!

I am now culturing them with a micron filter to allow air flow, so I should not lose these guys to CO2 again.



dendrobates said:


> What is everyones opinion on the best springtail for seeding tanks? I bought a culture of the black springtails thinking I would use them but it seems not many make it to adulthood.


I found that the best thing for seeding tanks is to add different types of springtails/microfauna because they might fulfill different cleanup duties. For example, I've seen that the whites like to stay deep in the substrate, and pinks will be found nearer to the surface.


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

RikRok said:


> dpes anyone know what are the differences as far as temperature requirements? (if any)





WONTON SALLY said:


> i want to know this as well about the tropical species?


i have been playing with the temps alot, and to be honest i havent found much difference? id like to hear what Doug or ed thinks optimal temp is? (not so much ed as i think he said he has a thing to temperate springs  )


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

motydesign said:


> i have been playing with the temps alot, and to be honest i havent found much difference? id like to hear what Doug or ed thinks optimal temp is? (not so much ed as i think he said he has a thing to temperate springs  )


agreed, anxiously waiting. tic-toc.


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/23003-springtails-temporate-tropical.html

From Josh's Frogs:


> The Tropical variety of these guys culture slower than the temperate cultures, but can withstand warmer temperatures.


Jumbo 32 oz Tropical Springtail Culture - Springtails | Josh's Frogs

PS I like how you're both demanding that Ed/Pumilo give their input lol


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Sorry, but I have to admit I have not played with different temperatures. I haven't seen a need to. I grow all my bugs in my frog room. Temps there range from 70 f to 80 f. My production has been good with all the bugs I'm working with. 
I have kept some cultures to be shipped, upstairs (my wife loves that!!). While on vacation the AC was off for a week and temps must have been well over 90F (it was so hot when we got back) and all my upstairs bugs were doing fine.
I agree with hypostatic about variety. Obviously or I wouldn't be working with this many bugs. I introduce all my bugs into every one of my vivs.
For those on a budget, if I were to only have two types of bugs in my vivs (not counting fruit flies, of course) it would be pink springtails and Dwarf White Isopods. Pinks because they seem to establish better for me and get a firm foothold in my vivs. Dwarf Whites because the reproduce well and have a softer shell for good eatin!
Remember to keep a culture going besides what you release into your viv so you can reseed if necessary and to be able to trade people for other cultures or help out a friend with some cultures.


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

hypostatic said:


> PS I like how you're both demanding that Ed/Pumilo give their input lol


 
not demanding, just wanting their expertise--which they both have tons of.


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

so i guess temps aren't as much of a factor like with the FF's.


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

well im glad that im not the only one, i threw a cx of trop iso and a cx of trop springs(shoe box size cx) in and area that would swing 72-95 (kinda close to my attic) for 50 days ... there was no noticeable difference from my cultures kept at a constant 76. but that was just my cultures, ive heard people saying once their springs hit 90 they are GONE. 
disclaimer, i only did this to see if i could kill a culture and since i had a cx of bean beetles Ed told me to bump the temp up on i figure id see what would happen (PS the bean beetles boomed a week after adn now i keep all my beans on the warm side)


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

IME i will say this, mushrooms are the way to go to get then to bloom. i go to a super walmart and get a few mushrooms out of the produce section, 3 for like 50cents. i cut them in to thin slices and then tear those up. put a decent amount into the culture 5-10 depending on the culture size. they lay tons their eggs on the shrooms, then you can see the young grow and watch the culture grow before your eyes. i tried fish flake food and yiest-had no where near the same results.


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

Odd but the one I brought back to room temp from hot boomed big... Or they just came up to the surface since it wasn't so hot?


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

motydesign said:


> Odd but the one I brought back to room temp from hot boomed big... Or they just came up to the surface since it wasn't so hot?


maybe you could try that again with a different culture and see if the same thing happens?

also what are you feeding them?


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## tclipse (Sep 19, 2009)

Pumilo said:


> folsomia candida are white temperate springtails
> Sinella I believe are what we call Pink Springtails
> Tomocerus are known as Giant Black/Silver or Temperate Blacks
> In addition there are:
> ...


Yup, pretty on point.

Temperate white - Folsomia candida
Tropical white - Sinella sp.
Tropical pink - Sinella sp.
Temperate black - Tomocerus
Temperate silvers (small) - ?
Temperate(?) blues - Podura
James's pearls - ? 

Photo credit to Randy/dartsami @ E and K










Are the globular and tiny blacks in the hobby? I've seen pics of the globular ones, but have never heard of either being cultured... unless the tiny blacks are the ones roxrgneiss had back in like '07


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

tclipse said:


> Are the globular and tiny blacks in the hobby? I've seen pics of the globular ones, but have never heard of either being cultured... unless the tiny blacks are the ones roxrgneiss had back in like '07


I don't know if those two are in the hobby or not but I had read some old posts about people working with them so I put them on the list. I have heard that Globular don't seem to do well in cultures.


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