# Springtail tip :)



## chesney (Jan 18, 2007)

I read a post some time back (can't remember who posted it) about adding old mushrooms to springtail cultures to get better producing cultures. So last week I made some new cultures and put a couple of muchrooms on top. Today I go to check on them and there really is a difference. I wish I had taken a before and after pic, but this is what it looks like after a week.


----------



## jig1 (Sep 7, 2008)

I second this. I read that on this board awhile back as well and tried mushrooms. Very good results.


----------



## PumilioTurkey (Feb 25, 2010)

I always give mushrooms to my springs.


----------



## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

I took a single culture in a plastic shoe box. In one quarter I put uncooked white rice. In one quarter I put high quality flake fish food. In one quarter I put a mix of instant baby food. (mix was half baby oatmeal and half baby rice dry cereals made into a paste and smeared on a mag leaf) In the last quarter I put mushroom slices.

They went nuts over the mushroom slices!! After a few days aging, the baby food became pretty popular too. The fish food was so so. I was extremely dissapointed with the whole, uncooked rice corner. Since then, I was told by someone who does great cultures, that dry, active bread yeast or even brewers yeast will outperform even the mushroom but I have not tried it yet. This person does add mushroom about weekly also.
Doug


----------



## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Another tip:

When you get a bag of mushrooms for your springtails, don't put them down in the living room and forget where they are and then find them days later


----------



## fleshfrombone (Jun 15, 2008)

I tried using brewers/nutritional yeast and they went nuts.


----------



## Enlightened Rogue (Mar 21, 2006)

Thanks Lisa.
I use the mushrooms and fish flakes, they both work about the same for me.
A good tip anyway.

John


----------



## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

mushrooms are great for woodlice and isopods also


----------



## kinison (Jul 1, 2010)

I sprinkle bakers yeast and oatmeal on top and always add a couple slices of mushrooms. They start booming pretty fast after that combination in my experiences.


----------



## Chris155hp (Mar 17, 2010)

frogface said:


> Another tip:
> 
> When you get a bag of mushrooms for your springtails, don't put them down in the living room and forget where they are and then find them days later


haha i have done this before too and put like 8 mushrooms in there and i have kept my culture in the thousands for 6 months now


----------



## chesney (Jan 18, 2007)

I have had ten same cultures for years now. I seed my morphing tubs with them weekly and still have tons of them.


----------



## Eric Walker (Aug 22, 2009)

I rotate fresh sashimi mushrooms, cucumber, and bakers yeast for all my springs and woodlice. 

all three work great. when i use bakers yeast i put in a healthy little pile and then give a light spray. it will turn to a gel and they will go nutz over it for 2 weeks easy. 

the cucumbers are one of my favorites to feed all my springs and woodlice.
they will not eat the skin and this makes for a great way to seed a tank or feed out. Just pick up the peice of skin laying on top covered with springs
and shake into whatever. I just skin the cucumber a leave a bit of meat on it and I eat the rest. 

I was also told melon is a great food for them as well but I have had nowhere near the production as with the other three


----------



## Enlightened Rogue (Mar 21, 2006)

chesney said:


> I have had ten same cultures for years now. I seed my morphing tubs with them weekly and still have tons of them.


Lisa, by your pictures I assume you`re using charcoal?
I also use charcoal and find it produces much better and is also easier getting the springs out.
I use the ole turkey baster, just suck em out and shoot em in.

John


----------



## chesney (Jan 18, 2007)

Eric-I never thought of using cucumbers. I'll have to give that a try!

John, I have always used charcoal, but I take a straw and just blow them into the tank...I use the turkey Baster to put my rads in the water. We need to talk frog sometime


----------



## Enlightened Rogue (Mar 21, 2006)

chesney said:


> Eric-I never thought of using cucumbers. I'll have to give that a try!
> 
> John, I have always used charcoal, but I take a straw and just blow them into the tank...I use the turkey Baster to put my rads in the water. We need to talk frog sometime


Will do sweetie pie.

John


----------



## Mitch (Jun 18, 2010)

I have fed both bakers yeast and 'shrooms. In my experience springs love both and production is crazy with both too, but bakers yeast is just easier as it is so cheap and lasts much longer on the shelves. Also, I believe that springs eat fungi in the wild, and mushrooms and yeast are both fungi, but the yeast is living... don't know if that has anything to do with nutrition though. I should also add that I dust both the yeast and 'shrooms with Sera Micron powder, which has a lot of good stuff in it to add more nutrition.


----------



## tclipse (Sep 19, 2009)

Mine do really well on dog food... I use brewer's/nutritional yeast and fish flake from time to time but my beef with those is that they're gone so quickly. Larger pieces like shrooms or kibble tend to last a few days longer between feedings.


----------

